By FOX13Memphis.com News Staff
Memphis, Tenn. — FedEx announced a $1 million grant for a new program the company said will be used to help women and people of color expand e-commerce operations.
A large part of that money will be spent by handing out $2,000 business grants to 150 diverse small business owners throughout the U.S., according to a press release from FedEx.
The new program is called the FedEx E-Commerce Learning Lab and is a joint project with the non-profit Accion Opportunity Fund.
FedEx said the program is designed to help diverse small business owners who are looking to develop or expand their e-commerce operations as they continue to adapt their business models in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The FedEx E-Commerce Learning Lab will provide intensive hands-on learning to these small businesses across the country through a series of workshops and one-on-one coaching, FedEx said.
Free technical support, as well as support with marketing, managing, promotions, customer service, managing orders and product photography, will also be provided, the company announced.
“It is no secret that the pandemic has had a significant impact on small business owners, especially women and people of color,” said Brie Carere, executive vice president and chief marketing and communications officer. “Through our new collaboration with AOF, we are helping to level the playing field and get these small businesses back on their feet, which is especially important as record growth in e-commerce volumes continue. With the launch of the FedEx E-Commerce Learning Lab, we’ll not only help individuals meet customer needs in new ways, but also provide comprehensive programming that will equip them with the tools to navigate through these uncertain times.”
The program is set to run over 6 months and begin in September.
In order to qualify, participants must not have an existing active e-commerce presence, currently, produce and sell a packaged product, earn less than $500,000 in annual revenue and be willing to commit to full program participation.
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