By David Jakubowski, US Publisher Programs Director
In Buffalo, just in time for the arrival Facebook Community Boost (July 9-11), we’ve teamed up with startup competition organization, 43North, and great companies like M&T Bank, Quickbooks, Amazon Web Services, WordPress.com and WooCommerce to offer small businesses access to much needed mentorship and capital through the Ignite Buffalo program.
Ignite Buffalo is a mentorship, sustainability and capital infusion program led by 43North, in partnership with national and local organizations, to help equip the city’s small businesses to “ignite growth” and succeed in the digital economy.
Starting today, western New York small businesses can apply to the program at ignitebuffalo.org to receive a capital infusion of between $25,000 – $100,000, access to 12 months of personalized mentorship and access to training from the program’s national and local partners, so they have the support they need to reach their next stage of development. A total of 27 grants will be awarded and finalists will be invited to present their business plans to a panel of judges, live on stage at Facebook Community Boost in Buffalo (July 9-11).
Small businesses who attend Facebook Community Boost will also gain access to curriculum offered by Ignite Buffalo partners to supplement digital skills and small business training offered at the event.
As a start-up incubator, small business mentorship hub and host of competitions that drive millions of dollars in funding and grants to Buffalo small businesses, 43North has a great understanding of the local small business ecosystem and the impact that ongoing mentorship and capital can have in helping these local businesses grow.
When small businesses thrive, local communities do better too. We’ve partnered with organizations with deep experience, understanding and commitment to local communities, including, the Urban League of Metropolitan St Louis, Claim Academy, SavvyCoders, the Houston Area Urban League, Flatiron Coding School, Central New Mexico Community College (CNM), New Mexico TechWorks, Cultivating Coders, Barelas Economic Opportunity Center and many more, to help ensure that small businesses and job seekers have the training and digital skills they need to grow and thrive.
That’s what we want to achieve with Facebook Community Boost. Through Ignite Buffalo we hope to help bring additional resources to an even greater number of businesses in the Buffalo/Niagara community. And as we bring Facebook Community Boost to cities across the US, we look forward to many new partnerships to come.