FORT WAYNE, Ind. (ADAMS) – A new grant opportunity specifically for Black-Owned businesses will launch in our area.
On February 1st, in honor of the first day of Black History Month 2022, the Dyer Family Foundation announced a new program that will offer support to small for-profit Black-Owned businesses in greater Fort Wayne with annual revenues less than $1 million.
The grants will be given in amounts up to $25,000 to Black-owned Businesses, each in working capital, and will be based on published guidelines. Also. the program will award Black-Owned Business owner grant recipients by May 1st, and this ongoing effort will continue with future opportunities announced at a later date, that will be based on the Dyer Foundation grant cycles. These funds will be administered through the Fort Wayne Chapter of the Indiana Black Expo, a partner of the program.
Chuck Surack, a member of the foundation review board, stated in a prepared statement, “I am so excited for the Dyer Grant Program. Dr. and Mrs. Dyer are amazing, loving people and they have such great hearts to uplift Black-Owned businesses.”
Along with the funding opportunity, Greater Fort Wayne and Flagstar Bank will provide technical assistance to all of the grantees. Greater Fort Wayne will offer memberships that include free meeting space and business mentoring, while Flagstar Bank will offer bank accounts, credit needs, retirement plans, and payroll services.
Fort Wayne UNITED Director Iric Headley, a member of the Dyer Family Foundation program team, stated that “Our Black-Owned businesses are worth fighting for, and we are honored to be working with the Dyer Family to provide support to Black-Owned Businesses. For those that need it, we hope that this program will help them to achieve their goals.” The selection committee includes Headley, Chuck Surack, President of the Surack Family Foundation and Joe Jordan, President and CEO of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Northeast Indiana.
We are so humbled by the love and care of Jack and Tammy Dyer who are generously providing financial support to small black-owned businesses and entrepreneurs in the Fort Wayne market. These funds which will provide working capital and offer an opportunity to create generational wealth and be a real difference maker in greater Fort Wayne.
The application process opens on February 1 with an application deadline of March 15. Grant recipients will be notified on April 15 and funds will be disbursed on April 29. To apply, click here
