FedEx today announced 30 grant recipients of the FedEx®Entrepreneur Fund, a new initiative designed to uplift veterans andsmall business owners with disabilities by providing access tofunding, resources and networks to help them succeed. The fund willprovide grants of $10,000 each to the 30 small businesses selected,for a total of $300,000, in collaboration with HelloAlice and Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN).
Frederick W. Smith, Founder and Executive Chairman, FedExCorporation, served in Vietnam. When he launched FedEx in 1973, hehired many Vietnam veterans to work for the new company. Today,nearly 50 years later, FedEx employee resource groups supportveterans across the enterprise.
“We are excited and honored to offer this opportunity to veteranentrepreneurs and small business owners with disabilities,” saidJenny Robertson, Senior Vice President of Integrated Marketing andCommunications, FedEx Services. “As an enthusiastic advocate forsmall businesses, FedEx is always looking for new ways to supportentrepreneurs in different industries with a range of missions andbackgrounds. Collaborations with Hello Alice and GEN allow us tocontinue to help these small businesses grow and succeed.”
The Fund received a staggering number of applications, with morethan 12,500 applicants, 57% of which were military-connectedbusinesses, while entrepreneurs with disabilities made up 40% ofthe applicants. The majority of small businesses that applied werewoman-owned (62%). Furthermore, 65% of applicants were Black-ownedsmall businesses, followed by multi-racial-owned at 10.6% andHispanic/Latinx-owned at 5.5%
In addition to identifying as a military-connected owner or anentrepreneur with disabilities, all 30 recipients have fewer than25 employees, made no more than $7 million in annual gross revenuein 2021, and clearly demonstrated how $10,000 will help themsupport their business and customers.
“We are proud to work with FedEx and GEN to support these smallbusinesses,” said Carolyn Rodz, CEO, Hello Alice. “As there iscontinued strain on small businesses from diverse backgrounds toaccess capital and resources, we are pleased to play a role inbringing them one step closer to their goals and to overcome thesebarriers.”
Grant recipients will be celebrated November 14 – 20 as part ofGlobal Entrepreneurship Week, a movement led by GEN with supportfrom FedEx, to make it easier for anyone, anywhere to start andscale a business.
All grant applicants receive free access to Hello Alice’splatform full of tools and resources, small business owner events,workshops, ask me anything sessions and fireside chats. To view thefull list of recipients and their businesses, pleasevisit: helloalice.com/grants/fedex. For more information aboutother charitable investments for entrepreneurs, pleasevisit FedEx Cares.
About Hello Alice
Founded by Carolyn Rodz and Elizabeth Gore, Hello Alice is afree platform serving more than one million small business ownersacross the United States. Committed to equitable access to capitalfor women, people of color, members of the LGBTQ+ community,veterans, and entrepreneurs with disabilities, Hello Alice offersfunding, education, tools, and curated opportunities. Working withenterprise business services, ecosystem partners, affiliates, andgovernment agencies, Hello Alice provides its growing communitywith everything they need to grow their businesses. To learn more,visit helloalice.com, as wellas Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram,and Facebook.