SF Storefront Opportunity Grant

In 2013, to foster job creation, facilitate small business development and enhance the workforce pipeline, the Rhode Island General Assembly created the Innovate Rhode Island Small Business Fund (IRISBF). Eligible Rhode Island small businesses may apply for grants to defray the cost of applying for SBIR/STTR awards, match SBIR/STTR Phase I and Phase II awards, and hire interns. Application Grant: Provides grants of up to $3,000 to assist small businesses offset the costs associated with preparing a competitive Phase I SBIR/STTR application. Matching Grant: Provides grants of up to $75,000 to encourage recipients of SBIR/STTR Phase I awards and up to $150,000 to recipients of Phase II awards.

As your company grows and develops, so will your demand for a larger well-trained workforce. Expanding your workforce can be costly, but through the help of WorkOne, you can reduce the cost of hiring and training new employees. WorkOne will reimburse employers up to 50% of new employee wages for on-the-job training. THIS IS NOT A TAX CREDIT. It is an actual check sent to your company for a portion of the trainees’ wages during the training period of up to six months. The training must pay at least $13.50 per hour.

Each month, we award two (2) $1,000 grants to women, age 18 or over, in the US to invest in their Business or Idea. You can use it as a start up grant, marketing grant, operational grant or whatever you need to help you to the next level with your idea or business. One grant will be awarded to a For-Profit business or idea and one to a Non-Profit business or idea.

The St. Petersburg MLK Communities in Action Mini-Grant Program provides St. Petersburg, Florida small businesses, nonprofits, and community-based organizations with grants of up to $2,500 each (with up to 20 grants totaling $50,000 distributed per cycle) to fund activities that foster community healing, wellness, and service in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy. Administered by the City of St. Petersburg, the program is an annual grant opportunity that supports community-led initiatives taking place during the MLK Day period each January, with funds disbursed in advance of the project period as long as the applicant submits an approved budget. Eligible projects must align with one of four focus areas: Arts and Culture Events, Community Support Services, Environmental Activities, or Health and Wellness Activities. Recent award recipients have carried out a wide range of initiatives within these focus areas, from community cleanups and rain garden workshops to free dental days, parenting wellness weekends, intergenerational writing projects, youth STEM mentorship events, and cultural storytelling programs. Projects are expected to promote unity, health, and volunteerism in the spirit of Dr. King’s vision of the “beloved community.” To qualify, applicants must be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, faith-based organization, educational institution, community-based organization, civic group, or small business registered in Florida and located within St. Petersburg city limits.

The award was created in honor of Mother’s Day and Founder’s First CEO Kim Folsom‘s mother, Catherine “Kitty” Abrams Tadlock Webster, who passed away in March of 2020. The Kitty Fund makes small micro investments in Moms who are running employer-based small businesses with two or more employees.