LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Render Capital, a $15 million regional fund of Access Ventures that is focused on providing early-stage risk capital for entrepreneurs in Kentucky and Southern Indiana, has announced its First Dollar program, which will help support and invest in Black and Brown entrepreneurs in the area, providing them with critical “first dollars” to help their startups thrive.
Render Capital’s mission is to support Black and Brown entrepreneurs in the area, helping them build generational wealth through successful business ownership.
The First Dollar program is launching in collaboration with local entrepreneurial support organization Amplify Louisville and will provide $5,000 grants to 20 local businesses at the earliest stage of business development, for a total investment of $100,000 in the local community. Grant recipients will be for-profit organizations, located in Jefferson County, Ky., or Clark and Floyd County, Ind., who are seeking their first significant capital contribution.
To determine which local startups will be funded, Render Capital has partnered with four local, Black-led organizations – Louisville Urban League, Russell: A Place of Promise, GEDDI, and Change Today, Change Tomorrow. Through this partnership, Render Capital is empowering those who work closely with Black and Brown entrepreneurs to facilitate the disbursement of grant funds. As part of the First Dollar program, the four partnering organizations each have until the end of 2021 to fund five startups of their choosing.
The First Dollar program is a collaborative community effort and a variety of stakeholders are needed to ensure success in the future. Organizations interested in playing a role in The First Dollar program should email [email protected]. To learn more about the program, visit www.render.capital/firstdollar.
