Comcast RISE Awards 100 Houston Businesses with Comprehensive Grant Packages

Comcast has announced that 100 small businesses in the Greater Houston area will receive comprehensive grant packages as part of its Comcast RISE initiative. The packages include business consultation services, educational resources, a $5,000 monetary grant, creative production, media schedule, and a technology makeover. These recipients are among over 14,000 entrepreneurs nationwide who have benefited from the program since its inception.

Comcast RISE aims to support the growth of small businesses while advancing objectives such as diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as community investment. The initiative was created to help businesses and their communities thrive, with a focus on economic growth. Regions included in this round of grants are Atlanta, Houston, Jacksonville, Richmond, VA, and southern Colorado, with 100 grants per city, totaling 500 grants overall.

Notable recipients in Houston include Red Circle Ice Cream and Miyagi Ken International Karate Academy. Nickey Ngo, owner of Red Circle Ice Cream, expressed immense gratitude, stating, “As a small business, this means the world to us. Comcast RISE will help grow my business and keep up with the competition.”

Loren Hudson, SVP and Chief Diversity Officer at Comcast, emphasized the importance of supporting small businesses, noting that empowering entrepreneurs ensures local neighborhoods can also flourish. Comcast RISE was initially created in November 2020 to help small businesses hardest hit by COVID-19, providing essential grants for survival and recovery. The program has since evolved to focus on helping businesses and their communities thrive.

Grant packages offered by Comcast RISE include:

• Coaching Sessions - Business assessment and coaching to provide recommendations for growth.
• Education Resources - 12-month access to online entrepreneurship courses and learning modules.
• Monetary Grant - $5,000 monetary grant.
• Creative Production & Media - Professionally produced 30-second TV commercial, media strategy consultation, and a 180-day linear media schedule.
• Technology Makeover - Computer equipment and 12 months of Internet, Voice, and Cybersecurity services.

Any small business owner can access the Comcast RISE destination on X1 for aggregated small business news, tips, insights, and more. This initiative is part of Project UP, Comcast's $1 billion commitment to advancing digital equity through programs and community partnerships.