SAN JOSE, Calif., Aug. 6, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, eBay
announced that it is extending its highly successful Up &
Running grants program into another year, to help small businesses
thrive online and secure their future.
The Up & Running Grants are focused on ensuring
today's small businesses are here tomorrow by committing more than
$500,000 annually in funding and
education resources to support the growth and success of existing
small businesses on eBay. Now in its second year, the grants
program builds on eBay's long-standing commitment to small
businesses and expands the company's Up & Running initiative to
another 50 US business sellers who will receive $10,000 grant
packages.
"Small businesses power our economy, our communities and
eBay's marketplace. These businesses bring the rich and unique
inventory that makes eBay one of the world's most vibrant ecommerce
destinations," said Andrea
Stairs, CMO & VP of Seller Community. "As the home of
small business -- with hundreds of thousands of small businesses,
accounting for the majority of our annual gross merchandise sales
-- we feel a deep sense of responsibility to our eBay small
business community. Continuing our Up & Running Grants program
is part of eBay's steadfast commitment in supporting and empowering
our small business sellers through the relentless challenges
brought on by the global pandemic."
The eBay grants expansion announcement follows a recent survey
by Small Business Majority that found 56% of all microbusinesses
expect they can only survive three months or less without
additional funding or market changes. The inaugural grants program
awarded 50 deserving small businesses across the nation with the
money, tools, education and resources they needed to not only
survive, but thrive through the pandemic. Nearly 90% of grant
recipients* said the grant was extremely helpful to their business
staying up and running and growing online, particularly amidst
COVID-19-related challenges, while 94% said the grant was extremely
helpful in assisting their business to better manage and plan for
the future.
- "If I didn't receive the grant right when I did, I
would have gone out of business as my credit cards were all maxed
and I couldn't buy more inventory. This blessing allowed my son and
I to keep our home and business running. I've also brought in many
new customers and grown in confidence," said Sarah Drobnick, owner of All is Well Period, and
previous eBay Up & Running Grants recipient.
- "We were struggling and applied for so many grants. We feel
so fortunate that this is the one we received. It wasn't just short
term financial help. The long term education is going to pay off
even more," said Sevren Chwang,
owner of Heated 4 U - Heated Clothing, and previous eBay Up &
Running Grants recipient.
- "It's wonderful that eBay combined a grant with actual
training. Grants are certainly helpful (especially during these
times), but the training is also very valuable,"
said Monica Henderson, owner of Fresh Finds, and previous eBay
Up & Running Grants recipient.
2021 Up & Running Seller Grants Program
Through the 2021 eBay Up & Running Grants program, 50 eBay
small business sellers will each receive a $10,000 grant package composed of cash, premium
access to guided online learning content through Seller
School and direct training and coaching from expert sellers
and eBay Growth Advisors. This program ensures sellers have the
funding, education and resources they need to help grow their
online business.
Once again, eBay is partnering with business accelerator Hello
Alice to launch the grants program application and to provide
access to mentorship and resources to all sellers who apply,
whether they are ultimately chosen for a grant or not. Through
Hello Alice, applicants will be enrolled in an online community of
similar businesses for peer-to-peer networking and will also have
access to thousands of free tools and resources for business
owners.
"There has never been a more tumultuous time for small
businesses and their owners. Our partnership with eBay on their Up
& Running Grants program ensures that small business owners
have the capital they need to not only survive but thrive even
amidst the ongoing challenges they face related to COVID-19", said
Elizabeth Gore, Co-Founder and
President of Hello Alice.
Apply for an Up & Running Grant
Now through Friday, Sept. 3, 2021,
eBay small business sellers are encouraged to apply for Up &
Running Grants via an online application. Business sellers will be
asked to share details of their small business and how they plan to
use the grant to accelerate their growth. eBay is looking to
identify sellers who represent a diverse range of backgrounds,
bring their unique experiences and inventory to the marketplace,
and are committed to their communities and the eBay ecosystem. To
apply or learn more about eligibility requirements, sellers can
visit ebay.helloalice.com.
About eBay Seller School
eBay Seller School is eBay's virtual learning platform offering
on-demand lessons, videos, and more to help every eBay seller
thrive in our marketplace. Seller School offers more than 85
beginner-level and advanced courses to help all sellers accelerate
and scale their eBay business, regardless of their time and
experience on the platform. Seller School is available anytime,
from anywhere, and is 100% free. More information is available
at ebay.com/smallbusiness.
About Hello Alice
Hello Alice is a free, multichannel platform that helps
businesses launch and grow. With a community of nearly 500,000
business owners in all 50 states and across the globe, Hello Alice
is building the largest network of owners in the country while
tracking data and trends to increase the success rate for
entrepreneurs. Our partners include enterprise business services,
government agencies, and institutions looking to serve small- and
medium-business owners to ensure increased revenues and promote
scale. A Latina owned company, founded by Carolyn Rodz and Elizabeth Gore, we believe in business for all
by providing access to all owners including women, people of color,
veterans, and everyone with an entrepreneurial spirit. To learn
more, visit www.helloalice.com, as well as Twitter, LinkedIn,
Instagram, and Facebook.
For more information and applications,
visit ebay.helloalice.com.
*Grant recipients who responded to the eBay Up & Running
Grants follow up impact survey.
About eBay
eBay Inc. (Nasdaq: EBAY) is a
global commerce leader that connects millions of buyers and sellers
in more than 190 markets around the world. We exist to enable
economic opportunity for individuals, entrepreneurs, businesses and
organizations of all sizes. Founded in 1995 in San Jose, California, eBay is one of the
world's largest and most vibrant marketplaces for discovering great
value and unique selection. In 2020, eBay enabled over $85 billion of gross merchandise volume. For more
information about the company and its global portfolio of online
brands, visit www.ebayinc.com.
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SOURCE eBay Inc.