Now more than ever marketers, business owners, and operations managers need to know what’s out there for marketing budgets. Ensuring that your budget gets the supplemental support it might need, and certainly deserves right now is imperative. Here are a few programs that are out there to give you the boost you’re looking for.
Facebook Small Business Grants
Facebook is calling this endeavor Boost with Facebook. I’m a little conflicted with the name since Boosting is part of their advertising platform, but not my call. Facebook has several requirements for the up to 30,000 small businesses it plans to help with these funds.
- When they say small, they mean SMALL. The size requirement is for businesses with 2 to 50 employees.
- Businesses that are established only. A business has to have been running for over a year at the time of application.
- This one is easy. The business must have experienced challenges from COVID-19. Have you spoken to anyone who hasn’t had any challenges? I haven’t either.
- And, they are location-based. Sorry to those of you that this doesn’t help. If it’s any consolation, we are close to Austin, but close doesn’t count here. Not in all cases, at least. Some of the eligible, are “areas”, which goes beyond the city or county, some are specific to city/county. Many of our clients are eligible due to their proximity to a Facebook office. There is a list and an option to look up your zip code to see if you meet this eligibility criteria.
Google’s COVID-19 ad credits for Google Ads
Google’s criteria for eligibility is different and interesting. You know all those times that your phone carrier gave outrageous offers to move to them or for new customers and you were like, “what about your loyal customers over here?” Well, Google is doing the opposite and helping small and medium-sized businesses who have been clients. Yes, someone is finally rewarding loyalty.That said, Google is being a little less direct and tighter lipped about how people get these funds. What we know:
- You must be a small to medium-sized business
- Your business must have spent money with a Google Ads account in ten out of the last twelve months of 2019 AND
- In January or February of 2020.
- The money doesn’t have to be spent directly through Google, but through them or a partner AND
- Their account must adhere to advertising policies.
There is no application.
Google will drop the funds along with an email into each account they have deemed worthy starting at the end of May and continuing “over the following months.” So, you won’t really know until you get them that you’re getting them or how much you are getting.
So, essentially, like most things with Google, we’re pretty much at their mercy.
If you have questions about how they determine who is an SMB or what is considered a partner, CLICK HERE.
Local business relief in your community.
While things at the national level may be a little tumultuous, local governments, chambers, and even businesses are putting community first. Money is being raised at the local level and with grassroots campaigns to help small businesses in need. Everyone realizes the importance of keeping the local economy healthy and that means coming together.
Keep an eye on your local news to ensure you know what is available. New opportunities for funding are popping up all over the place. In our area, austintexas.gov offers a list of small business resources and local business, Antic Screen Printing offered their own Austin Small Business Relief Fundraiser. In Round Rock, our Chamber of Commerce has raised funds from corporations and Hot Dog Marketing chipped in with our own fundraiser to put funds into the Round Rock Cares Fund.
Funding available for diverse business owners and others
There is funding earmarked for businesses run by diverse populations and women from several different sources. These organizations recognize the need to help mitigate the disproportionate impact that COVID-19 is having on diverse populations.
From Verizon to The Red Backpack Fund, there is funding available to a wide audience. Learn more here.
Small Business Administration Funding
Of course, there is funding from the SBA at the federal level. The PPP program has been the focus of a fair amount of confusion and trepidation but has saved several businesses from having to face closure. Keep checking in with the SBA to see what new developments there are to offer relief for small businesses. Traditional SBA loans are still available. Click here to see available resources.