Wish Local Empowerment Program for Black-Owned Businesses

Grant Overview

Donor: Wish Local

About: Wish Local Empowerment Program is a $2 million fund dedicated to supporting Black-owned small businesses in the United States, aiming to promote equality and diversity in American commerce. This program offers financial grants ranging from $500 to $2,000 to approximately 4,000 eligible businesses. The initiative is part of Wish Local’s commitment to empowering underrepresented entrepreneurs and addressing systemic racism.

The program is designed to provide financial support to Black-owned brick-and-mortar stores with 20 or fewer employees and an average annual revenue of less than $1 million. Recipients of the grant will be required to join the Wish Local program, which allows businesses to partner with Wish, the mobile shopping app with over 500 million users worldwide. Through Wish Local, businesses can sell their inventory on Wish, act as neighborhood Wish pickup locations, source wholesale items, and more. This partnership aims to benefit both Wish Local and the participating businesses by increasing foot traffic and brand recognition for the stores.

To apply, businesses must meet the eligibility criteria and submit an application detailing their store and reasons for qualifying for the program. If selected, recipients will be asked to join Wish Local and can use the funds to support various aspects of their business, such as keeping the workforce employed, paying rent or operational costs, connecting with new customers, or providing opportunities for their community.

Focus: Financial support, business development, community empowerment, diversity and inclusion

Region: United States

Eligibility:
-Black-owned business
-18+ years of age
-Store has 20 or fewer employees
-Brick-and-mortar shop within the United States
-Store earns an average annual revenue under $1M
-Must join Wish Local if selected for the program

Benefits:
-Financial grants ranging from $500 to $2,000
-Access to Wish Local program benefits, including increased foot traffic and brand recognition
-Support for various business aspects, such as employment, rent, operational costs, and community opportunities

Terms:
-Wish Local: A series of programs that allows small businesses to partner with Wish. Stores can sell their inventory on Wish, act as neighborhood Wish pickup locations, source wholesale items, and more.
-Black-owned businesses: Businesses that are majority-owned by Black individuals.
-Brick-and-mortar store: A physical retail location where customers can shop in person.
-Systemic racism: A form of racism that is embedded in the laws and regulations of a society or an organization. It manifests as discrimination in criminal justice, employment, housing, health care, political power, and education, among other issues.
-Diversity and inclusion: The practice of including people from a range of different social and ethnic backgrounds and of different genders and sexual orientations.
-Underrepresented entrepreneurs: Entrepreneurs who belong to groups that are not proportionately represented in the business world, often due to systemic barriers.