The State of Black Women-Owned Businesses

Sep 17, 2020 3:15 PM ET

Fifth Third Bank recently announced an exciting new $1.2 million program called Innovation meets Main Street: Boosting Black Women-Owned Businesses, a partnership between AEO and LISC powered by Fifth Third Bank.

Altogether, the program will provide targeted services—grants, technical assistance or capital infusions—to 35 black- or other minority-owned women entrepreneurs in the following markets: Atlanta, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Detroit, Louisville, Nashville and Orlando. A total of 245 women entrepreneurs will be assisted with grants and investments, and more will receive technical assistance.

Applications, via an online portal, opened at the commencement of the “State of Black Women-Owned Businesses” webinar on September 16, 2020. The application period will close on September 23.

The webinar features:

  • Byna Elliott, Fifth Third Bank senior vice president and chief enterprise sustainability officer
  • Connie E. Evans, president and CEO of the Association of Enterprise Opportunity
  • Steve Hall, senior director of economic development of Local Initiatives Support Corporation
  • Arian Simone, co-founder of Fearless Fund
  • Kimberly Blackwell, chief executive officer of PMM.

To apply, and for full eligibility requirements, click here.