Keep it Local Business Fund

Microgrants for Small Businesses

Learn about the 2023 grant recipients here.

What will you get?

• One-time $5,000 grant to support your small business
• Public recognition for your contributions to your community
• Participation in 1-2 events with your fellow winners to share your successes and lessons learned
• Ad credits to promote your local business on the Nextdoor Platform
• Access to trainings on how to thrive as a small business, including Nextdoor’s Recession Playbook

What is expected of you?

• Use of your story in select marketing and promotional materials
• Reporting out on your success after three months, six months, and in one year
• Participation in at least one virtual or in-person event hosted by the Nextdoor Kind Foundation

Timing

Applications open July 24, 2023 at 9:00 AM EST and end September 1, 2023 at 11:59 PM EST.

Criteria for Selection

Entries will be reviewed by Sponsors and/or their designated agencies (“Panel”) based on the following criteria (“Grant Recipient Review Criteria”):

• Clarity and feasibility of plan for funds (30%);
• Clarity and feasibility of plan for growth (30%);
• Demonstrated commitment of entrant to their community (40%).

Eligibility

To be eligible to enter a business in the Program, you (“Officer”) must be all of the following as of the first day of the Program Period (defined below):

• Be majority (51%) owned and/or operated by a person of color(s);
• A legal resident of one of the fifty United States and the District of Columbia; excluding US Territories.
• Eighteen (18) years of age or older (19 in AL and NE).

To be eligible to participate in the program, the business (“Entrant”) must meet all of the following criteria as of the first day of the Program Period:

• Be a for-profit business;
• Have less than $1M in 2021 gross annual revenue;
• Have between 1 – 25 employees (including part-time and contract staff)
• Have a commitment to community; AND
• Have a clear plan for how the funds would help achieve a business goal.

How to submit your application

This groundbreaking program is made possible through our partnership with the NAACP and Hello Alice.  Hello Alice is a free platform that supports small business owners to learn and grow.  Simply click the “apply now” button to create a Hello Alice profile and access the application.

Check out this webinar to learn more about what we are looking for in applicants as well as the application process!