Evolve Small Grant

An Overview

What is Evolve Small Grant?

Lenovo’s Evolve Small Grant program is committed to empowering small businesses owned by minorities and women. Through a partnership with Goodie Nation, these businesses will receive $10,000 in grants and gain access to valuable professional development opportunities. As an added benefit, each selected business will also be provided with a Lenovo ThinkBook laptop.

The Evolve Small grant, generously supported by Lenovo and AMD in collaboration with Goodie Nation, offers a fantastic chance for small business founders in North America to expand their enterprises in the region. If you’re a diverse small business owner with ambitious dreams, Lenovo’s Evolve Small initiative is here to empower your success.

This scholarship program includes financial support, laptop resources, and invaluable guidance to accelerate your business journey. These grants, which are provided at no cost, also provide business owners with the opportunity to connect individually with advisors who can cater to their specific needs. Additionally, they offer professional development sessions and a platform to showcase their stories and promote their businesses.

The Evolve Small grant is available to small business founders in North America (the U.S. and Canada) of any gender, with no minimum age or specific GPA requirements. This grant is open annually and does not have restrictions based on race or ethnicity.

What you will benefit from the Evolve Small Grant

The Lenovo Evolve Small grant will benefit your business in a number of ways, which includes:

Financial assistance: The grant provides $10,000 in non-dilutive capital, which means that grant recipients do not have to give up any equity in their businesses in order to receive the grant money.

Access to resources and support: Grant recipients will have access to a variety of resources and support to help them grow their businesses. This may include access to mentors, business coaches, and networking opportunities.

Increased visibility: The Lenovo Evolve Small grant is a prestigious grant program that is well-respected in the business community. Receiving the grant can help to increase the visibility of your business and attract new customers and investors.

How to be Eligible for the Evolve Small Grant.

Please it will be good to know first, that this is not the application for Google for Startups’ Black and Latino Founders Funds or any of the AWS Impact Accelerators.

To be eligible for the Evolve Small grant, your business must meet the following requirements:

The founder or majority owner should belong to one of the following groups: Black/African, Latinx, Women, Indigenous, Native-American, or other underrepresented communities.

Your business must either have a physical location that plays a fundamental role in its core business operations (e.g., Bed & Breakfast, restaurant, etc.) or be involved in the production of a physical product.

The company’s revenue over the past 12 months should fall within the range of $100,000 to $3,000,000.

Your business must be registered as an LLC, C Corporation, or S Corporation in the United States of America or Canada.

Your company should fall into one of the following categories: a scalable tech startup, a tech-enabled small business, a tech workforce program, or a nonprofit with less than $3 million in revenue or funding.

Former Recipients of Evolve Small Grant

The following are some examples of former recipients of the Lenovo Evolve Small grant:

All Things Cacao is a Black-owned chocolate company that produces bean-to-bar chocolate from scratch. The company is based in Atlanta, Georgia.

Cocokind is a Latina-owned skincare company that produces natural and organic skincare products. The company is based in San Francisco, California.

Mented Cosmetics is a Black-owned cosmetics company that produces cosmetics for women of color. The company is based in New York City, New York.

Partake Foods is a Black-owned food company that produces allergy-friendly snacks. The company is based in East Harlem, New York.

Pipcorn is a Latina-owned food company that produces gourmet popcorn. The company is based in Los Angeles, California.

Red Bay Coffee is a Black-owned coffee company that produces coffee from Oakland, California. The company is based in Oakland, California.

Sistah Cafe is a Black-owned restaurant that serves Caribbean cuisine. The company is based in Washington, D.C.

Soko Glam is a Korean-owned beauty company that sells Korean beauty products. The company is based in Los Angeles, California.

Supergoop! is a woman-owned skincare company that produces sunscreen and other sun protection products. The company is based in SoHo, New York.

The Honey Pot Company is a Black-owned feminine hygiene company that produces plant-based feminine hygiene products. The company is based in Los Angeles, California.

View All

These are just a few examples of the many former recipients of the Lenovo Evolve Small grant. The grant has helped a variety of minority and woman-owned small businesses grow and succeed.

How to apply For the Lenovo Evolve Small Grant

To apply for the Lenovo Evolve Small grant, you can visit the Goodie Nation website: https://goodienation.org/evolve-small/

On the website, you will need to create an account and then complete an application form. The application form will ask you about your business, your financial situation, and your goals for the grant.

You will also need to submit a video pitch of your business. The video pitch should be no more than two minutes long and should explain why you are applying for the grant and how you would use the grant money to grow your business.

Application Deadline for the Evolve Small Grant

The application deadline for the Lenovo Evolve Small grant has not yet been announced for the 2024 grant cycle. However, the deadline for the 2023 grant cycle was December 16, 2022.

I will keep an eye out for the announcement of the 2024 application deadline and let you know as soon as it is available.

Tips for completing the Application and having a successful Ending

Be sure to answer all of the questions on the application form thoroughly.
Be specific about how you would use the grant money to grow your business.
Be creative and passionate in your video pitch.

Last Words

If you are a minority or woman-owned small business owner, I encourage you to apply for the Lenovo Evolve Small grant. The grant can help you access the capital and resources you need to grow your business.

For more information visit: https://goodienation.org/evolve-small/