MILWAUKEE – Twenty minority-owned small businesses have received an assist from the Milwaukee Bucks and Fiserv 1 at the Small Business Forum Milwaukee at Fiserv Forum, the Bucks’ home arena.
According to Fiserv, deserving businesses were recognized with $10,000 grants as part of the Fiserv Back2Business program, a $50 million commitment to support small, minority-owned businesses that have been negatively impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
“The Bucks are joining Fiserv as a champion of the Back2Business program, which supports small businesses through financial grants, business expertise, leading technology solutions, strategic partnerships, and community engagement,” the company said. “The relationship is an expansion of ongoing inclusion and community outreach efforts by both organizations.
The grant presentations were made during the event at Fiserv Forum by Bucks Head Coach Mike Budenholzer, Bucks and Fiserv Forum President Peter Feigin and Fiserv CFO Bob Hau.
Pressing Challenges
Prior to the grant presentations, speakers from the Bucks, Fiserv, and Small Business MKE, along with community partners from Sherman Phoenix, the African American Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin, and the Wisconsin Veterans Chamber of Commerce, discussed the pressing challenges that small businesses face in the current environment and shared solutions to carry businesses forward, the company said.
In addition to the grants, each small business was presented with a Clover Flex handheld point-of-sale system, with built-in capabilities to accept payments, conduct business, and track sales, and marketing and digital business consultancy from digital marketing agency Small Business MKE.
“Back2Business assists minority-owned businesses, which have been disproportionately impacted by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Bob Hau, chief financial officer of Fiserv. “These businesses are helping move Milwaukee forward and we are honored to recognize them and the critical role they play in our city’s economy.”
More Than 450 Grants
To date, Back2Business programs in Milwaukee, New York City, Atlanta, and South Florida have led to grants to 462 minority-owned businesses in seven communities, while an additional 37 community partners, including small business incubators and chambers of commerce, received funding to facilitate their missions of supporting Black and minority-owned businesses.