Grants help Black North Carolina entrepreneurs get off ground
NC BEC ECOSYTEM gifts to 8 agencies
PHOTO | WOCINTECHCHAT
NC BEC ECOSYTEM grants were awarded to eight organizations to enhance Black entrepreneurship in the state.
Two Charlotte-based organizations received grant funding from NC IDEA and the North Carolina Black Entrepreneurship Council.
The NC BEC ECOSYTEM grants were awarded to eight North Carolina organizations to enhance Black entrepreneurship in the state (there were 140 applicants). Over $360,000 was provided in funding, with $50,000 going to ASPIRE Community Capital and $50,000 to City Startup Labs. Grants must be allocated to projects serving Black entrepreneurs.
“Under the leadership of the NC Black Entrepreneurship Council and just months after its formation, our call to fund organizations supporting more Black people in their ambition to start and scale growth-oriented companies drew an incredible response,” Thom Ruhe, CEO and president of NC ID
“Under the leadership of the NC Black Entrepreneurship Council and just months after its formation, our call to fund organizations supporting more Black people in their ambition to start and scale growth-oriented companies drew an incredible response,” said Thom Ruhe, CEO of NC IDEA.
“Equitable entrepreneurship is vital to our economic recovery. Partnering with these eight worthy recipients, creates greater opportunity to economically empower Black people with entrepreneurship, and collectively work to combat inequalities that perpetuate racial imbalances. I hope we can convince more funding partners to support this important work, thereby funding many more of the requests we received,” Ruhe concluded.