NAACP and Leslie's Certification Boost Grant

About this program

The NAACP and Leslie's Certification Boost Grant provides 17 one-time grants of $5,000 to support small businesses in obtaining critical certifications such as MBE, WBE, and DOBE. This initiative, sponsored by the NAACP and Leslie's, targets entrepreneurs in rural and urban communities across Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, and Texas. Eligible applicants must be majority-owned by African-Americans, persons of color, women, or persons with disabilities, or be located in Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUBZones), with operations in consulting or food services industries. Funds are restricted to certification application costs, including legal and consulting fees, and cannot be used for personal expenses, debt consolidation, marketing, payroll, or fixed assets.