For the current funding round, those seeking grants must be in a designated area in East Buffalo and meet other criteria. According to the Local Initiatives Support Corporation- New York (LISC NY), administrating the program for ESD, applicants can apply for just one business and must be aged 18 to do so.
Empire State Development President, CEO & Commissioner Hope Knight, offered this statement among comments. “I encourage business owners to take advantage of an expanded eligibility map and added technical assistance to apply for the East Buffalo Small Business Working Capital Grant Program,” Knight said. “Through this program and others, New York State affirms its strong partnership with these predominantly minority-owned enterprises as they continue to serve the community.”
Valerie White, senior executive director at LISC NY, stated, “The East Buffalo community was shaken to its core following the devastating mass shooting at Tops, and we’re proud to work with our partners at Empire State Development to help connect neighboring small businesses with resources to help them recover from the impacts.
She added, “This targeted support, which is now expanding to a wider geographic footprint, will help ensure these primarily minority-owned businesses are able continue to support their community as we work hard to grow our investments in this historically underserved area and, ultimately, close the racial wealth gap.”
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Source: Black Enterprise
