Representation, Investment, Strength and Empowerment.
In 2020, there was a unique opportunity to support those parts of the small business community that were most affected by the pandemic – specifically small and medium-sized businesses using grants of resources from Comcast Business and Effectv, the advertising sales division of Comcast Cable. Over the program’s two-year term, which has concluded, Comcast RISE fulfilled its commitment to support 13,000 small businesses nationwide.
Please reach out to: ComcastRise_Press@comcast.com
Comcast RISE recipients received one or more of the following business grants:
Additional Benefits: marketing and data insights via the Comcast RISE monthly newsletter, as well as a virtual
Comcast RISE recipients were selected to receive business services based on the qualitative and quantitative answers submitted. A selection committee identified by Comcast reviewed all eligible submissions received during the contest period and use the following judging criteria to determine the top finalists: (i) completeness of the submission (ii) originality of submission; and (iii) persuasiveness of responses to questions provided on why the applicant should be considered for the Comcast RISE program.
Recipients are responsible for all applicable federal, state and local taxes, if any, as well as any other costs and expenses associated with prize acceptance and services being provided under the program. Recipients are strongly encouraged to consult with their tax advisers to determine any tax consequences in connection prize acceptance and program services.
For Tech Makeover awards, winners may be subject to federal tax based on the value of Tech Makeover services and equipment. The approximate retail value of each Tech Makeover prize is $10,000. Winners are expected to provide the appropriate information for purposes of applicable tax forms. Comcast will issue 1099 Forms to all winners for the tax year in which the Tech Makeovers were received.
There are a select number of services that can be added to the Tech Makeover. The added services will be charged at current rates. The customer is responsible for the timely payment of all monthly charges and taxes of any additional services not included in the Comcast RISE program. If the customer fails to make a payment of the additional services, the complimentary Comcast RISE services, as well as the additional services, will be impacted and may be suspended or disconnected.
The Comcast RISE Investment Fund provided monetary grants to help small businesses owned by people of color or women grow as they navigate the challenges of the pandemic. The Investment Fund is an extension of Comcast RISE, the two-year, multi-faceted initiative launched in 2020 to provide small businesses owned by people of color or women the opportunity to apply for marketing and technology services from Comcast Business and Effectv, the advertising sales division of Comcast Cable.
The final round of the Comcast RISE Investment Fund provided $5 million dollars in total grants to hundreds of small businesses owned by people of color including Black, Indigenous, Hispanic, and Asian American business owners, among others, or women owned businesses in select counties of Chicago, Miami, Oakland, Seattle, and Washington, D.C. were eligible to apply between October 3 through October 16, 2022. A total of 100 grants per city, or 500 grants total, were announced on November 22, 2022.
Applications were evaluated based on the impact from COVID-19 to the business, their families and their communities. We also took into consideration how the business was able to pivot and continue forward, and how they were able to bring the communities up around them.
For our first round of grants, we focused on areas identified as some of the hardest hit by COVID-19 and the resulting local commerce decline. As we were able to expand the program and add additional rounds, we provided grant support through the Comcast RISE Investment Fund to additional metro areas with large numbers of small businesses owned by people of color and women.
501c3 organizations, chamber organizations, educational institutions, church or religious organizations including nondenominational ministries, interdenominational and ecumenical organizations, and organizations whose main purpose is to study or advance religion, political advertisers, marijuana dispensaries, manufacturers or retailers of drug paraphernalia, virtual MVPDs, Internet Service Providers and resellers, gun manufacturers or retailers, fireworks manufacturers or retailers, tobacco/vape manufacturers or retailers, illegal products or services providers, adult entertainment companies, including, but not limited to gentlemen’s clubs, adult toy stores, adult magazines, and adult programming services were NOT eligible to apply.
Ureeka is an online platform for entrepreneurs. Comcast RISE has partnered with Ureeka to provide grant recipients with a six-month business coaching program to help build skills focusing on company foundation, growing customers and financial stability. Ureeka’s Growth Center provides an all-in-one view of key growth indicators for an entrepreneur’s website.
Ureeka created a specialized Comcast RISE online networking community for all Comcast RISE recipients to gain access to additional sources of capital and vetted vendors. Comcast RISE recipients will have a specialized online networking community within Ureeka with access to educational resources, sources of capital and vetted experts such as U.S. Black Chambers, National Asian Pacific Islander Chamber of Commerce & Entrepreneurship, U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Association for Enterprise Opportunity, Walker’s Legacy and Operation Hope.
