Vodka Maker provides $250,000 in grants to help small businesses grow

By offering entrepreneurs a funding injection toast, Tito’s Handmade Vodka is offering $250,000 in grants to help entrepreneurs expand their business.

The vodka maker will offer 10 grants worth $25,000 each to small business owners. The funding is tied to its “Love, Tito’s Small Business Grant Program”. The Austin, Texas-based company partners with the Accion Opportunity Fund as the trustee of the grant fund. The fundraising initiative is part of a move to celebrate Tito’s 25th birthday.

According to its website, Accion Opportunity Fund works to create an inclusive and healthy financial system that supports small business owners nationwide by connecting entrepreneurs to affordable capital, educational resources, coaching and networks. “Through innovative partnerships and outreach strategies, we target underserved entrepreneurs, including entrepreneurs of color, low-income entrepreneurs and women, who often do not have access to the financial services they need. to create and grow their business.

Tito’s reports that the goal of the program “is to give entrepreneurs one less hurdle to overcome and one more chance to succeed,” according to its website.

Funding is vital. For example, 41% of Black small business owners are more likely than the average of 32% of small business owners to seek additional financing to address challenges facing their business. Data also shows that minority entrepreneurs often do not apply for small business loans for fear of rejection or that they will get lower amounts and higher interest rates if approved, according to analysis recently shared. from JPMorgan Chase which included a survey of 150 black small business owners.

Additionally, 48% of Black small business owners said they expect to get a loan or line of credit for their business in 2022. Yet only 19% were “very confident” in their business’ ability to access the capital. In contrast, about 30% of owners overall plan to get a line of credit or loan for their business this year, and 31% say they are very confident in their business’s ability to access capital. The data comes from the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Voices “Small Businesses on the Brink” survey.

Eligible small businesses must meet several criteria. For example, applicants must be business owners, be at least 21 years old, and their business must be based in the United States. And many businesses in a variety of industries, including banks, tobacco shops, payday lenders, and liquor-licensed companies, don’t qualify. As such, applicants would do well to check the eligibility requirements carefully for more details and apply here before the June 30 deadline.