Local Black-owned businesses can now apply for up to $10,000 in aid through the Economic Justice Fund run by the Connecticut Community Outreach Revitalization Program (ConnCORP).
ConnCORP is the same organization that is looking to redevelop Dixwell Plaza into a mixed-use hub of apartments, stores, and cultural venues.
They first launched their Economic Justice Fund last summer to raise and distribute $600,000 to families in Newhallville and Dixwell.
On Monday afternoon, ConnCORP sent out an email press release announcing an expanded grant program for local Black-owned businesses that have been open for at least two years.
“The goal of the fund is to create a cadre of Black businesses that are economically resilient to withstand economic recessions as well as being wealth and wage generators for their owners, employees, and the community at large,” the press release reads.
The first 10 businesses accepted in the first round of grant funding will receive up to $10,000, depending on need.
They’ll also be eligible for up to $15,000 from CTNext in technical assistance in the form of marketing, financial/accounting, new product development, legal, web design, and communications and public relations consulting. The New Haven Innovation Collaborative (NHIC) is supporting the effort with a $200,000 CTNext matching grant.
And they’ll be able to take part in ConnCORP’s Economic Impact Lab.
It's great to see something being done to address how many black businesses didn't have access to the covid 19 payroll protection act funds. Having access to these grants will help them get back on their feet.