In partnership with Next Street and Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), Verizon Small Business Digital Ready aims to focus on women- and minority-owned businesses in under-resourced communities. The online curriculum will provide resources and in-depth support - including coaching, networking and incentives.
Cleveland, Ohio—August 11, 2022—Today, LISC Cleveland announced its plan to help bring a new online curriculum to small businesses across Northeast Ohio: Verizon Small Business Digital Ready. In partnership with Next Street and LISC, the Verizon Small Business Digital Ready online curriculum is designed to give small businesses the tools they need to thrive in today's digital economy, including access to personalized learning plans, coaching from experts and networking opportunities with diverse, industry-specific businesses. And it’s all offered free of charge.
LISC is partnering with Verizon in its local activation strategy in markets across the country ensuring that business development organizations (BDOs) can also leverage the Verizon Small Business Digital Ready platform. By connecting BDO’s to this curriculum, organizations are able to incorporate it into their own resource toolkit and augment service delivery to small businesses.
LISC Cleveland is proud to partner with three nonprofit business development organizations (BDOs) as Community Champions: HFLA of Northeast Ohio, Northeast Ohio Hispanic Center for Economic Development (NEOHCED), and the Presidents’ Council, to help connect small businesses with this innovative platform. Using a grant from Verizon, LISC Cleveland selected these three Community Champion partners to receive grants totaling $112,500 to support this effort. With these grants, Community Champion partners will help connect small businesses to this tool and explore ways to integrate this platform as a resource into existing program offerings. Financial support for small businesses will also be provided as part of LISC’s broader commitment to help scale the resiliency and growth of minority-owned small businesses in Northeast Ohio.
More than 100,000 small businesses closed due to the pandemic, with a disproportionate impact on Black and Latinx-owned small businesses. Verizon Small Business Digital Ready offers businesses support, aiming to enable digital readiness and drive digital transformation through a customized curriculum that accounts for industry, size and interests.
“As we work to support equitable recovery for BIPOC- and women-owned businesses, navigating digital demands required to operate in today’s economy is a critical aspect of the strategy,” said Kandis Williams, LISC Cleveland Executive Director. “LISC is honored to partner with HFLA, NEOHCED, and the Presidents’ Council to bring Verizon’s free online Small Business Digital Ready curriculum to Northeast Ohio, to give small businesses the tools they need to thrive in the digital economy.”
Developed in conjunction with small businesses, Verizon Small Business Digital Ready provides a personalized experience - providing resources, networking and coaching tailored to a small business’s specific needs. The program can help small businesses move forward in four ways:
“At Verizon, we take pride in serving the unique needs of local markets,” stated Jessica Cohen, Director of Community Engagement, Verizon. “We are thrilled to work with LISC and these three impactful BDOs to bring Verizon Small Business Digital Ready to even more Cleveland-based small businesses. Small businesses are at the heart of Cleveland’s economy and at Verizon we are here to provide the tools and services they need to engage in the digital economy.”
This initiative is one part of Verizon’s commitment to providing one million small businesses with digital tools and resources by 2030 and is central to Verizon’s responsible business plan, Citizen Verizon, for economic, environmental and social advancement. Launched in 2020 to move the world forward for all, Citizen Verizon leverages technology, innovation and resources to address the world’s most pressing issues across digital inclusion, climate protection and human prosperity. As part of Citizen Verizon, Verizon plans to exceed $3 billion in its responsible business investment from 2020-2025 to continue helping vulnerable communities bridge the digital divide and prepare for the digital economy of the future.
LISC Cleveland is proud to be working with Verizon, HFLA, NEOHCED, and the Presidents’ Council, to support the success of BIPOC- and women-owned businesses in Northeast Ohio, and to foster a solid digital presence to thrive in today’s business world.
“HFLA often serves as the first source of capital for entrepreneurs launching small businesses,” said Michal Marcus, Executive Director. “We see that finding the time to seek out technical assistance to start or grow one’s business often takes time that is not available to an entrepreneur. HFLA is excited to partner with LISC and Verizon Small Business Digital Ready to provide this digital tool that is easily accessible to the entrepreneurs we work with at their
Convenience.”
“We at NEO Hispanic Center for Economic Development are excited to be a part of the Verizon Small Business Digital Ready-Cleveland Cohort. This platform will enhance our ability to empower entrepreneurs with the necessary resources to survive and strive through the hardest of times,” said Jenice Contreras, Executive Director. “Community Champions are vital in achieving the mission of any nonprofit organizations. We rely on community champions to be our voice in spaces where our community is not represented. A community champion embodies the ability to advocate in an impactful way that yields resources and positive impact for marginalized communities.”
“The Presidents Council is honored and excited to serve as a Community Champion in partnership with LISC and Verizon. Verizon Small Business Digital Ready is a strategic component in the holistic system of business support services we provide to our clients in connecting them with targeted, tangible resources including technology, talent, and finances,” said Erica C. Penick, Executive Director.
For more information or to register and access, please visit here.
Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) is the nation’s largest community development organization, helping forge vibrant, resilient communities across America. We work with residents and partners to close systemic gaps in health, wealth and opportunity and advance racial equity so that people and local economies can thrive. Since 1979, LISC has invested $27 Billion and leveraged $75 Billion to create more than 463,215 affordable homes and apartments, as well as develop 78.5 million square feet of commercial/retail, community and educational space. For more, visit www.lisc.org.
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) was formed on June 30, 2000 and is one of the world’s leading providers of technology, communications, information and entertainment products and services. Headquartered in New York City and with a presence around the world, Verizon generated revenues of $128.3 billion in 2020. The company offers data, video and voice services and solutions on its award-winning networks and platforms, delivering on customers’ demand for mobility, reliable network connectivity, security and control.
HFLA of Northeast Ohio is a 118-year-old nonprofit organization that provides interest-free loans to address the financial challenges of residents of Northeast Ohio who lack access to traditional lending sources. HFLA empowers individuals and entrepreneurs of Northeast Ohio to become economically self-sufficient and financially secure.
Northeast Ohio Hispanic Center for Economic Development (NEOHCED) is committed to equitable asset building in Cleveland’s Latino, and other underserved communities, by providing economic and entrepreneurial technical assistance, training, and advocacy. NEOHCED is home to the only Latino Small Business Development Center (SBDC) in Northeast Ohio.
The Presidents’ Council as An Engine for Black Business Growth, supports, develops, and advocates for our region’s current and future generations of Black entrepreneurs and leaders for sustainable wealth creation through Business Development + Entrepreneurial Support, Ecosystem Building (organizing & mobilizing), Championing + Thought Leadership, and Capital Formation + Investments; affecting influence and accountability at ALL levels that directly impact Black-owned businesses and the communities we serve. Learn more at https://thepresidentscouncil.com/