2023 Keep It Local Business Grant Recipients
Small businesses make up the vast majority of businesses in the U.S, heavily contributing to local communities, economies, and innovation. While the sector continues to grow, due to systemic barriers, entrepreneurs of color are less likely to receive access to capital and business mentorship than other entrepreneurs. The Nextdoor Kind Foundation seeks to help local leaders continue to thrive and create value for their communities.
The Nextdoor Kind Foundation awarded 20 U.S. small business owners of color microgrants from the Keep It Local Business Fund. The fund is the first phase of the Foundation’s commitment to providing local grants to help neighbors strengthen their local communities. In partnership with the NAACP, the largest and most pre-eminent civil rights organization in the nation, and Hello Alice, the free platform helping over one million small businesses launch and grow, the grant program awarded a total of $100,000 in microgrants to entrepreneurs, enabling them to help strengthen and support communities at a local level.
“Once my company has established itself in the construction community as a high-quality vendor, I plan on creating a training program to help those underemployed and underserved in our community break into this industry.
I hope to help women and men recently incarcerated and individuals with little to no higher education by creating a path for them to earn an income that places them above the poverty level.”
Davis Transport Services, LLC
2023 Recipients
The Nextdoor Kind Foundation awarded 20 U.S. small business owners of color microgrants from the Keep It Local Business Fund.
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Black Men’s Health Clinic
Austin, TX
Black Men’s Health Clinic is the first-of-its-kind health clinic addressing the long-time care gap for men of color in the Austin, Texas area.
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Cafe Coco Latte
Aurora, Ill
Café Coco Latte is a premium online destination for specialty coffee online that is planning to open their first brick and mortar cafe in Spring 2023.
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California Hardwood Floor Co
Baton Rouge, LA
California Hardwood Floor is a full service wood flooring contracting firm, which serves the Greater Baton Rouge area and the Greater Los Angeles area that provides services to developers, builders, interior designers and homeowners.
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C. K. Cleaning Specialists, Inc
Bradenton, FL
C. K. Cleaning Specialists, Inc, is a family-owned company that has been serving the Chicago area and surrounding suburban communities since 2008
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Davis Transport Services LLC
Euclid, OH
Davis Transport Services provides dump truck and excavating services such as dirt hauling, graveling and road de-icing salt for a variety of customers from large-scale construction companies to residential homeowners in Northeast Ohio.
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Education Media, LLC, dba the Diversity Production Pro
Long Beach, CA
Education Media works with thought leaders, educators, and industry experts who are ready to leverage their expertise and scale their brand with customized eLearning courses. Their offering the Diversity Production Pro is a complete ecosystem that houses our learning management system offering learners a great way to connect with other professionals in the entertainment industry.
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Geniuscribes
Friendswood, TX
Geniuscribes provides on-demand ghostwriting, editing, coaching and publishing services for intellectual authors and advanced academics.
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Growth & Guidance Counseling
Oak Lawn, Ill
Growth & Guidance Counseling Services provides therapeutic counseling, educational and wellness services, with the mission of instilling a sense of confidence, hope, and support to people while taking Mental Health to the next level.
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Health Care Solutions of Delaware Valley (HCS)
Media, PA
Health Care Solutions of Delaware Valley is an on-site workplace wellness company that offers a myriad of services, including fitness classes, weight management, quit smoking, and more.
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Julian’s House LLC
Cypress, TX
Julian’s House is a Day Habilitation Center that serves youth and adults that have developmental and intellectual disabilities in a safe learning environment.
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Matrescence Occupational Therapy
Austin, TX
Matrescence Occupational Therapy provides healthcare, wellness, and support — many that are out-of-network — through the transition to motherhood and beyond.
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Melospeech Inc.
Temecula, CA
Melospeech Inc, offers online or in-home speech therapy services for adults and children in Southern California.
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MsP’sGFree Inc.
Chicago, Ill
Ms P’s Gluten Free is a small gluten-free baking business that is planning to scale their business and become a household and trusted name for delicious, nutritious and healthy gluten-free snack foods.
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Purple Ribbon Chef
Chicago, Ill
Purple Ribbon Chef is a full service catering company that is renowned for serving up delicious bites with a taste of advocacy for lupus and domestic violence.
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Seed At The Table LLC
Compton, CA
Seed At The Table is a mission-driven equity crowdfunding platform committed to connecting diverse entrepreneurs with non-accredited investors looking to obtain equity and/or debt exposure at modest investment amounts.
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The Hardy Clinic
Atlanta, GA
The Hardy Clinic is a minority-owned virtual clinic that provides psychotherapeutic and behavioral health services primarily to clients in Georgia.
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The Heart of Art: Coaching For Creatives
Oakland, CA
The Heart of Art: Coaching For Creatives is a consulting service that provides custom one-on-one coaching and mentoring for creatives.
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Wheatley Montessori School
Greenville, SC
Wheatley Montessori School is a preschool for children ages 3 – 6 that practices the Montessori method for youth in upstate South Carolina.
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World City Center
Los Angeles, CA
World City Center is a Dual-Language Preschool located in the West Adams area of Los Angeles, California that offers a hands-on approach to childcare and play-based learning. The school presents many opportunities for cross-cultural exploration, anti-bias education, and social-emotional development.
“As a Ph.D. level researcher with a research focus on business incubation, I know that Black businesses fail at a rate higher than any other group. I have seen countless minority businesses start, struggle and fail time after time due to lack of access to funding, and it breaks my heart every time.
Thus, what I would like you to know about me is that I GREATLY appreciate your targeted efforts to this community to help them succeed in their struggle. It’s good to see that someone cares. “
Dr. Shannon Williams, GeniusScribes