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Shipyard signs marketing the GRANT 2.0 across Arlington

This column is sponsored by BizLaunch, a division of Arlington Economic Development.

In our last Small Business Focus, we announced Arlington’s Small Business GRANT 2.0 and focused on eligibility. With applications now running through October 20th, we thought we’d take this opportunity to explain how small businesses can use GRANT 2.0 funds.

Similar to GRANT 1.0, which was released in 2020, funds from GRANT 2.0 can be used to:

• Retaining and / or supporting employees
• Restoring financial resilience
• Increase in technology capacity
• Create new marketing strategies
• Revision of business plans

Many companies that received a GRANT last summer used the funds to pay rent and wages. However, some used their grant to revise business plans or make better use of the technology.

With the Arlington Small Business GRANT, @Community_ETC will continue to be creative and collaborate! The Educational Theater Company will use the GRANT to continue to hire local artists and focus on new, creative initiatives to safely reach their community. #BizStrongArlVA pic.twitter.com/kWIaTiJQYI

– Arlington Econ Dev (@AEDBizInvest) July 2, 2020

For example, the Educational Theater Company used its grant to purchase a third line of Zoom while running summer camps online. Another example is Compass Coffee, which used its marketing expense grant to expand its online sales.

Compass Coffee has also used part of its funds to revise its business plan. The company bought a K-cup and Nespresso pod-making machine to add to their product mix for customers stuck at home craving their favorite local cup of coffee.

GRANT recipient @CompassCoffeeDC is grateful that they were able to continue serving take-away and ensure that their customers still start their day with a fresh cup of coffee. You use the GRANT to set up your delivery service and expand your online shop! #BizStrongArlVA pic.twitter.com/dutQXq8RJL

– Arlington Econ Dev (@AEDBizInvest) July 14, 2020

Our goal at GRANT 2.0, as with all of our programs, is to help small businesses continue to thrive. Even if your company was not selected for the GRANT 2.0 program, you can still use our ReLaunch program.

Through ReLaunch, companies can access up to eight hours of business consulting and work with a professional small business advisor on financial management, marketing strategy, business plan review, and more. Hear what Jennifer Jones, Creative Founder of Cosmopolitan Plated, has to say about ReLaunch.

Another aspect of ReLaunch is a resource for developing a website or e-commerce solution for your small business. Several companies have benefited from this resource since we launched this program earlier this year. We recently helped a local Columbia Pike beauty salon develop their first website.

A long-standing Columbia Pike family tree, Beauty Fair Hair Stylists are best known for introducing threading to the Arlington community. Work started on their website in the middle of summer and in a month, Beauty Fair Hair Stylists will have a new secure website. Check out their new website today.

With GRANT 2.0, ReLaunch, Business Intelligence, Consulting, and more, BizLaunch has the tools you need to help your small business start, grow, and scale. Learn more about BizLaunch at www.bizlaunch.org.