News

National Association Awards $28K in Growth Grants to Support the Sustainable Growth and Expansion of the American Small Business Community

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 5, 2022
CONTACT: Kristofer Eisenla, LUNA+EISENLA
[email protected] | 202-670-5747 (mobile)

National Association for the Self-Employed Provides Financial Support to Alaska, Georgia, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah, and Virginia Small Businesses During their Ongoing Recovery and Growth with Support from AARP and DELL Small Business

DALLAS, TX – As a record number of Americans choose self-employment by opening their own small business over traditional W-2 employment, the National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE), the nation’s leading advocate and resource for the self-employed and micro-business community, announced today $28,000 in Growth Grants to seven local small businesses for the third quarter of 2022.  Today’s announcement also includes three Growth Grant awards sponsored by AARP, and one by DELL Small Business.

“Our nation’s small business community, including self-employed and micro-businesses, helps fuel America’s economic engine.  They represent the true entrepreneurial spirit of America through their resilience and determination as they recover from a devastating pandemic that deeply impacted our community. We are proud to support them in their recovery, and do our part to help the American small business community continue to thrive,” said John Hearrell, Vice President of Membership and Affiliate Programs.  “From each side of Main Street to every corner of America, small businesses are delivering unique goods and services to their customers. Since 1989, our mission is built on the cornerstone of supporting these businesses to grow and succeed. With support from AARP and DELL Small Business, it’s an honor to make an investment of $4,000 in each of these Growth Grant recipients, bringing our total grant awards to over $1 million since the program’s inception.”

Last year, NASE awarded $60,000 in total grants to fifteen small businesses to support their growth and expansion of business operations and help support their emergence from the COVID pandemic.  In 2022, the NASE has increased its awards even more.

The recipients of the third quarter 2022 NASE Growth Grants are:

• Barrett Knives, located in Haines, AK, owned by NASE member Trevor Barrett, was awarded a third quarter Growth Grant in 2022. Barrett Knives creates handcrafted and hand forged knives and made-to-order custom metal products. Trevor plans to use the grant to purchase a new bladesmithing grinder and attachments to boost production and sales.

   

• Try Just Coffee, LLC, located in West New York, NJ, owned by NASE member Orlando Arroyo, was awarded a third quarter Growth Grant in 2022. Try Just Coffee sources coffee beans directly from Colombia and ships them directly to its facilities in West New York. From there, the beans get roasted and distributed both locally and online. Orlando plans to put this grant towards the purchase of a new roaster.

   

• Clover & Lamb Design and Letterpress Studio, LLC, located in Bend, OR, owned by NASE member Maria Burgio-Kline, was awarded a third quarter Growth Grant in 2022. Clover & Lamb uses a printing press dated to the year 1889 to create high quality custom stationery, invitations, cards and other paper products. Maria plans to use the grant for networking and participation in local business groups as well as local marketing & advertising.

   

  The following Growth Grants are sponsored by AARP.

• Spectrum Integrative Health, located in Dunwoody, GA, owned by NASE member Laxmi Naik, was awarded a third quarter Growth Grant in 2022. Spectrum Integrative Health uses a functional medicine approach to address the underlying causes of disease by being systems-oriented and engaging both patient and practitioner in a therapeutic partnership. Laxmi plans to use the grant funds for technical support, legal structuring, and marketing.

   

• Gibson School of Music & Arts, LLC, located in Philadelphia, PA, owned by NASE member Randy Gibson, was awarded a third quarter Growth Grant in 2022. Gibson School of Music & Arts offers a place where people of all ages can come and learn Music, Dance, Voice & Drama. Randy plans to use the grant funds to purchase new computer equipment.

   

• Fresh Cup Coffee & Tea Company, located in Virginia Beach, VA owned by NASE member Jarod Foreman, was awarded a third quarter Growth Grant in 2022. Fresh Cup Coffee & Tea Company offers consumers a wide variety of gourmet coffee, teas and cookies. Jarod plans to use the grant funds to increase advertising and brand recognition.

   

  The following Growth Grant is sponsored by DELL Small Business.

• Awe-Inspiring Women’s Endeavors (AWE), located in Kanab, UT, owned by NASE member Sunny Stroeer, was awarded a third quarter Growth Grant in 2022. AWE organizes all-women’s mountaineering and remote adventures for women, by women across four continents, with more destinations in the works. Sunny plans to put the grant towards the hiring of Operations Manager to aid in the backend while she continues to grow the business.

For nearly 20 years, NASE’s focus has been on finding the most effective way to bolster success for small business and self-employed members in communities across the country.  NASE has awarded over $1,000,000 since the program’s inception and continue to see significant return on our investments in the growth of member-businesses helping to fuel their local economies.

NASE’s Growth Grant Program is intended for businesses planning to take the next step in their venture.  It provides available capital for small businesses and sole proprietors to be able to hire and train additional employees, market their business in new and existing ways or invest in new equipment or software. 

Applications are considered on a rolling basis throughout the year and winning small businesses will be awarded $4,000 grants each quarter throughout 2022 and 2023.  Visit the Growth Grant page for more information.

NASE members also enjoy a comprehensive list of benefits designed to help small business owners and sole proprietors start and grow their business.  A complete listing of benefits available to NASE members is available, here.  NASE members are offered a host of resources designed to help support entrepreneurs and small employers including access to professional “Ask the Experts” services in tax, health care and marketing, a navigational assistant health care portal, scholarships and grants, discounts on shipping rates and office supplies, and affordable email marketing systems and webhosting services. NASE’s newest member benefits continue the tradition of providing real-world, bottom-line assistance to small business owners.  To become a member of NASE, apply online here.

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The National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE) is the nation's leading advocate and resource for the self-employed and micro-businesses, offering a broad range of benefits to help entrepreneurs succeed and to drive the continued growth of this vital segment of the American economy.

The NASE NextBizThing helps identify and connect our nation’s smallest businesses. Need small business help? Check out NASE’s Ask the Experts for advice or the NASE Minute for small business support.

The NASE is a 501(c) (6) nonprofit organization and provides big-business advantages to hundreds of thousands of micro-businesses across the United States. For more information, visit the association's website at NASE.org