A new grants program developed by one of Kansas City’s biggest scaleups was founded with a clear purpose, said Jay Lott, announcing the effort’s first three nonprofit recipients and touting C2FO’s ongoing commitment to community engagement within the Kansas City region.
“We want to support the nonprofit organizations that are focused on intentionally elevating Black entrepreneurs,” said Lott, sales director for the Leawood-based fintech company that boasts a global on-demand working capital platform.
C2FO’s Business Empowerment Grant program — which launched this summer — donates earnings generated on Juneteenth to nonprofit organizations. It serves as an extension of financial support to Black-led groups that ostensibly began with Juneteenth 2021.
2023 grant recipients include Kansas City G.I.F.T. (Generating Income for Tomorrow), The Porter House KC, and Black Excellence KC.
Funding totals for the groups were not disclosed.
C2FO felt the trio of organizations have shown a strong dedication to empowering Black entrepreneurs and will put the funds to good use in their respective initiatives, Lott said, noting a key indicator the company considers when funding is whether the nonprofits are actually making a difference in the community.
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“C2FO created this business empowerment grant program with the mission of building prosperous communities in Kansas City,” said Lott.
Since 2020, C2FO has given more than $374,000 to nonprofit groups; some of which include Cultivate KC, New Roots for Refugees, and Determination, Inc.
“We’ve been intentional with focusing on the Kansas City metropolitan area and also providing support to minority entrepreneurs and young professionals,” said Lott.
While there might not be a formal ceremony associated with the grants, C2FO invites the selected organizations to its Leawood offices for a presentation. This allows the recipients to share more about their initiatives, fostering participation and volunteerism within C2FO’s network.
Dan Smith and Charon Thompson, The Porter House KC, stand on stage during the PHKC fourth cohort pitch contest; photo by Austin Barnes, Startland News
The Porter House KC is gearing up for its third consecutive year receiving a grant from C2FO.
“We’re excited to push this grant money back into growing our work space,” said Miranda Schultz, director of operations for The Porter House KC
The plan is to establish a physical location within the 811 building on 3rd Street in KCMO. This brick-and-mortar space is expected to provide a location for as many as 10 retail entrepreneurs, giving them the opportunity to operate their businesses without the immediate risk of taking on a standalone storefront and lease.
Brandon Calloway, Kansas City G.I.F.T., speaks with Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News, during a kickoff event for the 2023 Give Black campaign; photo by Tommy Felts, Startland News
Fellow recipient G.I.F.T. is focused on closing the racial wealth gap for Black business owners in Kansas City, so they can have a fair shot at financial success, said Brandon Calloway, the group’s CEO.
“In our first three years, G.I.F.T has given back to the community by giving out our own grants,” Calloway proudly shared. “We helped create 108 jobs by investing in Black-owned businesses.”
Craig Moore, Black Excellence KC (BXKC); photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News
Black Excellence KC, an organization founded with the vision of establishing a springboard for Black professionals’ careers, intends to allocate the funds to launch a professional cohort called Ascend in October.
Black Excellence KC takes pride in its commitment to supporting the Black professional community by equipping them with the necessary resources, opportunities, and connections to enhance their household income, said Craig Moore, who leads the organization.
“We act as a conduit for any organization to be better connected with the Black professional community and vice versa so that they can have better access to those opportunities,” Moore said.
For those interested in applying for C2FO’s Business Empowerment Grant program, the application process is made available on the company’s website. It is expected to reopen in 2024.
“We created this grant program to help make Kansas City a better place for everyone,” Lott said.
