Dozens of small businesses receive KeyBank grants

Nearly 30 small businesses in the Rochester area have been selected for the Small Business Relief and Retooling Grant Program. The Urban League of Rochester N.Y. Inc. administered the program.

The program, funded by KeyBank Business Boost & Build powered by JumpStart, has awarded grants of up to $5,000 to businesses in the health and wellness, service, hospitality and lifestyle industries. Priority was given to businesses that were ineligible for emergency relief funding through the Small Business Administration. In addition to the grant, businesses also will receive technical assistance and one-on-one consultation.

“We are happy to provide this much-needed help to businesses in Rochester that have been hit hard by COVID-19,” said Phil Muscato, KeyBank Rochester Market president. “We are grateful to our partners for the support that they have given to this program and urge everyone to support these local businesses.”

More than two-thirds of grantees are businesses owned by women, while 83 percent are businesses owned by persons of color, officials noted. The grants are intended to mitigate loss caused by the crisis by providing immediate cash to cover payroll expenses and other business-related expenses.

Award recipients include:
• Awesome Wonders Christian Childcare
• Bobo’s Chicken Shack
• MAJESTIC Total Fitness, Inc.
• Uncle Moe’s BBQ & Catering
• 81 Degrees Beauty Parlor
• Rochester Community Acupuncture
• Fountain of Youth Fitness
• Garden Market Inc.
• IMN Lightment Productions
• Little Black Buddha LLC
• MansaWear
• El Pilón Criollo
• Novus – Be Known Inc.
• Textures Beauty Bar LLC
• F & D of Rochester Inc.
• Juices Barber Shop
• Juniors Barber & Unisex Salon
• The Yard Collective
• Atlas Health & Fitness Center Inc.
• KLWL LLC
• Lifetime Financial Group LLC
• New Tsingtao House Inc.
• Slay Beauty Bar LLC.
• Morgan’s Cereal Bar LLC
• Brooks Landing Diner
• The Groom Room Men’s Spa & Lounge
• Mighty Good Food LLC
• Worker B Jobs Inc.
• Release Bodywork Boutique

The grants are part of a plan by KeyBank to deploy $500,000 in relief funds to small business communities throughout Upstate New York in response to the economic hardship caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We want our local businesses to know that the Urban League and Rochester haven’t forgotten them. Our hope is that this fund will ensure that these businesses are able to not just survive the current crisis but to rebuild and flourish, coming back stronger as our area starts to reopen,” said Urban League President and CEO Seanelle Hawkins.

Wraparound technical assistance services will be provided by the Urban League, as well as TruFund Financial and the NY Entrepreneurial Center.

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