Facebook opens applications for Va. small business grants Wednesday

Facebook Inc. announced Tuesday that it will begin taking applications for its small business grant program in Virginia on Wednesday, April 22. The social media giant opened the program to more than 30,000 businesses in more than 30 countries, including the United States, totaling $100 million.

Thirty-one businesses in the Richmond region will receive a total of $125,000 in grants and 25 businesses in Northern Virginia will be awarded a total of $100,000 in grants. The grants average to around $4,000.

Grants will be offered in the Richmond and Northern Virginia regions because Facebook has a data center in Henrico County and a regional office in Northern Virginia. 

In order to receive grants, businesses have to be for-profit, employ between two and 50 workers, have been in business for more than a year, have suffered challenges from COVID-19 and be in or near a location where Facebook operates. There will be a special emphasis placed on investing in minority- and women-owned businesses, a Facebook spokesperson says.

“Within our overall U.S. [small business] grant investment, we are prioritizing 50% of grants to eligible minority, women and veteran-owned businesses due to the disproportionate negative impact that COVID-19 will have on these businesses, their employees and the communities that they serve,” said Facebook Global Chief Diversity Officer Maxine Williams in a statement.

Ureeka, a San Francisco-based company that provides training services and products for small businesses, will be selecting the grant recipients.

After applications open in Richmond and Northern Virginia on Wednesday, applicants will have two weeks to apply before the deadline. It will take a few weeks to review applications, ask follow-up questions and announce grant recipients, according to Facebook. There is no official announcement date.