Helping Nashville’s Small Businesses Thrive: 100 Grant Packages Available Through Comcast RISE

Comcast RISE to Award $3 Million in Grants to 100 Local Small Businesses

Comcast announced today it will award grant packages to 100 small businesses in Nashville and surrounding areas as part of its Representation, Investment, Strength and Empowerment (RISE) program. This marks the second time Comcast RISE has supported small businesses in Nashville, emphasizing Comcast’s continued commitment to the city’s entrepreneurial community. RISE’s mission is to champion the growth of small businesses across Nashville while promoting digital inclusion and accessibility. The grants will provide resources and tools to help bridge the digital divide and foster opportunity.

Nashville is one of five regions where 100 eligible small businesses will have the opportunity to receive grant packages through Comcast RISE, including Boston, MA, Grand Rapids, MI, Seattle, WA and South Valley, UT. These 500 total recipients will join the 14,000 entrepreneurs nationwide who have been supported since the program launched in 2020.

“As a small business, we know firsthand how challenging it can be—scrambling for resources, building a network, and learning the ropes,” said Derrick Moore, Emanuel Reed, and Clint Gray, founders of Slim & Husky’s. “A program like Comcast RISE can be a game-changer. The guidance, financial support, and digital tools Comcast RISE offers are exactly what Nashville’s entrepreneurs need to take their vision to the next level.”

What is Comcast RISE?

Nashville-based small businesses can apply to receive comprehensive grant packages through Comcast RISE that include:

• TECHNOLOGY MAKEOVER – Computer equipment and Internet, Voice, and Cybersecurity services for 12 months.
• CREATIVE PRODUCTION & MEDIA – Professionally produced 30-second TV commercial, plus a media strategy consultation and a 180-day linear media schedule.
• EDUCATION RESOURCES – 12-month access to online entrepreneurship courses, learning modules and resources for small business owners.
• MONETARY GRANT – $5,000 monetary grant.
• COACHING SESSIONS – Business assessment and coaching that provides business owners with recommendations on how to help grow their businesses.

For more information or to apply, visit www.comcastrise.com. The application will be open May 1 – May 31.

Comcast RISE is part of Project UP, the company’s $1 billion commitment to create digital opportunity through programs and community partnerships that connect people to the Internet, advance economic mobility and open doors for the next generation of innovators, entrepreneurs, storytellers and creators.

Digital opportunity means ensuring every Nashvillian, regardless of location or income, has the broadband access, digital tools, and skills needed to succeed in education, employment, and entrepreneurship.

“Nashville is a city of innovators and go-getters, and initiatives like Comcast RISE are vital to providing local entrepreneurs the tools and resources they need to thrive,” said Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell. “This program will uplift our small business community, drive economic growth, and ensure that opportunities extend to every corner of our city.”

Over 20 Years of Dedicated Support to Nashville Communities

Comcast has partnered with local nonprofits, government agencies, and community organizations in Nashville for over 20 years to promote digital inclusion.

“Our goal is to unlock possibilities for all Nashvillians: Project UP is about ensuring that everyone has the tools and opportunities to succeed,” said Mike McArdle, Senior Vice President, Big South Region, Comcast. “With programs like Comcast RISE, we are helping small businesses navigate challenges, grow, and ultimately create a stronger, more connected community.”

In the last three years alone, Comcast has donated more than $9.5 million to Nashville-based organizations and initiatives focused on digital inclusion. Since 2011, Comcast has connected more than 680,000 low-income Nashvillians to the Internet at home through its Internet Essentials program, which provides low-cost broadband Internet service to eligible low-income families. Comcast has also established seven Lift Zones in Nashville, offering free Internet access in safe community spaces for students to study, adults to build skills, access healthcare resources, and search for jobs.