Join the Small Certified Supplier Innovative Finance Program
Building an intentional path for certified suppliers to increase their capacity, gain awareness of innovative funding options, and access to capital.
Program Benefits
Funding Readiness
Determine the funding readiness of your business and gain access to on-demand self-guided program
Funder Matchmaking
Access a wide-range of capital funders through our funder matchmaking sessions based on your business needs
$200,000 Grant Fund
Certified suppliers from eligible states will receive a $5,000 grant, totaling $200,000 in growth capital
Program Eligibility Requirements
-
Active Small Business Certification
Minority Business Enterprise (MBE), Women Business Enterprise (WBENC), Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE), Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE), Veteran Owned Small Business (VOSB) or Certified LGBTBE
- Business is headquartered in California, Georgia, Kansas, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, or Washington
- Business-to-business (B2B) and/or business-to-government (B2G model)
- Generating between $250,000 to $10 million in annual revenue
Our Mission and Purpose
As part of our mission to support diverse-led certified suppliers with access to capital, resources and connections, Founders First Capital Partners has joined the Initiative for Inclusive Entrepreneurship (IIE). Targeted to small certified suppliers in California, Georgia, Kansas, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas and Washington, the Small Certified Supplier Innovative Finance Program is designed to engage diverse suppliers in educational funding readiness training and funder matching to support capacity building.
A total of 1,200 small certified suppliers will be selected from the pool of applications by a panel of judges to join the Small Certified Supplier Innovative Finance Program.
Take Advantage of Program Benefits
Timeline and Important Dates
We encourage all eligible certified suppliers to apply for the Small Certified Supplier Innovative Finance Program. Application period closes November 15, 2023. Applications will be reviewed by a panel of judges to select small businesses to join the program and begin the fund readiness assessment.
Selected certified suppliers will gain access to on-demand fund readiness curriculum.
Eligible small certified suppliers accepted into the program will be matched up with potential capital providers which could include Venture Capital, Alternative Financing, Impact Lenders, CDFIs and Banks to discuss their business funding needs.
At the end of the program, a panel of judges will select small certified supplier grant recipients from each eligible state.
Grant finalists from each eligible state will receive grant disbursements totaling $200,000.
