small business Archives

Published on March 8, 2021March 8, 2021

6 mins read

Black Owned FinTech Firm To Disburse $2 Billion in COVID Relief Grants

Back in November of 2020, Lendistry, a Black owned Fintech firm was selected to administer $500 million in grants to small businesses, nonprofits, and cultural institutions impacted by the pandemic across California.

After successfully disbursing the grants on behalf of the California Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Program, Lendistry has now been tasked with administering quadruple that amount, to the tune of $2.075 billion.

Lendistry will provide grants ranging from $5,000 to $25,000 for qualified small businesses and nonprofits, with $50 million allocated specifically for California nonprofit cultural institutions.

“The demand for funding has been immense, with small businesses and nonprofits reaching out for relief and support as they endure through this pandemic,” said Everett K. Sands, Lendistry’s founder and CEO. “During the initial funding rounds, we successfully connected small businesses and nonprofits with grants across all 58 counties in California, and we’re eager to use our platform to swiftly deploy this critical, additional funding so business owners can keep their lights on and serve their communities during this trying time.”

The latest round of funding was recently approved by the California legislature, and the relief program is being administered by California’s Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA), part of the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz).

According to a recent press release, since the launch of the initial funding rounds more than 40,000 grantees have been selected to move forward, more than 350,000 grant applications have been successfully submitted, and 87% of selected applicants represent underserved and disadvantaged small businesses.

Demand for grant funding has far surpassed supply, and this latest financing for small business relief presents an additional and necessary opportunity for eligible applicants still seeking support.

The new funding will be distributed in four additional rounds, beyond the initial funding rounds Lendistry has already completed, in the following order:

New Funding Rounds:

Round 3 (waitlisted from Rounds 1 and 2): Friday, March 5th through Thursday, March 11th, 2021

- Eligible applicants: This is a closed round and only available to eligible applicants who were waitlisted in Rounds 1 and 2 – only existing applicants will be selected. If you were waitlisted, you do not need to reapply. New applications will not be accepted in this round.
- Eligible grant award: $5,000 to $25,000
- Details: This is a closed funding round; no new applications will be accepted

Round 4 (nonprofit cultural institutions only): Tuesday, March 16th through Tuesday, March 23rd, 2021

- - Eligible applicants: Only nonprofit cultural institutions with any revenue size that meet eligibility criteria found at CAReliefGrant.com
  - Eligible grant award: $5,000 – $25,000
  - Details: Eligible nonprofit cultural institutions must complete a new application even if they already applied in Rounds 1 and 2; grants will only be available to nonprofits that did not receive funding in Rounds 1, 2 or 3; grants will be prioritized based on the documented percentage revenue declines based on a reporting period comparing Q2 and Q3 of 2020 versus Q2 and Q3 of 2019

Round 5: Thursday, March 25th through Wednesday, March 31st

- Eligible applicants: current waitlisted small businesses and nonprofits not selected in Rounds 1, 2, or 3 and new applicants that meet eligibility criteria found at CAReliefGrant.com
- Eligible grant award: $5,000 – $25,000
- Details: Applicants not selected to receive a grant in Rounds 1, 2, & 3 do not need to reapply as they will be automatically moved into Round 5. New applicants will need to apply at CAReliefGrant.com

Round 6: Date to be announced soon

- Eligible applicants: current waitlisted small businesses and/or nonprofits not selected in Rounds 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 and new applicants that meet eligibility criteria found at CAReliefGrant.com
- Eligible grant award: $5,000 – $25,000
- Details: Applicants not selected to receive a grant in Rounds 1, 2, 3 & 5 do not need to re-apply and will be automatically moved into Round 6. New applicants will need to apply at CAReliefGrant.com

Lendistry is again providing application assistance through its statewide network of partners, consisting of fellow mission-based financial institutions, small business advisory and technical assistance providers, and State-supported small business centers to facilitate the application process in multiple languages and formats.

Grants will not be issued on a first-come, first-served basis and will be awarded after the close of each application round.

For funding rounds focused on small businesses and nonprofits (3, 5, & 6) the funding for California small businesses and nonprofits will again prioritize regions and industries impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, disadvantaged communities, and underserved small business groups.

For application assistance and more information on application deadlines, grant requirements, and eligibility, please visit CAReliefGrant.com.

Published on March 5, 2016November 8, 2017

6 mins read

Using Public Relations to Promote Your Business

Using public relations to promote your business can help ensure its success. It’s important to promote your business using the right tools and resources. Over half of a million businesses are created every year. What sets yours apart from the others? How will you effectively reach your audience? Do you know who your audience is? Hiring a publicist to develop a robust PR plan can help you achieve the overall goal you have in mind.

What steps will a publicist take to facilitate great results for my business?

Your publicist will be your guide throughout the journey of starting and growing your business. He or she will have an in-depth conversation with you to learn about your business. You both will discuss short and long term goals, tone of messaging, target audience, target media, strategies and tactics to use, timelines, measurements to determine success, and more.

The publicist, for example, PR agencies philippines that you select should be able to do more than just write content to promote your business. They should be able to pull together all of the necessary tools of public relations to promote your business. As your guide, that person will consult with you about how to leverage social media to obtain results. Not all social media sites are created equal. Knowing which one(s) to use for your business will enhance your brand identity.

Together, you and your publicist will decide what type of content to write, how often, and where it will be published. Should your publicist interview customers for success stories? Do you have a product line that requires detailed explanation in a bylined article? Is a press release recommended for certain announcements? Your publicist will be your content and lead generator. The content he/she creates will generate leads for your business, positioning your brand in the forefront of the industry it’s in.

Managing media inquiries and crisis communication will also be incorporated into your PR plan. As the saying goes, “hope for the best but plan for the worst.” Anticipating a crisis and planning how to manage the aftermath will ensure that you’re best prepared to handle what may come your way. The crisis in Flint, Michigan, was forecasted and warned by Governor Rick Snyder’s communication director, Ari Adler.

Reported by the Detroit Free Press, Adler sent an article to the governor’s office titled “Who wants to drink Flint’s water?” It focused on the impact the water quality had on residents and Adler stated, “This is a public relations crisis — because of a real or perceived problem is irrelevant — waiting to explode nationally.” Unfortunately, Adler was right. What’s even more unfortunate is that his PR advice fell on deaf ears.

Why should I hire a publicist? I can do the work myself.

If you’re asking yourself this question, it’s important to consider your strengths. You wouldn’t ask your plumber to decorate your home. He or she may be great at unclogging your drains; however, that’s their strength. Ask yourself, “What is mine?” The ability to create compelling content isn’t a strong suit of many. It’s a skill honed year after year, draft after draft and publication after publication. Your publicist will know how to tell your story. He or she should have experience writing for different industries and has learned how to use words to pull people in. It’s an innate trait—one many business leaders have recognized, incorporating content marketing into their business strategies.

How do I find a qualified publicist?

Inquire with other entrepreneurs you may know—word of mouth references are some of the best. Also, search the Upwork website for candidates. Copyright laws may prohibit a publicist from publishing work they’ve done for other companies, so don’t be alarmed if their work isn’t posted. Candidates should be able to provide you with links of publications they’ve done and can email you PDF’s of writing samples. Ask for references and check their LinkedIn profile. Get to know your future publicist as you two will likely develop a long withstanding professional relationship. It should be a good fit for the both of you.

Hopefully this serves as a helpful guide in using public relations to promote your business and strengthen your brand.

Contributed by Danielle Tyler – Publicist and Communications Professional

Contact Danielle for more information about creating a PR plan for your business.