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Local businesses apply for $150K grant
youngstown
Local businesses applied for the $150,000 Mission Main Street Grant, which is sponsored by Chase and Google.
Twenty small businesses nationwide will be awarded the grant. Grant recipients also will receive a trip to Google for an exclusive small-business marketing workshop, a Google Chromebook laptop computer and a $2,000 coupon toward one market-research study with Google Consumer Surveys. Qualifying businesses that apply for the grant will gain access to a marketing toolkit and a $150 coupon toward one market-research study also with Google Consumer Surveys.
“Small businesses are invaluable to the growth of our economy and represent the lifeblood of the neighborhoods and communities they serve,” Jennifer Piepszak, head of sales and strategy for Chase Business Banking, said in a statement.
The public is invited to show its support for their favorite registered small businesses by voting through their Facebook account at www.MissionMainStreetGrants.com. Businesses must receive at least 250 votes to be considered for a grant. The public voting period is open through Oct. 17.
“The Internet has proven to be a vital pipeline for small businesses, and it continues to connect more businesses to their customers every day,” Jon Kaplan, vice president of U.S. sales and operations of Google Inc. said in a statement.
The 20 grant recipients will be selected by a panel of experts representing a diverse group of organizations.
Valley businesses that applied for the grant include Hudson Fasteners Inc., 415 E. Main St., Canfield, a wholesale fastener and industrial- supply business that also is a Youngstown Business Incubator portfolio company.
Cris Young, the executive vice president of Hudson Fasteners, said the grant would help complete the company’s project of developing software on time and allow for the hiring of 10 to 20 workers by the end of next year.
“Receiving this grant would be an unbelievable opportunity to ensure the work of our company continues in Youngstown, allowing us to create substantial job opportunities,” Lisa J. Kleinhandler, CEO of Hudson Fasteners, said in a statement.
Other applicants include Black Streak Entertainment, 490 S. Raccoon Road, an Austintown-based publisher of teen fiction and graphic novels featuring minorities.
“The $150,000 small-business grant will help bring more variety to the world of comics, teen fiction, animation and licensed pop-culture products,” Terry Raimey, a founder of Black Streak, said in a statement.
Grant recipients will be announced in January.