The purpose of the Job Creators Quest Grant is to assist business owners in creating well-paying jobs and supporting small businesses in Texas to overcome the challenges they face due to disadvantageous circumstances. This will have a positive impact on the local economy by generating higher-wage employment opportunities and providing the necessary human resources for business growth.
Darlisa Diltz, a former recipient of the Texas Job Creators Quest Grant and a graduate of the Bootcamp Accelerator Program, expressed her experience, stating, “The Founders First program was transformative for me. It changed my mindset about who I was as a founder and leader before joining. It was incredibly motivating and pushed me to make changes within my organization. Instead of giving up, which I had considered several times, it gave me the extra push to reach the next level.”
Since its launch in 2021, Founders First CDC has awarded over $1,000,000 to minority and underserved business owners across the United States, with a particular focus on Texas, Chicago, SoCal, Twin Cities, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.
The recipients of the Texas Job Creators fund include:
- Akbar Abbas of Data Agility Group, Inc.
- Charmane Sellers of Aleon Properties, Inc.
- Christopher Foreman of Foreman Business Interests LLC
- Dennis Hoang of Patturn | Jender
- Devaron Yates of Wealth Development Strategies LLC
- Ebony Butler of The Center for Creating Change LLC
- Idowu Itola of Lydia Painting LLC
- Jaren Collins of JCI Creatives LLC
- Jay Veal of It’s Not Complicated Education, LLC
- Jeffrey Vigil of My Business Matches Inc
- Joe Arenella of Tracker Systems, LLC
- Jose Perez of Roads Consulting Group
- Kelly Johnson of IREP Junk Removal
- Linda Marroquin of Quick Qabinets
- Lisa Brunet of DLZP Group, LLC
- Michael Farmer of Innova Learning Inc.
- Misty Dawsey of Excellence Academy
- Moses Varghese of Lumos Technology Services
- OdyDe La Paz of Sensytec
- Psychelia Terry of UI Global Brands
- Rachel Bays of Illuminate Video
- Tamanika Marshall of Lumin Diagnostic Services, LLC
- Thakela Nabors of Organically Beauty Inc
The judging committee for the Texas Job Creators Grant consists of a panel of partners and successful business owners.
To be eligible for the Job Creators Quest Grant, the company’s founder must be a person of color, LGBTQIA+, a military veteran, a woman, or have a business located in a low to moderate-income area. The company must also be for-profit with annual revenues between $100,000 to $3 million. Grant winners will use the funds to create 1-2 new well-paying jobs within the next 12 months.
Alongside announcing the winners of the Job Creators Quest Grant, Founders First CDC has also introduced another grant opportunity, the Stephen L. Tadlock Grant, for veteran business owners across the nation. The deadline for applications is October 16, 2023.
About Founders First CDC
Founders First CDC is a nonprofit organization founded in 2015 and has received significant support from regional community reinvestment banks. Their mission is to empower diverse founder-led, revenue-generating small businesses through three primary programs: Founders Challenge, Founders Bootcamp, and Founders FastPath. Through recurring revenues, technology enablement, and essential solution focus, Founders First CDC acts as a catalyst for positive change for entrepreneurs of color and female founders, helping them become leading employers in their communities. Learn more at www.foundersfirstcdc.org.
Media Contact
Janine Drake, Founders First CDC, 1 8582068542, [email protected], https://foundersfirstcdc.org/
SOURCE Founders First CDC
