Deadline: 16-Jul-23
LGBTQIA+ small business owners are encouraged to submit applications for the Heritage of Pride Small Business Grant Program, brought to you by Mastercard and NYC Pride.
The program will award three NYC small businesses a $10,000 grant each, digital tools to help grow their business and a virtual mentorship session to help them thrive.
Prizes
- Three (3) Grand Prizes: Each Grand Prize winner will receive:
- $10,000 awarded in the form of a check, issued to the prize winner’s registered name of business per the entry form,
- a thirty (30)-minute one-on-one virtual mentorship session with a Mastercard Small Business Mentor and
- enhanced access to Mastercard small business tools. Approximate retail value (“ARV”) of each Grand Prize is $10,000.
- Three (3) First Prizes: Each First Prize winner will receive the following:
- one (1) $100 Mastercard Prepaid card, and
- enhanced access to Mastercard small business tools. ARV of each First Prize: $100.
Eligibility Requirements
- Program is open only to individuals who identify as part of the LGBTQIA+ community (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, Non-Binary, and all of the gender and sexual orientations that letters and words cannot yet fully describe) who are at the time and date of entry:
- Physically located and legal U.S. resident (including D.C.)
- Eighteen (18) years of age or older (or the age of majority in their state of residence, whichever is older)
- A principal owner of a U.S.-based small business with its primary office located within a 50-mile radius of New York City (which is inclusive of Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, Bronx and Staten Island)
- An annual business revenue of three million dollars ($3,000,000) or less in calendar year 2022
- Business is incorporated or otherwise considered a valid legal entity in good standing in its state of formation.
Entry Requirements
- All Entries must meet the following criteria (“Entry Requirements”), as determined within Sponsor’s final sole discretion:
- Entries that contain or otherwise infringe on any third-party names, trademarks, music, identities, copyrighted or patented material, and/or other material subject to third party rights are prohibited;
- Entries that include any reference to any patents and/or trade secrets of Sponsor or Released Parties and/or its competitors are prohibited;
- Entries that are obscene, offensive, contain any profanities, endorse any form of hate or hate group, or any language or images communicating messages inconsistent with the positive images to which Sponsor and/or Released Parties wishes to associate will be void;
- Entries cannot be sexually explicit or suggestive, unnecessarily violent or derogatory of any ethnic, racial, gender, religious, professional or age group, profane or pornographic, or contain nudity or any materially dangerous activity;
- Entries cannot promote alcohol, illegal drugs, tobacco, firearms/weapons (or the use of any of the foregoing), any activities that may appear unsafe or dangerous, or any particular political agenda or message;
- Entries cannot contain disparaging remarks, defame, misrepresent, invade the publicity, third party rights and/or the privacy rights of Sponsor, Released Parties, their products or any trademarks or other intellectual property they own, other products or companies, or any person, living or deceased;
- Entries cannot contain trademarks owned by others, or advertise or promote any brand or product of any kind, or contain any personal identifiable information, such as personal names, email addresses, etc.;
- Entries cannot communicate messages inconsistent with the positive images and/or goodwill to which Released Parties associate; and
- Entries cannot be in violation of any law, rule, statute, regulation, or ordinance.
- Sponsor reserves the right to void and disqualify any Entry not satisfying these requirements, as determined within Sponsor’s final sole discretion.
Finalist Judging Procedure and Criteria
- All eligible Entries received during the Entry Period will be judged on the following criteria by Sponsor and its designees:
- Viability and strength of business (0-30 points),
- Level of impact the business is having on its customers, employees, and community, and
- Potential for business growth (0-40 points). The six (6) Entries with the highest scores, as determined by the judges, in their sole discretion, will be deemed potential Finalists and will advance to the Virtual Business Pitch, subject to verification of eligibility and compliance with these Official Rules. Sponsor reserves the right to select fewer than six (6) Finalists if, in its sole discretion, it does not receive a sufficient number of eligible and qualified Entries.
For more information, visit Heritage of Pride Small Business Grant.