Facebook is offering coronavirus grants and ad credit for struggling Miami businesses
Local businesses have turned to creative ways of attracting customers during the COVID-19 shutdown. Restaurants are selling groceries, dance studios are offering Zoom classes and others have created GoFundMe pages to help pay employees.
Facebook wants business owners to think of them, too.
The social media giant says it has put aside $150,000 in cash grants and ad credits to help Miami-Dade County businesses during the pandemic. A spokeswoman says the grants will be distributed to 38 eligible small businesses, with additional grant opportunities expected in the coming days.
The grants can be used to help pay for operating costs, rent and employee paychecks. The company says business owners can also use the grants to “connect with more customers,” which likely means using Facebook’s ad services.
To be eligible for the grant, the business must:
▪ Be a for-profit company
▪ Have between 2 and 50 employees
▪ Have been operating for more than a year
▪ Have experienced challenges caused by COVID-19
▪ Be in or near a location where Facebook operates (Miami-Dade County qualifies)
The aid is part of Facebook’s “Small Business Grant Program,” which is looking to help small businesses during the COVID-19 crisis.
Facebook says the grants will first be available in the 34 cities where Facebook employees live and work. In total, the company says it’s offering $100 million in grants and ad credits and expects to help up to 30,000 eligible small businesses in more than 30 countries where it operates.
Some of its other initiatives include giving businesses the option to offer digital gift cards on Facebook and Instagram, give businesses the opportunity to create a temporary service change section on their page and create a personal Facebook fundraiser to ask customers for support during the crisis.
To learn more about the program and how to apply, visit Facebook.com/grantsforbusiness.
This story was originally published April 15, 2020 at 8:12 AM.
