The Texas Black Expo, a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization, has given away $30,000 to small businesses affected by COVID-19 through its Texas Small Business Emergency Micro-Grant Source (TSBEMS) Fund.
The Texas Small Business Emergency Micro-Grant Source (TSBEMS) Fund offers grants to those affected small business owners during this unprecedented global crisis.
First announced in April of this year, the Texas Black Expo micro-grant program was made possible through collaboration with several major corporations including H-E-B, Enterprise Holdings, Chevron and UPS. Since then, other companies, organizations and individuals have contributed to the effort to support small businesses affected by the devastation of COVID-19.
The severe impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Houston and surrounding areas has resulted in unprecedented losses for many, including thousands of small businesses whose operations had been shut down in an effort to slow the community spread of the virus. To help local entrepreneurs, the Texas Black Expo created the small business emergency micro-grant source, which gives qualifying companies $1,000 each in grant funds. The grant portal is currently open.
“We are so pleased that we have been able to help this group of small businesses through our micro-grant program,” said Jerome Love, Texas Black Expo founder and president. “As many states, including Texas, reopen for business, there will still be an ongoing need to help the most vulnerable communities. Not every business will be able to immediately reopen its doors or bring employees back, so we need to continue to support these companies however we can.”
The TSBEMS Fund was originally created in 2017 as a response to the devastation small businesses faced as a result of Hurricane Harvey. Since then, more than $45,000 has been awarded to assist local entrepreneurs facing business interruption as a result of a disaster or emergency.
According to Love, the goal is to help at least 100 small businesses through the program.
Organizers continue to solicit donations to meet their goal of raising $100,000 for relief efforts through a GoFundMe effort and other collaborations.