Comcast announced it will award $1 million in total grants as well as technology and marketing resources to 100 Washington, D.C. small businesses owned by women and people of color, including Black, Indigenous, Hispanic, and Asian American owners, among others. The recipients are among the 13,000 entrepreneurs nationwide who have been selected through the Comcast RISE program, which provides monetary, marketing, and technology grants to small business owners.
With today’s announcement, 100 selected D.C. businesses will each receive a $10,0000 grant. An additional 31 small businesses will receive marketing or technology support such as a TV campaign, production of a TV commercial or consulting services from Effectv, the advertising sales division of Comcast Cable, or computer equipment, internet, voice or cybersecurity services from Comcast Business.
“We’re thrilled to be a recipient of the Comcast RISE Investment Fund grant and plan to use the funds to help us cover new and ongoing expenses as we strive to rebuild our small business and team,” said Elisa Bennaton, Founder and CEO of The Ministry, a Washington, D.C. independent, specialty coffee and wine bar. “This couldn’t have come at a better time, and we want to thank Comcast for continuing to invest in small businesses.”
Comcast RISE, which stands for Representation, Investment, Strength, and Empowerment, is part of Project UP, Comcast’s comprehensive initiative to advance digital equity and help provide underrepresented small business owners with access to the digital tools and funding they need to thrive. Comcast looks forward to introducing a new phase of RISE in 2023, which will continue our efforts and help an even broader range of small businesses, while continuing our focus on diversity, inclusion and community investment.
Over the next 10 years, Comcast has committed $1 billion to programs and partnerships that will reach an estimated 50 million people with the skills, opportunities, and resources they need to succeed in an increasingly digital world. With the program’s commitment now fulfilled, and to continue highlighting the recipients, Comcast RISE has partnered with Philadelphia-area tech education and training nonprofit Hopeworks to develop and release an interactive map to encourage consumers to patronize small Comcast RISE businesses in their communities.
Comcast also recently announced its latest round of Comcast RISE core program recipients, which includes over 2,800 small businesses owned by people of color, that will receive a TV campaign, production of a TV commercial or consulting services from Effectv or computer equipment, Internet, voice and cybersecurity from Comcast Business.
“We are passionate about coffee and sustainability, and have put everything into the success of our small business,” said Nicolas Cabrera, Co-founder of Lost Sock Roasters. “Winning the Comcast RISE Investment Fund grant is a game changer that will allow us to take our business to the next level and bring our specialty coffees to more of Washington, D.C. and beyond.”
Washington, D.C. grant recipients include:
- 1727 Mass Ave LLC
- 1×1 LLC
- 20 Degrees
- Accelere LLC
- Affinity Health Affairs LLC
- Alliance To End Strong LLC
- AltaSource Management Company LLC
- Artmonger Inc.
- Ashraf Choudhury DDS PC
- Asset Management Consulting LLC
- AuhnReel Productions LLC
- BisonRattler Limited Liability Company
- Black Vinegar Collection LLC
- Bright Start Childcare LLC
- Butterfly Alphabet Inc.
- Capitol Services Management Inc.
- CEA Enterprise LLC
- Chaia Mount Vernon Triangle LLC
- CleanMyPlace Maintenance and Recycling LLC
- Cooper and Associates LLC
- CSG Urban Partners LLC
- CuraCapitol Primary Care Services LLC
- Daily Fish of Chesapeake
- DC Optical Holdings Inc.
- Dynamic Solutions for the Aging LLC
- Elysium LLC
- EMB INTERNATIONAL LLC
- Gakyu LLC
- GARROW LAW FIRM PLLC
- Gills Way Enterprises LLC
- Global Government and Industry Partners LLC
- Good Day Scents Candle Co
- Good Letters LLC
- Grindstone Universal
- Hai Huynh Enterprises LLC
- HardHat Diplomat LLC
- Healthy Home Pediatrics Inc.
- J L Terrell Construction LLC
- JackiCan LLC
- Jackson Consulting Group LLC
- Jadi Goose
- Joebi and Joebi Foods LLC
- K Chaney and Associates LLC
- Klean Plate Catering LLC
- LA Fly Pizza LLC
- Le Chic Salon LLC
- Ligne Pilates and Movement
- Lins Spirit Inc.
- LJ CONSULTANTS LLC
- Lost Sock Roasters LLC
- Martha Spak Fine Arts LLC
- Mischo Beauty
- MJT Television
- Momiji Rest CORP
- Moroccan Saffron LLC
- MTB Enterprises
- My Second Campus Inc.
- NazcaMochica Restaurant LLC
- Nelson Design Consultants
- Nirvana Holistic Medicine LLC
- No Rules Distributors LLC
- Nomad Dumplings
- Ntam Construction LLC
- Officium LLC
- Past Tense LLC
- Pearson and Company LLC
- PERFECT NAILS 1 LLC
- Piccanteli LLC
- Plots and Pans
- PMGL LLC
- Pomegranate Plus LLC
- Prime shine detailing 202
- RASA MVT LLC
- Rasabel Corporation
- Reel Short Films LLC
- Ryan L Jones Law LLC
- Smile Services DC PLLC
- Social Justice Synergy
- Solutions by SF
- Spectrum Associates Inc.
- SSP Inc.
- Stop Loafin
- Studio Chique A Full Service Salon LLC
- Studio Elan LLC
- Tagg Communication LLC
- Taylor Creative LLC
- TBONE STEAKS N RIBS N SANDWICHES LLC
- The Dawn LLC
- The District Pit LLC
- The Lovely Lady Boutique LLC
- The Side Lobby LLC
- The URBANE Group
- TiTis Happy Hearts LLC
- TRUE Syrups and Garnishes
- Unchained Stories LLC
- UZU LLC
- Weaver Advisory LLC
- WILLIAM JOLLEY PRODUCTIONS INCORPORATED
- With Great Care LLC
- Zenith Gallery Inc.
“We are incredibly proud of the work that the Comcast RISE team has done over its two-year term to help the small businesses we’ve worked with to not only survive, but also to thrive,” said Teresa Ward-Maupin, Senior Vice President, Digital and Customer Experience, Comcast Business. “We recognize that small businesses are the backbone of our economy and look forward to taking our learnings from this program as we find new ways to further empower and strengthen even more small businesses and entrepreneurs at the heart of our local communities. Comcast will be continuing its efforts to positively impact small businesses in 2023. We have seen that many small businesses are shifting from pandemic recovery to long-term growth, so it is only natural for the program to evolve. The next evolution of the program will focus on helping businesses of all types accelerate growth. Its offerings will include complimentary marketing, technology, financial grants, business consulting, entrepreneurship training and other services.”
In the two years since its inception, Comcast RISE has met its goal of supporting 13,000 small businesses nationwide and awarded more than $110 million in monetary, marketing, and technology grants to strengthen and empower small businesses owned by people of color and women in 1,321 cities across 38 states.
In addition to the financial and business support services provided, a key part of the program is ensuring the long-term sustainability of businesses. To help address this, Comcast invests in and partners with organizations such as Ureeka to provide ongoing mentorship and resources to help small businesses succeed over the long-term.
Additional details about Comcast RISE in 2023 will be forthcoming. For more information on Comcast’s continuing programs and partnerships to advance economic mobility and open doors for the next generation of entrepreneurs, visit Project UP.
