The Verizon Small Enterprise Digital Prepared Grant program is now open for functions for its newest spherical of funding, totaling $1 million.

The $10,000 grant program is among the hottest options of Verizon Small Enterprise Digital Prepared. However the grants are just one good thing about a program designed particularly to assist small companies succeed by offering digital expertise coaching from programs, to stay teaching classes, to personalised studying plans. 

Better of all, this system is free to affix. 

To be eligible to use for a Verizon Small Enterprise Digital Prepared Grant, companies should have an account on Verizon Small Enterprise Digital Prepared and fulfill different necessities akin to finishing any mixture of two programs, teaching occasions, or digital group occasions on the platform.

Register right here to get began.

To study extra about this system, go right here or learn the under interview with Brianna Ellison, director of group engagement for Verizon. Ellison elaborates on the work Verizon is doing to assist entrepreneurs and on the advantages of the Small Enterprise Digital Prepared program, together with:

• Entry to free digital expertise coaching and sources
• Monetary help to assist digital transformation initiatives
• Alternatives to community with different small enterprise house owners and specialists
• Entry to assist from Verizon and its companions

As Ellison explains, Verizon is actively partnering with Michigan small companies to assist them succeed within the digital economic system, together with:

• Verizon has partnered with Grand Valley State College’s Veterans Entrepreneurship Lab to supply grants and assist to veteran entrepreneurs.
• Verizon has partnered with the Metro Detroit Black Enterprise Alliance’s Capital Join Program to assist Black-owned companies entry funding and sources.

Under is the complete Q&A with Ellison, which StartupNation carried out in September 2022. 

1. What work is Verizon doing within the Detroit/Michigan group to assist small companies?

Verizon has actively partnered with Michigan small companies. We’re members of quite a few chambers of commerce and associations from throughout the state that work with small companies (such because the Detroit Regional Chamber, Grand Rapids Chamber, Dearborn Chamber, The Proper Place, MI Chamber, Automation Alley, Metro Detroit Black Enterprise Alliance, MI Enterprise Incubator Assoc.). Verizon participates in a lot of thought management occasions with these organizations to share experience and sources with their membership.

In 2021, we prolonged a grant to Grand Valley State College’s Veterans Entrepreneurship Lab. Veterans and/or army spouses work on their enterprise launch over a three-month interval. MVE-Lab equips individuals to establish their goal prospects, community with others, and discover the sources they should launch profitably and efficiently. It concludes with a Pitch Showcase awarding at the very least $25,000 in prize cash. Friends embody different veteran entrepreneurs, mentors, and specialists like attorneys and advertising specialists, together with the chief of Verizon’s veteran worker useful resource group who shared details about Verizon assist for small enterprise house owners alongside along with his personal private expertise as an entrepreneur.

In 2021, we additionally established a partnership between Verizon’s Professional Bono Program and the Metro Detroit Black Enterprise Alliance’s Capital Join Program. This program is making ready and connecting Metro Detroit Black-owned companies to numerous funding sources to make sure their sustained success. If any of those companies want additional authorized help or one-on-one assist, the Verizon Professional Bono Program workforce has agreed to work straight with these companies to establish further authorized providers.

Lastly, in September, Verizon launched Small Enterprise Digital Prepared.  This on-line curriculum is designed to present small companies the personalised instruments to reach immediately’s digital world. This system contains studying modules, professional teaching, peer networking and a market of instruments and options.  The free on-line useful resource is accessible to any small enterprise throughout Michigan (and nationwide) and shall be utilized by Verizon companions such because the Black Enterprise Alliance’s Capital Join Program.

2. What do you imply by “Digital Prepared” and why is digital readiness essential for small enterprise house owners immediately?

Digital readiness is about ensuring companies have all of the instruments and sources they should thrive in immediately’s economic system. The COVID-19 pandemic has imposed unexpected challenges on entrepreneurs and additional accelerated a shift to digital methods of working.  Greater than 75% of small companies pivoted their operations as a result of disaster and greater than 50% of SMBs say their on-line interactions with prospects have elevated. To remain aggressive within the new financial atmosphere, small companies should be agile and adapt to shifting client preferences.

Small enterprise entrepreneurs perceive the significance of using digital instruments of their day-to-day operations, however discover it difficult to implement significant digital transformation. In response to knowledge revealed from Morning Seek the advice of and Verizon of their September 2020 report, “greater than two in 5 choice makers say it’s doubtless that their enterprise will broaden by digital applied sciences and rely extra closely on communications.” On the identical time, greater than two-thirds of respondents acknowledged that including or transitioning to digital/on-line operations has been difficult for his or her enterprise to handle. How can we bridge this hole? Entrepreneurs want quick access—wherever they’re—to personalised studying and training sources with a view to efficiently implement digital methods into their companies and have the boldness to reach the post-pandemic future.

3. Why is the Verizon Small Enterprise Digital Prepared program a great useful resource for enterprise house owners in metro Detroit and Michigan?

Residence to numerous analysis organizations and anchor establishments, together with a vibrant and multicultural entrepreneurial ecosystem, Detroit’s wealthy roots embody the hardworking and revolutionary ethos of its various small enterprise house owners. Detroit has roughly 50k small companies owned by entrepreneurs of colour and the town is dedicated to making sure residents are gaining equal entry to instructional and financial alternatives of the rising high-growth economic system. In response to a 2021 Detroit Ecosystem Evaluation, Detroit has 23% of all startup corporations in Michigan and has all the essential sources to launch and develop companies which can be digital prepared. As Verizon seeks to attach BIPOC enterprise house owners throughout the nation with this helpful useful resource and create extra equitable pathways for entrepreneurs to thrive within the digital economic system, we view the small enterprise house owners within the larger metro Detroit space—and Michigan—as a essential person base within the effort.

Verizon’s Small Enterprise Digital Prepared program was constructed by (principally BIPOC) small companies for small companies. Jamiel Robinson, the manager director of Michigan-based enterprise growth group, Grand Rapids Space Black Companies (GRABB), was a outstanding voice within the Small Enterprise Advisory Committee that helped form this system and its choices. Various material specialists drive our content material, interactive video modules, and training occasions. Briefly, entrepreneurs in metro Detroit shall be geared up with digital methods and related learnings—by curated curriculum subjects, teaching occasions, and group teams—to use to their companies!

4. What steerage are the small enterprise house owners you’re employed with searching for?

We all know typically that small enterprise house owners are fascinated with studying extra about financing, digital advertising, and operational effectivity.  Our customers have instructed us they’ve acquired large worth from the academic sources and in connecting straight with specialists–by each one-on-one mentoring and group teaching occasions. Fifty-eight % of customers on the platform are fascinated with connecting with a finance professional and 64% of customers on the platform are fascinated with connecting with a advertising professional. The preferred matter areas are accessing capital, digital advertising, and enhancing on-line presence. Enterprise house owners would additionally choose to be part of a group the place they will study from each other, as 52% of customers need to join with friends with related pursuits.

5. How can Verizon assist with group networking on a private stage, not a digital one?

Verizon Small Enterprise Digital Prepared is constructed to be a helpful software to the BDOs, Small Enterprise Improvement Facilities, CDFIs and different organizations which can be on the bottom serving to small companies on daily basis.  We’re partnering carefully with some of these organizations and dealing with them to combine our sources into their choices. Small Enterprise Digital Prepared’s group part additionally lets companies join with different companies and sources by metropolis in order that they will hook up with assist of their native space!

On the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Verizon started the grassroots work of internet hosting digital group dialogues targeted on small companies in communities from throughout the state. The aim of those dialogues is to listen to in regards to the nice work small enterprise house owners and small enterprise growth organizations are at the moment engaged in, the present and ongoing challenges small enterprise house owners are dealing with, and to debate how Verizon could be supportive shifting ahead. Attendees have included small enterprise house owners, small enterprise assist organizations and chambers of commerce.

Now greater than ever, we at Verizon will proceed to construct on the extremely helpful relationships with the communities we serve. These dialogues are solely the start of what we hope shall be long-term partnerships the place we will proceed the dialog and discover future alternatives to be supportive.

6. What expertise do you carry to the group as a liaison between Verizon and small enterprise house owners?

As an area liaison between Verizon and small enterprise house owners, I work to construct bridges of reference to my friends, inner enterprise companions and exterior stakeholders to champion insurance policies that enrich lives and allow a digital future that serves all Michigan communities. I’m able to leverage relationships inside Verizon and with enterprise assist group companions to type coalitions to sort out the challenges small companies face, amplify successes and greatest practices, and disseminate details about Verizon instruments and sources. Reflexively, I meet with companies to hearken to their wants and drive the way in which by which we deposit goodwill in our native communities and innovate to construct the networks that transfer the world ahead for everybody.

Q&A initially revealed in September 2022.

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Verizon Small Enterprise Digital Prepared: A free useful resource for studying fundamental enterprise expertise, grants, the newest digital know-how and extra.

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