To help ease the burden of the COVID-19 pandemic, Facebook has this week announced a new $100 million grants program to assist 30,000 small- and medium-sized businesses, in 30 nations, supporting the communities in which Facebook and its teams operate.
This story by Andrew Hutchinson originally appeared in Social Media Today.
“Small businesses are the heartbeat of our communities, and many of the people who run these businesses are heavily affected by the crisis – especially as more and more people sensibly stay home,” said Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg. “The longer the crisis goes on, the greater the risk to small businesses and to the livelihoods of their owners and employees. That’s why today I’m announcing that Facebook is investing $100 million to help 30,000 small businesses in over 30 countries where our employees live and work.”
Facebook has created a dedicated website for the new program here.
Facebook said that it will reveal more information, and begin taking applications for the grants, in the coming weeks. Right now, interested businesses can sign-up to get more information on the program as it evolves by tapping the sign-up button on the website.
In addition to grants, Sandberg also notes that Facebook’s exploring a range of other options to help businesses navigate the COVID-19 outbreak, and stay afloat amid its many challenges.
In order to provide further assistance, Facebook has:
- Launched a new Business Resource Hub, which aims to provide support for all businesses affected by the coronavirus outbreak by connecting them to relevant tools and advice
- Begun work on a new virtual training program to support businesses operating in altered conditions because of the COVID-19 lockdowns.
- Mapped a new strategy on how it can host dedicated, virtual training sessions with businesses all over the world
- Begun work on a new set of Facebook Blueprint materials, with a particular focus on remote work and managing remote teams
In addition to this, the Facebook Journalism Project is also partnering with the Lenfest Institute for Journalism and the Local Media Association to offer $1 million in grants to local news organizations which are covering COVID-19 in the US and Canada, further helping to prop-up local communities and keep relevant news and updates flowing.
