Last Updated on December 5, 2023 by BVN
Ellen Perrault
On #GivingTuesday, November 28, the Nextdoor Kind Foundation awarded 20 U.S. small business owners of color microgrants from the Keep It Local Business Fund in partnership with the NAACP, and Hello Alice, the free platform helping over one million small businesses launch and grow.
Four of the 20 grantees are located in California including The Daisy Refillery located in San Francisco; FreeJac Nation in Oakland; I Know a Place located in Los Angeles; and Kindness and Mischief Coffee, also located in Los Angeles.
The Keep It Local Business Fund has awarded $200,000 in microgrants this year to community entrepreneurs across the country.
“These 20 entrepreneurs demonstrated not only a clear vision and plan for their businesses, but a drive to create solutions, opportunities and positive change for their communities,” said Shireen Santosham, Executive Director of the Nextdoor Kind Foundation in a press release. “It’s a privilege to introduce these innovative business owners as Keep It Local Business Fund grant recipients and connect them with financial resources and a network of cohorts to help fuel their ongoing growth.”
More than 11,000 applications were received from across the country during the application period for this grant round,
Unified by a vision for growth and a commitment to their communities, this period’s grantees represent a diverse spectrum of proposals and industries spanning real estate and preservation, wellness and beauty, counseling and educational services, culinary and more.
“The NAACP extends a heartfelt congratulations to the recipients of this year’s Keep It Local Business Fund,” said NAACP President and CEO, Derrick Johnson. “This grant initiative further underscores the transformative power of a thriving community through its small business owners. We celebrate not only the achievements of these 20 entrepreneurs but also the potential they hold to inspire and uplift their communities.”
In addition to the grant, recipients will receive resources and tools to grow their business including pro bono advertising on the Nextdoor (NYSE: KIND) platform and access to personalized training.
Follow this link to learn more about the 2023 grant recipients.