The flag has dropped.
The latest round of $10,000 small business grants is now open from Verizon Small Business Digital Ready. If you have not yet joined the program you can do that here.
After you’ve joined Digital Ready, to apply for the grants, you will have to complete any two of the free courses or events the program offers. Lucky for you and your business, the course and event offerings are many, varied and aimed at helping you build your skillset and your community. Speak directly with experts and network with other entrepreneurs, all part of the benefits the program offers members.
And, guess what? Joining is free. Sign up now and start taking courses to be ready to apply before the application period ends on June 30. Even if you don’t secure a grant, joining Digital Ready and taking advantage of the tools and resources the program provides is a smart investment in your future.
These events and courses are for May.
Digital marketing 101
- May 1 | 12:00 – 2:00PM ET
- Learn the basics of digital marketing, from understanding SEO to selecting the right channels for your business. Discover key tools to reach your audience and track your progress toward sales goals.
- Enroll for free
Boost those sales with data
- May 5 | 11:30AM – 1:30PM ET
- Unlock the power of data to refine your sales strategy, identify performance gaps, and develop actionable plans for continuous business growth.
- Enroll for free
Ways to increase your cash flow
- May 5 | 2:30 – 4:30PM ET
- Cash flow is critical for small businesses, especially in inflationary times. Learn how to budget, make smart financial decisions, and maintain financial flexibility for your businesses’ growth.
- Enroll for free
What goes into a marketing plan?
- May 6 | 12:30 – 2:00PM ET
- Work with an expert and a small group of peers to draft and update your one-year marketing plan, so you can start putting your goals into action and attract the right kind of customers.Using local resources to grow your business.
- Enroll for free
Business plan bootcamp
- May 7 | 1:30 – 3:30PM ET
- Discover how to create the ultimate business plan in eight easy steps with financial services expert Cate Luzio, Founder and CEO of Luminary.
- Enroll for free
In Spanish: Entiende tus números
- 8 de mayo | 12:00 – 2:00PM ET
- Aprende a utilizar el software de contabilidad para interpretar tus números, generar estados de pérdidas y ganancias y flujo de caja que puedas utilizar para guiar tus decisiones.
- Regístrate
Finding grants: Part 1 of 3
- May 12 | 11:30AM – 1:00PM ET
- Learn simple methods to present your business professionally, attract bigger clients, and leverage Verizon solutions to enhance collaboration, responsiveness, and growth.
- Enroll for free
Phishing & social engineering
- May 14 | 1:00 – 2:00PM ET
- Learn how to protect your small business from cybercriminals by recognizing phishing and social engineering attacks, safeguarding sensitive data, and taking simple steps to stay secure without a full IT department.
- Enroll for free
Joyful budgeting #3
- May 15 | 11:00AM – 1:00PM ET
- Learn to budget joyfully by aligning your financial goals with your business mindset, creating a clear, motivating plan to manage cash flow and drive growth with less stress.
- Enroll for free
Small business chat: El Borrego Restaurant, iCare Clean
- May 15 | 2:00 – 3:00PM ET
- This session features Rodnia Attiq from El Borrego Restaurant, focused on hospitality and Joe Alvarez from iCare Clean focused on commercial cleaning and disinfecting.
- Enroll for free
Brand building on a budget: Scaling your vision smartly
- May 15 | 3:30 – 5:30PM ET
- Discover how to build a strong, memorable brand on a budget by crafting a compelling identity, finding your niche, and using cost-effective tools to make your business stand out.
- Enroll for free
In Spanish: Marketing digital 101
- 16 de mayo | 12:00 – 2:00PM ET
- Aprende los fundamentos del marketing digital; incluyendo, qué es SEO y cómo funciona, y cómo seleccionar los canales más apropiados para tu negocio.
- Regístrate
In Spanish: Eventos por Yudy
- 16 de mayo | 3:00 – 4:00PM ET
- En esta sesión tendremos a Yudelka (Yudy) Carrera, de Events By Yudy, centrándose en la planificación de eventos y catering.usiness plan bootcamp.
- Regístrate
Forecast your financial future
- May 18 | 2:00 – 4:00PM ET
- Work with an expert to draft or review your financial projections, and better understand and communicate the story of your numbers. Discuss how the model works and what the numbers mean.
- Enroll for free
Unlocking government contracts: Part 2
- May 19 | 11:00AM – 12:30PM ET
- Unlock the secrets to winning government contracts by submitting strong, competitive proposals—from evaluating opportunities to
crafting clear, compelling responses that highlight your value and avoid common mistakes. - Enroll for free
Writing grants: Part 2 of 3
- May 19 | 3:00 – 5:00PM ET
- Gain the skills to secure grant funding by identifying opportunities, meeting eligibility requirements, and crafting compelling proposals
that showcase your business’s potential. - Enroll for free
Understanding sales metrics (KPIs)
- May 20 | 11:00AM – 1:00PM ET
- Gain an overview of financial, operational, and customer-related metrics including revenue, profit margin, CAC, and churn rate, and discover tools and techniques for accurate data collection and analysis.
- Enroll for free
Founder SWOT
- May 20 | 2:00 – 3:00PM ET
- Join CEO of Luminary, Cate Luzio, to analyze your business’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, and gain key insights to help you grow and scale effectively.
- Enroll for free
Funding your vision: A small business guide to grants
- May 21 | 2:00 – 3:00PM ET
- Wondering how to apply for grants to grow your business? Join Small Business Majority and Verizon Small Business Digital Ready to learn how to identify and apply for grants, explore Verizon’s grant program, and discover other capital resources for entrepreneurs.
- Enroll for free
Identifying & addressing customer objections
- May 22 | 2:30 – 4:30PM ET
- If you know you have a great product or service, but lack the confidence to sell it, join this session and overcome your fears by expanding your knowledge, honing your practice and developing your sales craft.
- Enroll for free
In Spanish: Creando sitios web para impulsar tu negocio
- 22 de mayo | 12:00 – 2:00PM ET
- Aprende los elementos clave para crear un sitio web excelente y cómo atraer más visitantes.
- Regístrate
AI storytelling techniques: Crafting compelling narratives with AI
- May 27 | 12:00 – 2:00PM ET
- Leverage AI to craft compelling brand stories that highlight your value, engage your audience, and ensure consistent messaging across all marketing channels.
- Enroll for free
Cybersecurity: More than just passwords!
- May 27 | 4:00 – 6:00PM ET
- From phishing and malware to identity theft and public misinformation campaigns, cybersecurity is a real concern today. Learn how to keep your business safe online.
- Enroll for free
Small business chat: Community Changers, DollMaker Lashes
- May 28 | 4:00 – 5:00PM ET
- This session features Jerome Moore from Community Changers, focused on storytelling & apparel lifestyle branding, and Nakia Vestal from DollMaker Lashes focused on beauty/cosmetic.
Using SWOT analysis to find your sweet spot
- May 29 | 1:00 – 3:00PM ET
- Work with an expert to discover how to use a SWOT analysis to identify your business’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, and leverage your competitive advantages to attract more customers.
- Enroll for free
In Spanish: Cómo construir tu red de contactos
- 29 de mayo | 3:00 – 5:00PM ET
- Descubre las mejores tácticas y estrategias para aprovechar el networking en línea y presencial.
- Regístrate
Peer to Peer Check-in Series: A dynamic interactive on-going series, designed to help small businesses stay on track and break through roadblocks. Connect with a community of like-minded individuals bi-weekly in either the morning and/or the evening sessions to share your goals, receive guidance and encouragement from your fellow Digital Ready small businesspeers.
What can you expect to take away from a peer to peer review?
- Define your small business check-in focus/goals (Marketing, Social Media, Operations etc)
- Share updates on your progress and celebrate small wins
- Address pain points, troubleshoot obstacles, and brainstorm solutions with the group
- Lean on your peers for advice, motivation, and accountability
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- May 6 | 9:30 – 10:30AM ET
- May 6 | 5:00 – 6:00PM ET
- May 20 | 9:30 – 10:30AM ET
- May 20 | 5:00 – 6:00PM ET
