In an effort to give local businesses a financial boost, the City of Fairfax, Virginia, is offering up a $25,000 grant program meant to help companies grow.
Specifically, the grants are for businesses that are located in the city and are owned by women. They can include home-based businesses, startups or expanding businesses.
“We certainly have many women-owned businesses in Fairfax,” said Tara Borwey, programs manager for the city’s economic development team. “There’s a lot of passion and creativity.”
The program will award five grants of $5,000 each.
Applications are now being accepted online, although applicants can also print the document and send a physical copy through the mail.
“Barriers can create obstacles that prohibit people from being able to grow their business,” Borwey said. “Access to capital is one of those.”
Grant recipients will be publicly announced late next month, with winners being notified no later than Sept. 20.
They will be able to use the grant money to work with consulting services that connect them with industry experts and other resources that can help them remain competitive and grow.
“It can be basically anything that your business doesn’t currently have the capacity to address,” Borwey said.
Grants will be awarded based on a number of factors.
For example, business owners who apply will need to clearly lay out what they need the money for, what the timeline would be for spending the money and what the potential impact would be on business growth and expansion.
“We are very proud of the women business owners who have chosen to establish their businesses here in the city, many venturing into this role for the first time,” said Fairfax City Mayor Catherine Read. “Investing in their success means finding ways to help them sustain their operations.”
“We will remain creative in how we support our local businesses,” Read added.
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