Comcast RISE Awards Black-Owned, Small Businesses in the Baltimore Metropolitan Area with Marketing and Technology Resources and Makeovers

Multi-Year Program Opens Eligibility to Small Businesses Owned by Black, Indigenous and People of Color

Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA) today announced the first round of Comcast RISE award recipients, which include over 700 businesses that will receive consulting, media and creative production services from Effectv, the advertising sales division of Comcast Cable, or technology upgrades from Comcast Business, based on the recipient’s specific needs. Included are eight small businesses – ranging from restaurants and salons to professional services and retail shops – here in the Baltimore metropolitan area. To date, 3,300 small businesses across the country already have signed up to receive the Comcast RISE monthly newsletter, which will offer free marketing insights and resources.

Today, the next phase of Comcast RISE, the multi-year, multi-faceted initiative launched in October to help strengthen small businesses hard hit by COVID-19, opens up eligibility to include Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC)-owned, small businesses. They can apply at www.ComcastRISE.com.

“When COVID-19 hit, we were forced to shut down our in-person services, lay off all teaching staff for six months and cancel our annual fundraising concert, which would have raised $10,000,” said Sharayna Christmas, executive director of Muse 360 Arts in Baltimore. “Since reopening, we’ve been unable to rehire a full staff, experienced a drastic decrease in enrollment and struggled to pay our rent and utilities. With Comcast RISE, we’re excited that we’ll now be able to produce quality media content and introduce more people to our mission, goals and actions in the community.”

Local Comcast RISE award recipients include:

Baltimore City – BrickRose Exchange; Midnight Confections; Muse 360 Arts; Princess Akeema, LLC; White Night Productions

Catonsville – Life Revisions Counseling, LLC

Columbia – Tocar Spa

Pikeville – Unruly Beauty Bar

The first phase of Comcast RISE, which stands for “Representation, Investment, Strength and Empowerment,” focused on U.S. Black-owned, small businesses, those hit hardest by the pandemic according to a recent study from the National Bureau of Economic Research. Comcast RISE brings together two of the company’s brands – Comcast Business and Effectv, both with expertise in the small business space – to empower business owners with the expertise and resources needed to navigate the economic effects of the pandemic.

“We created Comcast RISE to partner with small businesses and give them access to tools to help them survive the pandemic and thrive,” said Daniel Carr, Vice President, Sales Operations, Comcast. “As we’ve gone through the selection process, it’s been so powerful to hear these business owners’ stories and see the tangible ways that we can help grow their businesses and impact their communities. I could not be more pleased to open this program to the entire BIPOC community and continue this positive momentum.”

“Fueling the success of small businesses is what our business is all about. We partner with them to better understand their needs and what we can do to help them grow. Our success is their success,” said James Lavallee, Vice President, Sales Marketing, Effectv. “That’s why, at a time when so many in our small business communities are struggling, it’s incredibly humbling to be able to give back and share our knowledge and resources with those hardest by the pandemic. We want to help our partners and communities rise.”

Comcast RISE consists of the following main components:

• A media and technology resources program: This pillar combines Effectv’s renowned media platform and marketing expertise, its award-winning creative agency, Mnemonic, and state-of-the-art technical support from Comcast Business to help small businesses foster and elevate growth. Recipients will receive help with their marketing, media campaigns and creation of 30-second commercials, as well as equipment and technology upgrades, including:
  • Consulting:Advertising and marketing consultations with local Effectv marketing, research and creative teams to gain insights on how to grow your business.
  • Media:A linear TV media campaign to run over a 90-day period.
  • Creative Production:Turnkey :30 TV commercial production for their businesses.
  • Technology Makeovers:Computer equipment and Internet, Voice and Cybersecurity services for up to a 12-month period. (Taxes and other fees may still apply for tech makeover services.)
• Business resources to help with curated content: Comcast has launched the Comcast RISE destination complete with aggregated small business news, tips, insights and more on the X1 platform. The destination is designed to help businesses grow by empowering them through education, inspiration and entertainment. Just say “Comcast RISE” into the X1 voice remote.
• Grants:In early 2021, Comcast will be awarding grants of up to $10,000 each for U.S.-based small and diverse businesses that have been in operations for three to five years.

Comcast RISE is part of a larger $100 million Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiative that Comcast launched this summer. In June, Comcast NBCUniversal announced the development of a comprehensive, multiyear plan to allocate $75 million in cash and $25 million in media over the next three years to fight injustice and inequality against any race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation or ability.

Visit www.ComcastRISE.com to apply and get more information and the latest updates.