New small business bootcamp and grant opportunity available for area Black-owned businesses

What’s happening: Black-owned businesses throughout metro Detroit are encouraged to apply for a new small business boot camp that offers small business training and grant opportunities to area entrepreneurs. A 10-week program, B3 Elevation: Branding and Building Black is organized by DP Marketing Strategies, Inc., a Black woman-owned advertising agency founded in Detroit, in collaboration with JPMorgan Chase’s Advancing Black Pathways.

What it is: B3 Elevation: Branding and Building Black is a 10-week program that begins on Wednesday, Sep. 7, and offers small business training, education on branding tools and revenue-generating marketing services, and a $5,000 grant. Four core focus areas include lessons on creditworthiness, digital presence, business certifications, and protection from a legal fallout.

Who’s eligible: To be eligible for the program, businesses should be based in the greater Detroit area, be 51 percent or more Black-owned, be in business for at least three years, have a gross annual income of $100,000 or higher, and have a minimum of two W4 employees or 1099 independent contractors.

How to apply: The application window for B3 Elevation is open through Monday, Aug. 22. There will be 25 members selected as part of the initial cohort and an application is available online.

What they’re saying: “B3 Elevation is truly a passion project for me, that I know helps to enable Black-owned businesses to build capacity, operate efficiently and compete effectively in the marketplace,” says Diane Palmer, CEO of DP Marketing Strategies and Founder of B3 Elevation. “JPMorgan Chase’s commitment to accelerating financial outcomes for Black entrepreneurs through Advancing Black Pathways made the firm an ideal  partner for this bootcamp.”

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