Unlock $10K Grants with Verizon Digital Ready: Apply Now to Boost Your Small Business for Free!

They’re back! The Verizon Small Business Digital Ready program is now accepting applications for its latest round of $10,000 grants.

If you are an entrepreneur looking for funding you don’t have to pay back or give up equity in your company for, then take a few minutes to learn about Digital Ready and the grant program.

Verizon is awarding $10,000 to 50 small businesses just like yours. To become eligible to apply, enroll in Digital Ready (for free!), complete two Digital Ready courses or events and complete the application by Dec. 10.

One of the things that makes this particular grant program so interesting is that it’s more than just money. Digital Ready provides tools and information you need to get started and to get rolling with your business that goes beyond just funding. Among other things, there’s a free, personalized learning plan. That includes courses on financing, e-commerce, logistics, social media, marketing, conversion funnels, and more, as well as access to one-on-one coaching, community forums and other incentives.

Many of Digital Ready’s tools and resources, like online courses, are available immediately, on demand. Digital Ready virtual events and community networking gatherings, meanwhile, take place on a regular schedule. (See the October lineup here.) And, as we said, the program is free and easy to join.

Register here to get started.

To learn more about Digital Ready, StartupNation spoke with Brianna Ellison, director of community engagement for Verizon. Ellison elaborates on the work Verizon is doing to help entrepreneurs and on the benefits of the Small Business Digital Ready program, including:

• Access to free digital skills training and resources
• Financial assistance to support digital transformation initiatives
• Opportunities to network with other small business owners and experts
• Access to support from Verizon and its partners
• Access to a carefully curated set of responsible loan options and available grant opportunities. Through Verizon’s Small Business Funding Marketplace, you can see what funding options you may be eligible for and compare terms to determine which financing options may best meet your needs. Once you find a funding option that you’re interested in, connect directly to the lender to apply.

But first you have to register.

As Ellison explains, Verizon is actively partnering with Michigan small businesses to help them succeed in the digital economy, including:

• Verizon has partnered with Grand Valley State University’s Veterans Entrepreneurship Lab to provide grants and support to veteran entrepreneurs.
• Verizon has partnered with the Metro Detroit Black Business Alliance’s Capital Connect Program to help Black-owned businesses access funding and resources.

Below is the full Q&A with Ellison, which StartupNation conducted in September 2022.

1. What work is Verizon doing in the Detroit/Michigan community to help small businesses?

Verizon has actively partnered with Michigan small businesses. We are members of numerous chambers of commerce and associations from across the state that work with small businesses (such as the Detroit Regional Chamber, Grand Rapids Chamber, Dearborn Chamber, The Right Place, MI Chamber, Automation Alley, Metro Detroit Black Business Alliance, MI Business Incubator Assoc.). Verizon participates in a number of thought leadership events with these organizations to share expertise and resources with their membership.

In 2021, we extended a grant to Grand Valley State University’s Veterans Entrepreneurship Lab. Veterans and/or military spouses work on their business launch over a three-month period. MVE-Lab equips participants to identify their target customers, network with others, and find the resources they need to launch profitably and successfully. It concludes with a Pitch Showcase awarding at least $25,000 in prize money. Guests include other veteran entrepreneurs, mentors, and experts like attorneys and marketing specialists, including the leader of Verizon’s veteran employee resource group who shared information about Verizon support for small business owners along with his own personal experience as an entrepreneur.

In 2021, we also established a partnership between Verizon’s Pro Bono Program and the Metro Detroit Black Business Alliance’s Capital Connect Program. This program is preparing and connecting Metro Detroit Black-owned businesses to various funding resources to ensure their sustained success. If any of these businesses need further legal assistance or one-on-one support, the Verizon Pro Bono Program team has agreed to work directly with these businesses to identify additional legal services.

Finally, in September, Verizon launched Small Business Digital Ready. This online curriculum is designed to give small businesses the personalized tools to succeed in today’s digital world. The program includes learning modules, expert coaching, peer networking and a marketplace of tools and solutions. The free online resource is available to any small business across Michigan (and nationwide) and will be utilized by Verizon partners such as the Black Business Alliance’s Capital Connect Program.