25 Small Business Owners Receive $25,000 Grants through Backing Small Businesses Program
Twenty-five small business owners across the country have been awarded $25,000 Enhancement Grants through the Backing Small Businesses grant program, presented by American Express and Main Street America. The 25 small businesses receiving enhancement grants represent 19 states and Puerto Rico. Earlier this year, each of these recipients also received $5,000 as part of a 350-member cohort. Including the awards announced today and the awards granted in the summer, the program will have provided nearly $4 million in grants to 680 small business owners nationwide, more than $2.3 million of that granted in 2023.
In 2021, American Express and Main Street America created the grant program to help economically vulnerable small business owners recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and grow their businesses. In its first year, the program provided $1.65 million in grants to 330 small business owners across the country. Now in its second year, the program increased the number of grants awarded to 350 and total funding to more than $2.3 million to further support small business owners.
“We are truly thrilled to provide additional support to our country’s small business owners through the Backing Small Businesses program, along with our partners at American Express,” said Main Street America President and CEO Erin Barnes. “These enhancement grants are no small thing – and will go far in helping our neighborhood and downtown entrepreneurs build capacity, spur innovation, and support economic development efforts in their home communities.”
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