SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As Black History Month (February) leads into Women’s History Month (March), Visa (NYSE:V) today announced a new locally-focused program to help digitally enable Black-owned small businesses, with an emphasis on those owned by Black women. Addressing the needs of local entrepreneurs in cities with the highest concentration of Black-owned businesses in the U.S.1 – Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami and Washington, D.C.—the programming will consist of grants and mentorship, new educational and technology resources plus direct community relationships in partnership with Black Girl Ventures.
“The pandemic has impacted all small businesses – but those run by women and people of color have been disproportionately affected,” said Kimberly Lawrence, head of U.S., Visa. “With this hyperlocal focus on some of the hardest hit cities, Visa aims to make a meaningful difference, quickly, for the communities and their business owners who need it most.”
Black-owned businesses play a critical role in communities across the country, with more than a third headed by women – the highest share of any racial or ethnic group. According to Visa’s Black Women-Owned Business Report2, nearly three quarters (71%) of Black-women owned businesses surveyed across the U.S. estimate they cannot survive another year under current pandemic conditions. Building on the support Visa provides women-owned small businesses through its She’s Next program, this new effort brings resources and expertise to provide entrepreneurs with tailored solutions for each city. Specifics of the program include:
- The Visa She’s Next Grant Program: Visa is committing an additional $1 million to extend its grant contest and mentorship program to Black women entrepreneurs in six U.S. cities, with grant applications opening today, ahead of International Women’s Day on March 8.
- Mainstream Marketing and Awareness: Through a multi-million dollar marketing campaign, Visa will encourage consumers to support Black and women entrepreneurs, in an effort to help drive business to small businesses. The six-city social, digital, OOH, mass transit and radio campaigns will run throughout 2021.
- Local Experts and Resources: Through a new partnership with Black Girl Ventures, Visa will work with local organizations and influencers to reach small businesses, identify their most pressing technological needs and provide them with access to the products and education they need to help them thrive.
“Black Girl Ventures is proud to partner with Visa to assist these entrepreneurs and provide a megaphone to each community’s most pressing needs,” said Shelly Bell, founder, Black Girl Ventures. “While the Black Lives Matter movement elevated consumer support of these businesses, the movement must continue to lift up these neighborhoods financially and spiritually.”
In addition to the work with Black Girl Ventures, Visa will host the first of a series of events on March 25 to celebrate the Black community and women entrepreneurs. Hosted in partnership with The Female Quotient, a female-owned business committed to advancing equality, the virtual event, She’s Next 2021, will feature inspiring women and men who will discuss their personal experiences and the necessary work ahead to help champion, educate and inspire the Black community and women business owners. All interested small business owners can register here.
“Working to support and build up Miami’s minority entrepreneurial communities is top of my agenda for 2021,” said Francis Xavier Suarez, Mayor of Miami. “Visa and Black Girl Ventures are the perfect partners to help uplift these women and their businesses to bring back the best of what ‘main street’ has to offer.”
In 2020, Visa committed to digitally-enabling 50 million small businesses through partner offers, street team visits, virtual education seminars and mentorship opportunities. To further support the Black community and women entrepreneurs, Visa launched targeted programs ranging from the Visa Black Scholars and Jobs Program, in partnership with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, to new partnerships with CapWay, First Boulevard, OneUnited Bank and Urban One to provide financial and business services that cater to the needs of the Black community. In addition, the Visa Foundation committed $200 million over five years to support small and micro businesses around the world, with a focus on fostering women’s economic advancement.
“Visa has elevated its longstanding commitment of underrepresented communities through an increased focus on financial and social capital and will provide updates on these local programs throughout the year,” continued Kimberly Lawrence, head of U.S., Visa.
For more information on Visa’s She’s Next initiative, visit Visa.com/ShesNext.
About Visa Inc.
Visa Inc. (NYSE: V) is the world’s leader in digital payments. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, reliable and secure payment network - enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. Our advanced global processing network, VisaNet, provides secure and reliable payments around the world, and is capable of handling more than 65,000 transaction messages a second. The company’s relentless focus on innovation is a catalyst for the rapid growth of digital commerce on any device, for everyone, everywhere. As the world moves from analog to digital, Visa is applying our brand, products, people, network and scale to reshape the future of commerce. For more information, visit About Visa, visa.com/blog and @VisaNews.
About the Visa Foundation
The Visa Foundation seeks to support inclusive economies where individuals, businesses and communities can thrive. Through grantmaking and investing, the Foundation prioritizes the resilience and growth of micro and small businesses that benefit women. The Foundation also supports broader community needs and disaster response in times of crisis. The Visa Foundation is registered in the U.S. as a 501(c)3 entity.
1 NY Fed Report
2 Visa Black Women-Owned Business Report – February 2021