Approximately $1 million in grants available to businesses based in the city of Chicago or Cook County

 

BROOKFIELD, Wis., February 16, 2021 – Fiserv, Inc. (NASDAQ: FISV), a leading global provider of payments and financial services technology solutions, today announced it is accepting grant applications from minority-owned small businesses based in the city of Chicago or Cook County as part of its ongoing Back2Business program. The program is designed to help support minority-owned businesses that have been negatively impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

 

The Back2Business program connects small businesses with critical resources, including a monetary grant, complimentary mentorship, subject matter expertise and business coaching, technology solutions such as the Clover^® point-of-sale platform from Fiserv, and community partners. The program is administered in conjunction with the Association for Enterprise Opportunity, a leading national nonprofit expanding economic opportunity for Black entrepreneurs through its Tapestry Project. Fiserv recently announced that the Back2Business program will grow to include $50 million in grants, with up to $10,000 awarded to individual businesses.

 

In recognition of the importance of supporting the entrepreneurial ecosystem, each grant recipient will be connected to local networking, support, and resources from Fiserv community partners such as the Inner-city Computer Stars Foundation (i.c.stars), the Northwest Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and Bunker Labs.

 

Eligible minority-owned businesses can apply for a Fiserv Back2Business Grant at aeoworks.org/Fiserv. Grants can be used to assist with payroll, rent or lease payments, technology or equipment purchases, or premise redesign. Merchants must have revenues of less than $1 million annually, be founded prior to June 1, 2019 and have fewer than 10 employees to be eligible. Approximately $1 million in grants will be provided to businesses based in Chicago and Cook County. Applications will be accepted until grant funds are exhausted.

 

“Small businesses serve as the backbone of the Chicago community, and their success is critical in fueling our local economy,” said Jose Garcia, senior vice president at Fiserv. “By investing in the minority-owned business community we hope to help these business owners remain resilient during the ongoing pandemic and thrive for years to come.”

 

Local Merchants Getting Back2Business

 

Fiserv has already provided Back2Business grants to two minority-owned small businesses in the Chicago area:

• Brown Sugar Bakery: to share her fond memories of love and community with the world, Stephanie Hart opened Brown Sugar Bakery in 2004. This Greater Grand Crossing bakery’s tagline is “life is sweet,” and it delivers on the promise with cheesecakes, cupcakes, cobblers, cookies, pies and more. Brown Sugar prides itself on being a part of the joyous occasions among families and creating the taste of sweet memories.

• YoFresh Cafe: After successful careers as educators, Larry and Jean Murphy decided to pursue a lifelong dream and try their hand at running a small business. Owners and operators of YoFresh Café in Evanston, the Murphy’s are not only using their business to fuel an entrepreneurial spirit, but as a means for giving back to their community by providing an inviting space full of delicious, healthy food options. 

In addition to Chicago, Fiserv is sponsoring Back2Business Grants in multiple cities where small business communities have been heavily impacted, including Atlanta, Miami, Milwaukee, New York, and Oakland.

 

In a world moving faster than ever before, Fiserv helps clients deliver solutions in step with the way people live and work today – financial services at the speed of life. Learn more at fiserv.com.
 

About Fiserv

Fiserv, Inc. (NASDAQ: FISV) aspires to move money and information in a way that moves the world. As a global leader in payments and financial technology, the company helps clients achieve best-in-class results through a commitment to innovation and excellence in areas including account processing and digital banking solutions; card issuer processing and network services; payments; e-commerce; merchant acquiring and processing; and the Clover^® cloud-based point-of-sale solution. Fiserv is a member of the S&P 500^® Index and the FORTUNE^® 500, and is among FORTUNE World’s Most Admired Companies^®. Visit fiserv.com and follow on social media for more information and the latest company news.

 

Media Relations:

Chase Wallace

Director, Communications

Fiserv, Inc.

470-481-2555

chase.wallace@fiserv.com 

 

Media Relations:

Ann S. Cave

Vice President, External Communications

Fiserv, Inc. 

678-325-9435

ann.cave@fiserv.com