Since the launch of our Comcast RISE program in 2020, a multi-year national initiative that supports small businesses owned by women or people of color in response to the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have awarded more than $16 million in grants and $75 million in in-kind support for marketing and technology services, impacting more than 9,500 entrepreneurs nationwide.
Through the latest round of investment grants, this now includes 100 Allegheny County small businesses, like Sprezzatura Café in Pittsburgh, PMA Tattoos in McKees Rocks and Local Motion in Homestead.
“The cooks here at Sprezzatura express profound gratitude for the Comcast RISE grant, which will allow our team to lift our heads up from the restaurant industry grind and think forwardly about how we can help meet food access needs in our community,” said Jennifer Saffron, owner of Sprezzatura. “How might our kitchen and cafe serve catering clients and cafe patrons as well as ensure that all are welcome to the table for a dignified meal? It’s a real question in need of an answer, especially during these times. The Comcast RISE grant provides critical resources for independent entrepreneurs like our sustainable, woman-owned restaurant to make good on a triple bottom line – people, planet, and profit.”
“As a self-employed artist, gig work can be highly unpredictable. Once you add the pandemic into the equation, it has been impossible to pursue my business’s goal to become a tattoo shop accessible to all bodies,” said Sara Eve Rivera of PMA Tattoos. “This grant is priceless for our clients and community members who use mobility aids. With this grant we can adjust our entrance, bathroom and shop to allow all people to enter and enjoy being here in safety. We are beyond appreciative to receive these funds and to make a clear statement as community members as well as a business that accessibility is a priority to us.”
“The past two years have presented Local Motion with a variety of challenges, from having to turn our brick-and-mortar fitness studio into an interactive online studio to following safety precautions with cleaning and social distancing when members were finally allowed back into the building,” said Laura Fonzi of Local Motion. “We had to significantly cut costs by decreasing class offerings, staff hours and our marketing budget. The generous grant from Comcast will help us continue to work on growth in our business, allowing access to more people in our community and more classes for our staff to teach.”
“I am honored to be selected as a Comcast RISE grant recipient,” said Jessica Graves of Una Biologicals. “Like many small businesses today, we continue to perfect the Pivot – managing the ongoing effects of the neo-pandemic economy while working to grow our company and support our staff. Receiving this support from Comcast will go a long way to helping us move past ‘maintaining’ and back into thriving. We look forward to applying this grant to new technology that will enable new growth for Una Biologicals.”
Through the latest investment fund round, 100 selected businesses will each receive a $10,000 grant. Allegheny County’s full list of grant recipients include:
- Creative Hair Solutions, Allison Park
- Embrago LLC, Allison Park
- ESSPA INC, Aspinwall
- BLINKFLY LLC, Bethel Park
- East Side Laser Center, Braddock
- Digital Bridges Pittsburgh LLC, Brentwood
- More Than Words Fine Papers LLC, Carnegie
- Precision Copy Products Incorporated, Clairton
- Meles Party Planning, East Liberty
- HARRMONEE LLC, East Pittsburgh
- Waku Waku Baby Co, Glenshaw
- Carlton Speaks LLC, Homestead
- Local Motion PGH, Homestead
- Nina Lees Hair Studio, Homestead
- Una Biologicals, Homewood
- DTL Inc, Jefferson Hills
- Barber Parlor, McKees Rocks
- FAITH Construction Company, McKees Rocks
- PMA Tattoo LLC, McKees Rocks
- Wood by Design LLC, McKees Rocks
- Sprezzatura Pgh LLC, Millvale
- RRELITESERVICES LLC, Monroeville
- Mount Lebanon Academy, Mount Lebanon
- Trzade Salon LLC, Mount Oliver
- Kiwi Speech LLC, Oakmont
- Jade Scott Design, Penn Hills
- Sweet Inspirations LLC, Penn Hills
- Helios Solutions Group LLC, Pine
- 360 Café, Pittsburgh
- A For the People Insurance Agency, Pittsburgh
- Adey Designs, Pittsburgh
- African Cuisine LLC, Pittsburgh
- All Bodies Welcome Yoga LLC, Pittsburgh
- Amazing Journeys LLC, Pittsburgh
- And Flowers LLC, Pittsburgh
- Baked True North LLC, Pittsburgh
- Behaivior LLC, Pittsburgh
- Beyond Bedtime Books, Pittsburgh
- Cabaret LLC, Pittsburgh
- Casey Droege Cultural Productions, Pittsburgh
- Coach Keem Fitness and Performance Training LLC, Pittsburgh
- Cobbler World LLC, Pittsburgh
- Confections by Casey Renee LLC, Pittsburgh
- Constellation Coffee, Pittsburgh
- Crisp Forensic Counseling LLC, Pittsburgh
- Crust Worthy LLC, Pittsburgh
- Family Spinner LLC, Pittsburgh
- First Sip Brew LLC, Pittsburgh
- Fox Chapel Day Spa, Pittsburgh
- Global Wordsmiths LLC, Pittsburgh
- Go Phleb LLC, Pittsburgh
- Green Empress Juice Company, Pittsburgh
- Happy Day Dessert Factory LLC, Pittsburgh
- I Dream a World LLC, Pittsburgh
- IT’s 4 Me, Pittsburgh
- Kabab N Curry Inc, Pittsburgh
- KidzRide LLC, Pittsburgh
- Laced Beauty Bar LLC, Pittsburgh
- Levels Agency LLC, Pittsburgh
- love Pittsburgh Co, Pittsburgh
- Malaika Learning Center LLC, Pittsburgh
- Mayfly Market LLC, Pittsburgh
- MJ Management, Pittsburgh
- New Mainstream Massage, Pittsburgh
- Nollapelli Inc, Pittsburgh
- Nurie Sushi Inc, Pittsburgh
- Otto Finn LLC, Pittsburgh
- Palermo Photo, Pittsburgh
- Pittsburgh FIT East LLC, Pittsburgh
- Pittsburgh News Inc, Pittsburgh
- Post Script Productions LLC, Pittsburgh
- Print Management LLC, Pittsburgh
- Purposefully Soaring Counseling Services LLC, Pittsburgh
- Pyramid Pgh LLC, Pittsburgh
- Quinerly Financial Group LLC, Pittsburgh
- Rebound Planner LLC, Pittsburgh
- Reliable Technology LLC, Pittsburgh
- Reset Fitness LLC, Pittsburgh
- Riversides Sales Group LLC, Pittsburgh
- Status Ent, Pittsburgh
- Stories Like Me LLC, Pittsburgh
- Tana Ethiopian Cuisine LLC, Pittsburgh
- The Care Based Leadership Collaborative LLC, Pittsburgh
- The Coop Chicken and Waffles LLC, Pittsburgh
- The Pittsburgh Juice Company, Pittsburgh
- The Smokey City’s 412 BBQ LLC, Pittsburgh
- Tyler Collier Associates LLC, Pittsburgh
- USA Professional Karate Studio, Pittsburgh
- YOGAMOTIF LLC, Pittsburgh
- Zashes Lashes LLC, Pittsburgh
- The Gilded Girl LLC, Sewickley
- Art in Motion Pittsburgh LLC, Sharpsburg
- Wildess LLC, Tarentum
- Pinks Tiny Paws LLC, Verona
- Mommalicious LLC, West Mifflin
- A Mothers Boutique LLC, Wexford
- Bottom Line Financial Services Inc, Wexford
- Megan M Stock DMD PC, Wexford
- Global Human Performance LLC, Wilkinsburg
- Lovett Sundries LLC, Wilkinsburg
“As we continue to rebuild from the effects of the pandemic, small businesses still need our support. They are the backbone of our local communities, and we must take every opportunity to help them not only survive, but to thrive,” said Toni Murphy, Senior Vice President, Comcast’s Keystone Region. “When we launched Comcast RISE in 2020, we knew a profound need existed in many of the communities we serve, and we have now seen firsthand how the resources from Comcast RISE are continuing to benefit small businesses two and a half years since the program’s inception.”
Comcast RISE and the Comcast RISE Investment Fund initially launched in 2020 as a response to help small business owners of color who were hardest hit by the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. In November 2021, Comcast announced a major expansion to eligibility, enabling all women-owned small businesses nationwide to apply. This expansion built on the program’s success and aims to help address the persistent inequities women continue to face in accessing the resources and funding that are critical to success.
“Congratulations to the small businesses which will be receiving grants through the Comcast RISE Investment Fund,” said County Executive Rich Fitzgerald. “It’s no secret that the pandemic impacted our small businesses the most, and we thank Comcast for recognizing their challenges and the need with this program. Thanks to these resources, we look forward to having these entrepreneurs as part of our community for years to come.”
“The Pittsburgh businesses who benefit from Comcast’s $1 million in grants are hard-working, vital contributors to our community,” said Mayor Ed Gainey. “These grants are investments for our future and are key to helping transform Pittsburgh and creates new pathways to prosperity and a thriving city.”
By the end of 2022, 13,000 businesses across the country are expected to benefit from the Comcast RISE initiative, either through the grant program or from the resources provided through Effectv, the advertising division of Comcast Cable, and Comcast Business. In addition to the financial and business support services provided, a key part of the program is ensuring the long-term sustainability of businesses. To help address this, Comcast invests in and partners with organizations such as Ureeka to provide ongoing mentorship and resources to help small businesses succeed over the long term.
Comcast RISE stands for Representation, Investment, Strength, and Empowerment and is part of Project UP, the company’s comprehensive initiative to advance digital equity and help build a future of unlimited possibilities.
More information and the applications to apply for either the grant program or marketing and technology services are available at www.ComcastRISE.com.
