Through a $25,000 Technical Support grant, Advantage Village Academy, Inc. (AVA) offered over a hundred businesses free administrative support to apply for federal PPP funds and St. Pete business grants. AVA also helped home-based businesses apply for and receive Sunbiz registration, file outstanding taxes, and prepare themselves for a new era of business in a COVID19 environment.
Developing and Building Community Services, Inc. (DABS) offered 57 businesses and 187 vendors working in salons and barbershops free technical assistance, training, and supplies through a $25,000 grant to support re-opening activities. DABS offers ongoing consultation, created training videos to assist businesses in following re-opening protocols, dispersed supplies, and helped businesses apply for PPP funds and St. Pete business grants.
Green Book of Tampa Bay extended a free-web-building program through $25,000 in VPF funding. The organization provides an online business-listing of Black businesses in the Tampa Bay area, and through the VPF grant has been able to offer up to 30 businesses no-cost websites.
VPF also contributed $200,000 to the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition’s (FRRC) fund to help pay off fees and fines for returning citizens attempting to get their voting rights restored through the Amendment 4 legislation.