Grant Funding Programs

About The Resiliency Fund

The focus of the Resiliency Fund is to support black and brown small minority businesses that are continuing to operate and plan to operate for the remaining calendar year of 2021 and beyond.  The various Tiers represent the support minority Businesses of color need to bridge the financial gaps the COVID-19 Pandemic has disproportionately affected Minority Businesses. The Resiliency Fund also provides an opportunity for businesses to receive support to allow them to pivot during these challenging times.

New Eligibility requirements for this round of Resiliency Grants are slightly different than the previous round.  Please review carefully before applying.  All ineligible applications will not be reviewed. The new requirements are:

  1. Your Business MUST BE Located within the City of Cincinnati Corporate limit. The address listed on your 2020 tax return will be the address used.  If you have not filed your 2020 tax return the address used on your extension request will be used.
  2. Previous Resiliency Grant recipients are eligible but only for either a $2,500 or $5,000 Grant Awards. PREVIOUS RESILIENCY GRANT RECIPIENTS MUST APPLY THROUGH THE RESILIENCY FUND SUPPLEMENTAL APPLICATION PORTAL LINK ONLY HERE. Number of Supplemental Applications will be limited. If you Apply through the any other application portal your application will be ineligible.
  3. If you have NOT received a Resiliency Fund Grant in any of the previous rounds and your business is located within the City of Cincinnati Corporate limits, you are eligible to apply for any of the Resiliency Tier Grants if you meet the requirements listed for each of the Grants. Use the Application link associated with the Grant request you are eligible for.

The Resiliency Fund Tier Eligibility

Tier 1 Option A: The Resiliency Fund- Operational Emergency Relief Grant $1,000

The Resiliency Fund- Operational Emergency Relief Grant Fund is designed to support black and brown minority businesses that need funding to help stabilize and/or address an immediate hardship in their business. The focus of these funds is to support smaller minority businesses that are continuing to operate and plan to operate for the remaining calendar year of 2021. The Operational Emergency Relief Grant level is $1,000.00 for eligible businesses.

Tier 1: $1,000 Operational Emergency Relief Grant 

(Your Business MUST BE Located within the City of Cincinnati Corporate limit)
  • Applicants are screened for eligibility.
  • Maximum Revenue 50k or less (2019 Revenues or 2020 if business was started in 2020)
  • First come, first serve: all applicants who are eligible and submit the correct documentation will receive funds until pool runs out for the Application open period.

Application Period:

  • 1 Application period (August 2021) Additional period might be added pending funding
  • The application opens on August 25th, 2021, at noon. Grant will stay open until September 10th, 2021, at 11:59 PM

Application materials required:

  • In Business 6 months or more
  • Certificate of Good Standing with the State of Ohio
  • Proof of minority ownership
  • Signed IRS Form W-9
  • Color copy of State or Federal ID or Driver’s License
  • Business Bank Account Statement (3 months prior to application date.  Account must have business name on statement)
  • Documentation showing need (outstanding invoice, bill, rent payment due, etc.)
  • Description of how funds will be used
  • 2019 or 2020 Tax Return (Provide the most recently filed Tax Return)
  • Proof of Business Revenue
Apply Here

Tier 1 Option B: The Resiliency Fund- Operational Emergency Relief Grant $2,500

The Resiliency Fund- Operational Emergency Relief Grant Fund is designed to support black and brown minority businesses that need funding to help stabilize and/or address an immediate hardship in their business. The focus of these funds is to support smaller minority businesses that are continuing to operate and plan to operate for the remaining calendar year of 2021. The Operational Emergency Relief Grant level is $2,500.00 for eligible businesses.

There will be 30 total applications accepted and ONLY 15 applications randomly selected for this period. (Once the application pool is filled, the application portal will be closed).

Tier 1: $2,500 Operational Emergency Relief Grant 

(Your Business MUST BE Located within the City of Cincinnati Corporate limit)

 
  • Applicants are screened for eligibility.
  • Maximum Revenue $100,000 (2019 Revenues or 2020 if the business was started in 2020)
  • Eligible applicants are selected by lottery.

Application Period:

  • 1 Application period (August 2021) Additional period might be added pending funding
  • The application opens on August 25th, 2021, at noon. Grant will stay open until September 10th, 2021, at 11:59 PM

Application materials required:

  • In Business 9 months or more
  • Certificate of Good Standing with the State of Ohio
  •  Proof of minority ownership
  •  Signed IRS Form W-9
  •  Color copy of State or Federal ID or Driver’s License
  •  Business Bank Account Statement (3 months prior to application date.  Account must have business name on statement)
  •  Documentation showing need (outstanding invoice, bill, rent payment due, etc.)
  •  Description of how funds will be used
  • 2019 or 2020 Tax Return (Provide the most recently filed Tax Return)
  •  Proof of Business Revenue
Apply Here

Tier 2: The Resiliency Fund- Community Opportunity Grant Fund $5,000

The Resiliency Fund- Community Opportunity Grant Fund is designed to support black and brown minority businesses that need funding to help stabilize and/or address an immediate hardship in their business. The focus of these funds is to support smaller minority businesses that are continuing to operate and plan to operate for the remaining calendar year of 2021 in the Greater Cincinnati Area (currently Hamilton County and City of Cincinnati). The Community Opportunity Grant level is $5,000.00 for eligible businesses. 

There will be 70 total applications accepted and ONLY 35 applications randomly selected for this period. (Once the application pool is filled the application portal will be closed)

In addition to this opportunity, 5 of the 35 applicants selected will be considered to receive an additional $5,000 to be used to further a business growth opportunity, business model change, upgrade in equipment, or an upgrade in their infrastructure to better increase their ability to provide or deliver their product or service to their customer.

Tier 2: $5,000 Community Opportunity Grant Fund

(Your Business MUST BE Located within the City of Cincinnati Corporate limit)

 
  • Applicants are screened for eligibility.
  • Maximum Revenue $750,000 ($10,000 Minimum)
  • Eligible applicants are selected by lottery.

Application Period:

  • 1 Application period (August 2021) Additional period might be added pending funding
  • The application opens on August 25th, 2021, at noon. Grant will stay open until September 10th, 2021, at 11:59 PM

Application materials required:

  • In Business 12 months or more
  • Certificate of Good Standing with the State of Ohio
  • Proof of minority ownership
  • Signed IRS Form W-9
  • Color copy of State or Federal ID or Driver’s License
  • Business Bank Account Statement (3 months prior to application date).
  • Documentation showing need (statement on how COVID-19 has affected revenues compared to 2019 Revenues)
  • Description of how funds will be used
  • 2019 or 2020 Tax Return (Provide the most recently filed Tax Return)
  • 2020 Year-end Income Statement and Balance Sheet or proof of business Revenue from POS account statements
Apply Here

Tier 3: The Resiliency Fund- Catalyst Investment Grant Fund $15,000

The Resiliency Fund- Catalyst Investment Grant Fund is designed to support black and brown minority businesses that need funding to help stabilize and/or address an immediate hardship in their business. These funds focus on supporting smaller minority businesses that are continuing to operate and plan to operate for the remaining calendar year of 2021 in the Greater Cincinnati Area (currently Hamilton County and City of Cincinnati). The Catalyst Grant Fund level is $15,000.00 for eligible businesses. 

There will be 10 total applications accepted, and ONLY 5 applications will be selected for this period. (Once the application pool is filled, the application portal will be closed)

Catalyst Grant Fund to be used to further a business growth opportunity, business model change, upgrade in equipment, or an upgrade in their infrastructure to better increase their ability to provide or deliver their product or service to their customer.

Tier 3: $15,000 Catalyst Investment Grant Fund

(Your Business MUST BE Located within the City of Cincinnati Corporate limit)

 
  • Applicants are screened for eligibility.
  • Maximum Revenue $750,000 ($20,000 Minimum)
  • Eligible applicants are selected by lottery.

Application Period:

  • 1 Application period (August 2021) Additional period might be added pending funding
  • Application opens on August 25th, 2021, at noon. Grant will stay open until September 10th, 2021, at 11:59 PM

Application materials required:

  • In Business 12 months or more
  • Certificate of Good Standing with the State of Ohio
  •  Proof of minority ownership
  •  Signed IRS Form W-9
  •  Color copy of State or Federal ID or Driver’s License
  •  Business Bank Account Statement (3 months prior to application date)
  •  Business must provide no more than 8 pages of Pitch Deck for Business. Should describe the Business opportunity and How funds will be used.
  •  All selected applicants will be interviewed.
  •  Funds must be used for Business Growth Opportunity, Business Model changes, Equipment, upgrade to virtual delivery of products and services.
  • 2019 or 2020 Tax Return (Provide the most recently filed Tax Return)
  •  2020 Year-end Income Statement and Balance Sheet (if requested) or 2020-21 Proof of business revenue. Proof of Business Revenue
  •  2021 Projections

 
Apply Here

The Resiliency Fund- Supplemental Application Requirements

The Resiliency Fund- Supplemental Application Grant is an additional opportunity for previous Grant recipients to apply for additional support for their business. The Business address must be located within the City of Cincinnati Corporate limits.  The Resiliency Fund is designed to support black and brown minority businesses that need funding to help stabilize and/or address an immediate hardship in their business. The focus of these funds is to support smaller minority businesses that are continuing to operate and plan to operate for the remaining calendar year of 2021 in their Business located within the City of Cincinnati Corporate limits.

The Resiliency Fund is provided by the Urban League of Greater Southwest Ohio and being administered by the Greater Cincinnati Microenterprise Initiative (GCMI

All communication for these Grant offerings will be by email only. Please submit through the Application portal or application portal email address.

  • Applicants are screened for eligibility.
  • Business MUST BE located within the City of Cincinnati Corporate limits
  • Maximum Revenue $750,000 ($10,000 Minimum)
  • Eligible applicants are selected by lottery.
  • Application Period:
    • 1 Application period (August 2021) Additional period might be added pending funding
    • Application opens on August 25th, 2021, at noon. Grant will stay open until September 10th, 2021, at 11:59 PM
  • Application materials required:
    • In Business 12 months or more
    • Certificate of Good Standing with the State of Ohio
    • Proof of minority ownership
    • Signed IRS Form W-9
    • Color copy of State or Federal ID or Driver’s License
    • Business Bank Account Statement (3 months prior to application date-May, June July 2021)
    • Description of how the previous Resiliency Fund was used and how it benefited your business
    • 2020 Tax Return
    • 2021 Financial Statements (Income Statement and Balance Sheet)
    • Description of how funds will be used.
Apply Here

There will be a limited amount of grants available for each level. The number of available grants will be listed on each application description.  More grant opportunities may vary depending on available funding.  Each Grant level will have a separate application link for each month. Please review each grant offerings description to determine which will be best for your business.

ONLY CHOOSE ONE GRANT OFFERING TO APPLY FOR EACH MONTH.  YOU WILL HAVE TO COMPLETE A SEPARATE APPLICATION FOR EACH MONTH THAT YOU APPLY. IF YOU ARE SELECTED TO RECEIVE A RESILIENCY FUND AWARD YOU ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR ANY OTHER GRANT OFFERINGS.

The Resiliency Fund is provided by the Urban League of Greater Southwest Ohio and being administered by the Greater Cincinnati Microenterprise Initiative (GCMI)

All communication for these Grant offerings will be by email only. Please submit through the Application portal or application portal email address.

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