Diverse Erie on Friday awarded nearly $300,000 in grants to 25 Erie-area small businesses.
The grant awards, which ranged from $5,000 to $20,000, and totaled $291,500, were part of Diverse Erie's Small Business Mini Grant program.
The program is funded by Erie County’s share of American Rescue Plan funds and targets businesses owned by and that serve members of Erie County's Black, Indigenous and people of color community.
“Small businesses are the backbone of a community ― creating jobs, driving economic and community development and attracting and retaining residents,” said Diverse Erie Chief Administrative Officer Gary Lee, who led a grant awards ceremony Friday at the Erie Center for Arts and Technology, 650 East Ave.
“This diverse set of small businesses will work to promote our county and support future generations. Continued investments, specifically in BIPOC communities, help develop Erie County’s economic growth.”
Funds a 'big help' to recipients
Grant recipients included Steven Spearman, owner of Personal Results Fitness, located at 524 W 17th St., in the Little Italy neighborhood.
“We deal with over 100 at-risk youth,” Spearman told the Erie Times-News. “We’ve been a quiet organization for years, but it’s time for us to start getting a little exposure so we can make sure that these kids have what they need.”
Spearman said he was excited to receive a $15,000 grant award.
“This is a big help,” he said. “This will be a part of the money that will go towards our extensions on the back of our gym. I’m very grateful for this board agreeing to take care of my facility in Little Italy where there’s a lot of at-risk youth and poverty.”
Denise and Rashad Alise Grady, mother and daughter co-owners of Heavenly Hands Early Learning Child Care Academy, located at 1001 W. 21st St., also expressed excitement for a $15,000 grant.
“This is going to be a big help,” Rashad Alise Grady said. “More toys for the kids, for educational purposes and field trips ― just things to make the day care much better. We’re blessed to have this opportunity.”
Opinion:Daria Devlin explains the transformative potential of new $1 million Infinite Erie grant
Grant recipients are businesses located in Housing and Urban Development Qualified Census tracts that primarily serve beneficiaries earning less than 60% of the median income in Erie County, according to Diverse Erie.
Lee told the Times-News that 25 awardees were selected out of 75 applicants. Grant amounts were determined by several factors including personal and business taxes, number of employees, level of sales and areas of concentration.
Diverse Erie previously awarded more than $300,000 in grants to 29 other small businesses in July 2023.
Grant awardees
- 1 of 1 Services, LLC: $5,000
- 2 Brothers Auto Service: $15,000
- AB Superior Auto Service: $7,500
- Almadina Supermarket: $20,000
- Camaraderie BBQ Inc.: $15,000
- CookMediaLLC: $5,000
- Easter Group Daycare: $15,000
- Erie Auto Service: $7,500
- Galloway Management Group LLC: $10,000
- Heavenly Hands Early Learning Childcare Academy: $15,000
- I & M Convenience Store: $10,000
- Joe’s Rentals: $5,000
- Johnson Real Estate Properties LLC: $20,000
- LashedByTay BeautyCo: $15,000
- Nature’s Beauty Salon: $20,000
- Pacleys Moving and Labor Services LLC: $7,500
- Personal Results Fitness: $15,000
- Property Solutions-360 LLC: $15,000
- Sacred Divine Femininity LLC: $6,500
- Sew Royalty Embroidery & Custom Designs: $7,500
- State Auto Service: $7,500
- Supremacy Construction: $7,500
- The Learning Ladder Early Child Care Center LLC: $15,000
- Wayne Rentals LLC: $10,000
- World of Care Inc.: $15,000
A.J. Rao can be reached at arao@gannett.com. Follow him on X @ETNRao.
Most Popular
Comments / 0