Eleven local businesses in Richmond’s East End received Supporting East End Entrepreneurship Development (SEED) grant awards this year, totaling more than $140,000. The SEED program, which has been held annually for more than a decade, has distributed more than $1 million benefiting more than 50 businesses in the Church Hill and Fulton corridors of the East End, as well as the Commerce Road and Hull Street corridor in Manchester, to-date.
To catalyze thriving commercial corridors, SEED provides new or existing small businesses with grants up to $25,000, which include business coaching services on marketing, financing, and other business needs. The grant funding and coaching together help businesses expand and become more resilient, bringing greater commercial activity and job opportunities to the community.
The 2023 grant awards consisted of eight first-time award recipients: Dear Neighbor, Fat Rabbit, The Kitchen on Wellington, Dolce Pizza, Sweet Temptations, Ms. Girlee’s Kitchen, Ocean World Seafood Market, and Bono’s Caribbean Cuisine. They join three other businesses that have received SEED awards in prior years: Wheel Simple Bicycle Repair, Second Bottle Wine and Snack Shop, and Spotty Dog Ice Cream.
“Improving the health of our communities is part of our Mission at Bon Secours, and the Supporting East End Entrepreneurship Development program is an important part of that work,” said Mike Lutes, market president, Bon Secours Richmond. “The SEED program has been a catalyst for positive change in the East End and we are thrilled to celebrate, with our partners InUnison and LISC Virginia, that the total program investment in has now surpassed $1 million.”
Bon Secours and LISC Virginia created the SEED program in 2011 as an economic development and job creation initiative for Richmond’s East End neighborhood. InUnison joined the initiative as fund administrator in 2019 and plays an integral role in providing these small businesses with access to a network of peer business owners in addition to no-cost resources including advocacy and information.
“We are appreciative of Bon Secours and LISC for their partnership and collaboration in establishing the SEED program,” said Nancy Thomas, president/CEO of InUnison. “Through its support of entrepreneurship, empowering business owners with essential tools and resources, SEED is able to not only
foster individual success but also strengthen the overall resilience of underserved areas within our community.”
LISC Virginia, in collaboration with InUnison, provides SEED recipients with business planning and coaching to teach each business owner key strategies for how to run a successful business. LISC Virginia was a founding partner and is celebrating its final year of involvement with the SEED program.
“When LISC Virginia and Bon Secours came together in 2011 to create the SEED program, we responded to a vision expressed by the neighborhood for a future where entrepreneurs could realize their dreams and create jobs for the community. Since then, this program has supported local businesses who have revitalized the community and achieved national acclaim,” said Jane Ferrara, executive director, LISC Virginia. “We are grateful to Bon Secours for their initial belief in this program and in the community and to InUnison for always being a dedicated partner in our work with the business community.”
The 2023 SEED Business Review Panel includes Scott Aronson, co-owner, Ukrop’s Homestyle Foods; Lester Johnson, president, Mama J’s; Duncan Thomas, president, Carsource, Inc.; Lisa McSherry, owner, Lex’s of Carytown and Mamie’s Apothecary; and Shekinah Mitchell, director of neighborhood engagement, Bon Secours.
As announced at today’s celebration, after more than a decade of success in supporting growth and cultivating commercial revitalization among businesses along the Church Hill and Fulton corridors in the East End and the Commerce Road and Hull Street corridor in Manchester, the SEED program will be undergoing a brief pause. During this time, facilitators will conduct surveys and interviews with past recipients and re-evaluate how we can better support our local entrepreneurs and small business owners going forward. We’ll announce more as program updates are finalized.
To catalyze thriving commercial corridors, SEED provides new or existing small businesses with grants up to $25,000, which include business coaching services on marketing, financing, and other business needs. The grant funding and coaching together help businesses expand and become more resilient, bringing greater commercial activity and job opportunities to the community.
The 2023 grant awards consisted of eight first-time award recipients: Dear Neighbor, Fat Rabbit, The Kitchen on Wellington, Dolce Pizza, Sweet Temptations, Ms. Girlee’s Kitchen, Ocean World Seafood Market, and Bono’s Caribbean Cuisine. They join three other businesses that have received SEED awards in prior years: Wheel Simple Bicycle Repair, Second Bottle Wine and Snack Shop, and Spotty Dog Ice Cream.
“Improving the health of our communities is part of our Mission at Bon Secours, and the Supporting East End Entrepreneurship Development program is an important part of that work,” said Mike Lutes, market president, Bon Secours Richmond. “The SEED program has been a catalyst for positive change in the East End and we are thrilled to celebrate, with our partners InUnison and LISC Virginia, that the total program investment in has now surpassed $1 million.”
Bon Secours and LISC Virginia created the SEED program in 2011 as an economic development and job creation initiative for Richmond’s East End neighborhood. InUnison joined the initiative as fund administrator in 2019 and plays an integral role in providing these small businesses with access to a network of peer business owners in addition to no-cost resources including advocacy and information.
“We are appreciative of Bon Secours and LISC for their partnership and collaboration in establishing the SEED program,” said Nancy Thomas, president/CEO of InUnison. “Through its support of entrepreneurship, empowering business owners with essential tools and resources, SEED is able to not only
foster individual success but also strengthen the overall resilience of underserved areas within our community.”
LISC Virginia, in collaboration with InUnison, provides SEED recipients with business planning and coaching to teach each business owner key strategies for how to run a successful business. LISC Virginia was a founding partner and is celebrating its final year of involvement with the SEED program.
“When LISC Virginia and Bon Secours came together in 2011 to create the SEED program, we responded to a vision expressed by the neighborhood for a future where entrepreneurs could realize their dreams and create jobs for the community. Since then, this program has supported local businesses who have revitalized the community and achieved national acclaim,” said Jane Ferrara, executive director, LISC Virginia. “We are grateful to Bon Secours for their initial belief in this program and in the community and to InUnison for always being a dedicated partner in our work with the business community.”
The 2023 SEED Business Review Panel includes Scott Aronson, co-owner, Ukrop’s Homestyle Foods; Lester Johnson, president, Mama J’s; Duncan Thomas, president, Carsource, Inc.; Lisa McSherry, owner, Lex’s of Carytown and Mamie’s Apothecary; and Shekinah Mitchell, director of neighborhood engagement, Bon Secours.
As announced at today’s celebration, after more than a decade of success in supporting growth and cultivating commercial revitalization among businesses along the Church Hill and Fulton corridors in the East End and the Commerce Road and Hull Street corridor in Manchester, the SEED program will be undergoing a brief pause. During this time, facilitators will conduct surveys and interviews with past recipients and re-evaluate how we can better support our local entrepreneurs and small business owners going forward. We’ll announce more as program updates are finalized.