C2FO awards grants to three KC nonprofits boosting Black entrepreneurs with intention
September 19, 2023 | Taylor Wilmore
A new grants program developed by one of Kansas City’s biggest scaleups was founded with a clear purpose, said Jay Lott, announcing the effort’s first three nonprofit recipients and touting C2FO’s ongoing commitment to community engagement within the Kansas City region.
“We want to support the nonprofit organizations that are focused on intentionally elevating Black entrepreneurs,” said Lott, sales director for the Leawood-based fintech company that boasts a global on-demand working capital platform.
C2FO’s Business Empowerment Grant program — which launched this summer — donates earnings generated on Juneteenth to nonprofit organizations. It serves as an extension of financial support to Black-led groups that ostensibly began with Juneteenth 2021.
2023 grant recipients include Kansas City G.I.F.T. (Generating Income for Tomorrow), The Porter House KC, and Black Excellence KC.
Funding totals for the groups were not disclosed.
C2FO felt the trio of organizations have shown a strong dedication to empowering Black entrepreneurs and will put the funds to good use in their respective initiatives, Lott said, noting a key indicator the company considers when funding is whether the nonprofits are actually making a difference in the community.
RELATED: C2FO launches empowerment grants to boost Black-owned businesses, entrepreneurs
“C2FO created this business empowerment grant program with the mission of building prosperous communities in Kansas City,” said Lott.
Since 2020, C2FO has given more than $374,000 to nonprofit groups; some of which include Cultivate KC, New Roots for Refugees, and Determination, Inc.
“We’ve been intentional with focusing on the Kansas City metropolitan area and also providing support to minority entrepreneurs and young professionals,” said Lott.
While there might not be a formal ceremony associated with the grants, C2FO invites the selected organizations to its Leawood offices for a presentation. This allows the recipients to share more about their initiatives, fostering participation and volunteerism within C2FO’s network.
Dan Smith and Charon Thompson, The Porter House KC, stand on stage during the PHKC fourth cohort pitch contest; photo by Austin Barnes, Startland News
The Porter House KC is gearing up for its third consecutive year receiving a grant from C2FO.
“We’re excited to push this grant money back into growing our work space,” said Miranda Schultz, director of operations for The Porter House KC
The plan is to establish a physical location within the 811 building on 3rd Street in KCMO. This brick-and-mortar space is expected to provide a location for as many as 10 retail entrepreneurs, giving them the opportunity to operate their businesses without the immediate risk of taking on a standalone storefront and lease.
Brandon Calloway, Kansas City G.I.F.T., speaks with Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News, during a kickoff event for the 2023 Give Black campaign; photo by Tommy Felts, Startland News
Fellow recipient G.I.F.T. is focused on closing the racial wealth gap for Black business owners in Kansas City, so they can have a fair shot at financial success, said Brandon Calloway, the group’s CEO.
“In our first three years, G.I.F.T has given back to the community by giving out our own grants,” Calloway proudly shared. “We helped create 108 jobs by investing in Black-owned businesses.”
Craig Moore, Black Excellence KC (BXKC); photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News
Black Excellence KC, an organization founded with the vision of establishing a springboard for Black professionals’ careers, intends to allocate the funds to launch a professional cohort called Ascend in October.
Black Excellence KC takes pride in its commitment to supporting the Black professional community by equipping them with the necessary resources, opportunities, and connections to enhance their household income, said Craig Moore, who leads the organization.
“We act as a conduit for any organization to be better connected with the Black professional community and vice versa so that they can have better access to those opportunities,” Moore said.
For those interested in applying for C2FO’s Business Empowerment Grant program, the application process is made available on the company’s website. It is expected to reopen in 2024.
“We created this grant program to help make Kansas City a better place for everyone,” Lott said.
Featured Business
Taylor Wilmore
Taylor Wilmore, hailing from Lee’s Summit, is a dedicated reporter and a recent graduate of the University of Missouri, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Journalism. Taylor channels her deep-seated passion for writing and storytelling to create compelling narratives that shed light on the diverse residents of Kansas City.
Prior to her role at Startland News, Taylor made valuable contributions as a reporter for the Columbia Missourian newspaper, where she covered a wide range of community news and higher education stories.
2023 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
$17M Operation Breakthrough expansion to bridge Troost, boost STEM and maker skills
An Operation Breakthrough expansion from the east side of Troost Avenue to the west is about more than jumping across the street, said Mary Esselman. The move will literally bridge a racial and economic dividing line that has persisted for decades. “Bridging Troost is not only a legacy to our founders, but is huge symbolically,…
ClusterTruck sizzles on KC food delivery scene with ‘ghost kitchen’ concept
The innovation cooking within ClusterTruck’s technology makes the rapidly expanding Indianapolis company a fresh take on the restaurant-quality food delivery scene, Christian Moscoso said. “We are a software company with our own ghost kitchens, if you will,” said Moscoso, general manager for ClusterTruck’s new River Market kitchen, which opened in mid-December without a public entrance…
Innovation Exchange returns in 2018 with new partners, topics
One of my favorite parts of journalism is the “Hm!” moment. They are the occasions when reading, watching or listening to a story whose details yield an inborn reaction of fascination or intrigue. They can’t be stopped. When your curiosity piqued, “Hmm!” is an impulse. “The SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket produced 5 million pounds of…
Sickweather storms market with overfunded $1M crowdfunding campaign amid flu season
An illness forecaster is never more valuable than when the threat of a widespread virus is high. This year’s severe flu season, however, is only one of the leading contributors to Sickweather’s uptick in interest — and its recent oversubscribed $1 million crowdfunding campaign, said founder Graham Dodge. “We learn a lot every cold and…