The City of Portland, through the Office for Community Technology (OCT), has launched a funding initiative in response to community identified solutions to addressing digital adoption barriers for small businesses and BIPOC entrepreneurs.
Donor Name: City of Portland
State: Oregon
City: Portland
Type of Grant: Grants
Deadline (mm/dd/yyyy): 04/25/2022
Grant Size: $20,000
Details:
The Small Business Digital Navigator Pilot Program is designed to support a Digital Navigator position to help small businesses and BIPOC entrepreneurs assess their internet connectivity needs and to subscribe to affordable internet service, assess options for online applications, services, and tools to help run, market, and conduct business, and to find affordable technical support.
Funding Information
The Small Business Digital Navigator will also be tasked with developing a granting process to award Digital Toolbox Micro Grants (up to $5,000 each, not to exceed a total grant award of $20,000) as needed to small businesses or BIPOC entrepreneurs that receive digital navigation services.
Eligibility Criteria
- Applicant must be non-profit organization, or have a registered fiscal agent, located in the City of Portland, OR.
- Applicant must build or scale a Digital Navigator program that provides on-demand, one-to-one and/or small group dedicated support to small businesses and BIPOC entrepreneurs experiencing barriers to digital adoption via phone, email, text, video chat, in-person, and/or other communication methods.
- Applicant organization agrees to commit time (approx. 10-20 hours) to negotiate a grant agreement with City OCT staff in May.
- Applicant organization agrees to commit some of the digital navigator’s time (approx. 1 hour/month) during the proposed project period for stakeholder engagement by presenting to Prosper Portland’s Inclusive Business Resource Network Community of Practice and/or BIPOC in Tech Group, or City Bureau Partners.
- Application is signed by a duly authorized representative of the applicant organization.
For more information, visit City of Portland.
