St. Louis Pop-Up Retail Program

Purpose: The GHG Reduction Loan Program provides funds to support new or expanded organics infrastructure, such as composting and anaerobic digestion facilities, as well as for facilities that manufacture fiber, plastic or glass waste materials into beneficial products. Description: The purpose of this investment is to further the purposes of the California Global Warming Solutions Act (Assembly Bill 32), reduce methane emissions from landfills and further GHG reductions in upstream resource management and manufacturing processes; benefit disadvantaged communities by upgrading existing facilities and, where warranted, establishing new facilities that reduce GHG emissions; result in air and water quality improvements; and create jobs.

The Workbar Small Business Grant Contest is an annual contest that awards a $5,000 cash grant and free coworking memberships to Massachusetts-based small businesses. Run by Workbar, a Greater Boston coworking network, the program has been operating since 2021. One Grand Prize winner receives the $5,000 grant plus a one-year free Unlimited coworking membership; two Runner-Ups each receive a 6-month free Unlimited coworking membership; and the Top 10 Finalists each receive a 3-month Unlimited coworking membership. Applicants submit a short form sharing their business story and how they would use the funds, and a panel of judges including Workbar's CEO and outside entrepreneurs selects the winners.

The Seattle Small Business Capital Access Program (CAP) pays down up to $30,000 (or 20% of the loan principal, whichever is less) on qualifying small business loans for Seattle-based businesses. Administered by the Seattle Office of Economic Development (OED), the program is designed to lower the cost of borrowing for small businesses, particularly those that have historically lacked equitable access to financial services. CAP is not a standalone grant application and businesses do not apply directly. Instead, eligibility is evaluated by a participating community lender at the time of loan approval, and qualifying borrowers receive the principal paydown automatically as part of their financing. Because of this, the most important step for interested business owners is knowing to work with one of CAP's participating community lenders when seeking a small business loan; loans from non-participating lenders are not eligible. Participating lenders include Business Impact NW, Rainier Valley Community Development Fund, Seattle Credit Union, MoFi, Grow America Community Impact Loan Fund, Pursuit, Evergreen Business Capital and Community Finance, and Denkyem Co-Op. Paydowns are issued in two installments — one after the borrower makes 12 on-time monthly payments, and a second after 24 on-time monthly payments — and are applied directly to the loan account rather than disbursed to the borrower, effectively reducing the principal owed. To be eligible, businesses must be for-profit, independently owned, located within Seattle city limits, in operation for at least 12 months, have an active City of Seattle Business License, employ no more than 50 full-time equivalent employees, generate annual gross revenue of $2 million or less, and be current on loan payments at the time of the paydown award.

The UPS Store Small Biz Challenge offers entrepreneurs the chance to win a grand prize, including a cash award from the $35,000 prize pool and a spotlight in Inc. magazine. The competition involves several phases: an initial application, a mentoring phase, and a public vote to narrow the field to three finalists, who will pitch their businesses to a panel of judges.

The Virginia Jobs Investment Program (VJIP) is a discretionary incentive that provides funding and services to qualifying companies to support new job creation or upskilling in conjunction with new or expanding operations. The cash grant and accompanying services are intended to offset a company’s recruitment and training costs. The funding for each net new, full-time job created or full-time employee retrained is based on a customized budget determined by an assessment of the company’s recruiting and training activities, as well as the project’s expected benefit to the Commonwealth. The final budget and proposal are approved in advance of the project by the Secretary of Commerce and Trade. VJIP support is typically for a 36-month period. Companies can be reimbursed 90 days after the new employee is hired (for new jobs programs) or after the retraining activity is complete (for retraining programs).