NKY Chamber to award grants to local small businesses

The Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce is once again offering grants of up to $10,000 to small businesses based in Northern Kentucky.

The grants – made possible by $25,000 gifts from both Blue North and the Duke Energy Foundation – are part of the NKY Small Business Grants for Minority-, Women- and Veteran-Owned Businesses program.

Funding awards can range from $1,000 to $10,000. Money may go toward an array of expenditures, including things such as space improvements, beautification work, technology improvements, talent sourcing, job posting fees and professional development training costs. Ineligible expenses include payroll, incentive pay, rent and utilities.

Applications are open now through Oct. 1.

“Diverse businesses bring agility, flexibility and local expertise, and through this funding, we hope to break down barriers to progress and help open doors of opportunity to grow and thrive,” said Amy Spiller, Duke Energy’s Ohio Kentucky president. 

Blue North – a regional innovation hub – used funding from its Northern Kentucky Entrepreneurship Fund, which supports regional entrepreneurs and organizations. The fund launched in 2023 in partnership with the RC Durr Foundation and recently announced additional support from the Truist Foundation.

Since launching the NKY Entrepreneur Fund, 26 Northern Kentucky entrepreneurs have received grants through Blue North’s partnership with Main St Ventures,” said Dave Knox, executive director for Blue North. 

“We’re excited to launch our second partnership with the NKY Chamber and the Duke Energy Foundation to further this impact and support the entrepreneurs that are the backbone of our community,” Knox said.

Grant process

Eligible businesses are those owned by minorities, women and/or veterans with 50 or fewer employees that are Duke Energy small business customers.

To be considered a minority-owned business, a company must be at least 51% owned, operated and controlled by at least one Indian, Asian-Pacific, Black, Hispanic or Native American individual. Women-owned businesses must be at least 51% owned, operated and controlled by one or more women and a woman must lead the company’s day-to-day activities.

Veteran-owned businesses are defined as having at least 51% of the business directly and unconditionally owned by one or more veterans or service-disabled veterans.  

A review panel made up of NKY Chamber members will review all applications. Winners will receive notification prior to a public announcement held in concert with Small Business Saturday on Nov. 30.

There’s not a set number of planned grant awards. The total funding pool is $50,000.

To-date, the chamber has provided grants to 41 local businesses since the founding of NKY Small Business Grants program in 2020. There’ve been more than 300 applications.

“Small businesses … are critical to the economic growth and vitality of our region,” said Nancy Spivey, vice president of talent strategies at the NKY Chamber. “We’re grateful to the Duke Energy Foundation, Blue North, and the Northern Kentucky Entrepreneur Fund for their generous support of this grant program.”