Chase and Google Announce $3 Million in Grants and Trip to Google for 12 Small Businesses through the Mission Main Street (SM trademark) Grants Program
New York, January 21, 2014 /3BL Media/ – Chase and Google today announced twelve small businesses chosen to each receive a $250,000 grant through Mission Main Street Grants, a program that gives small businesses across the nation the opportunity to receive a share of $3 million in grants from Chase. In addition to the Chase grants, Google will host each business for a marketing workshop at Google headquarters in California.
“Chase serves more than 4 million American small businesses, so we have a first-hand appreciation of the important role they play in communities across the country,” said Chase Business Banking CEO Scott Geller. “We hope these twelve exceptional businesses take their innovative products and creative approaches to new heights through their Mission Main Street grant.”
Nearly 35,000 small businesses from all 50 states submitted applications for consideration to receive a $250,000 grant from Chase and a trip to Google headquarters. More than 1.7 million people showed their support for those participating businesses by voting on MissionMainStreetGrants.com. Applications submitted by businesses that received at least 250 votes were eligible to continue onto the judging phase.
The following twelve small businesses were chosen by a panel of experts for their superiority in demonstrating a solid business plan, feasible growth plan, overall passion for their business, the potential to make a positive impact within their local community, and their likelihood to succeed with a two-year time frame:
Learn more about three of the grant recipients by watching their stories in videos here
ABL Denim - Los Angeles, CA- A premium denim jean line designed with features that make dressing easier for people with limited mobility or sensory integration issues.
Axelo Inc. - Austin, TX - An innovative company that uses 3D nano-sensing technology to prevent injury and improve the quality of life for people in need.
buzzy4painrelief.com - Atlanta, GA - An at-home device that naturally blocks pain and unpleasant sensations from injections on contact, produced using ethical and sustainable practices.
Chemo Beanies– Covington, LA - A simple head cover to ease the burden of baldness during chemotherapy—created by cancer survivors who wanted an alternative to wigs, scarves, and hats
Curious Jane - Brooklyn, NY - Fun and empowering summer camps and after-school programs for girls to explore design, engineering, and science in a creative, hands-on way.
Edibles Rex - Detroit, MI - Partnering with educational institutions to provide freshly cooked, nutritious meals to children in daycare and K-12 schools throughout Detroit.
Living Design Studios, inc. - Lafayette, CO - Artisans who design and fabricate unique architectural and ornamental metalwork using the most recycled materials on Earth.
Milagros de México - San Francisco, CA - A bicultural retail company dedicated to improving the health of the Latino community by providing high-quality health and wellness products at affordable prices.
Overnight Success Inc. - Miami, FL -Creating jobs for workers through commercial construction projects.
Rolling in Dough Pizza- Greenport, NY - Serving wood-fired, brick-oven pizza in a fully restored vintage 1943 International Harvester truck, Rolling in Dough provides flavor and fun on the go.
Shaktea Kombucha- Fairfield, IA - A microbrewery devoted to crafting superior-tasting organic kombucha and probiotic soda alternatives to nourish and energize you and your family.
The Robot Garage - Birmingham, MI - A place to imagine, design, and build, providing hands-on classes, events, products, and experiences for robot and LEGO® enthusiasts of all ages.
To increase awareness of the important role small businesses play in local communities, Chase garnered the support of a diverse group of organizations with a passion for small business. The expert panel included a representative from each organization:
- U.S. Chamber of Commerce
- U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
- National Federation of Independent Business
- National Minority Supplier Development Council
- National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce
- National Urban League
- U.S. Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce Education Foundation
- National Veteran Owned Business Association
- Women Business Enterprise National Council
“The hard working owners of America’s small businesses deserve recognition for continuing to grow our economy and provide much needed jobs during our recovery,” said David Chavern, U.S. Chamber Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. “This year’s winners prove that with hard work and determination, there are still many success stories to be told.”
“The twelve grant recipients are a great representation of the incredible businesses all across the country, and we were very impressed by the thousands of businesses that submitted applications,” said Jon Kaplan, Vice President of US Sales & Operations, Google Inc. “We know how important a successful web presence is for any company, and we’re excited to host the chosen businesses to discuss ways that they can market themselves in today’s digital age.”
A free marketing toolkit was also made available to all eligible participants. The toolkit provided thousands of participating small business owners with useful information, templates, and other assets to help them promote their businesses more effectively.
For more information on the Mission Main Street Grants program, please visit: MissionMainStreetGrants.com. Please follow @Chasesmallbiz and the hashtag #MissionMainSt for future program updates.
About Chase
Chase is the U.S. consumer and commercial banking business of JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM), a leading global financial services firm with assets of $2.4 trillion and operations in more than 60 countries. Chase serves more than 50 million consumers and four million small businesses through more than 5,500 bank branches, 17,500 ATMs, credit cards, mortgage offices, and online and mobile banking as well as through relationships with auto dealerships. More information about Chase is available at www.chase.com and @Chase. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Member FDIC. Equal Opportunity Lender.
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Media Contact:
Erich Timmerman
212-622-4080
erich.timmerman@jpmchase.com
