The Small and Medium Enterprises sector (SMEs) is reeling under the effects of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. To help SMEs across the world stay afloat Facebook had announced a $100 million grant program to support around 30,000 SMEs in more than 30 countries. The money from the Facebook Small Business Grants Programme can be used to retain staff, pay the rent, and come together to be a part of the SMEs community. The Facebook company has partnered with Goodera for this venture.
Facebook extends the application deadline for Small Business Grants Programme in India. To give more businesses the opportunity to apply for cash and optional ad credit grants, we’re extending the application deadline to 4 October 2020. The businesses chosen for the grant will receive Rs 63,000 and another Rs 38,000 in optional the Facebook advertisement credits. SMEs without having a Facebook presence is also eligible for the grant.
Eligibility: Facebook Small Business Grants Programme
Up to 30,000 eligible small businesses in more than 30 countries where Facebook operates will be able to receive the grant. In order to be eligible, Facebook requires that your business:
- Be a for-profit company
- Have between 2 and 50 employees
- Have been in business for over a year
- Have experienced challenges from COVID-19
- Be in or near a location where Facebook operates
To check if your area is eligible, or to sign up for email updates when applications open, see how to apply below. Click here to sign up for alerts. Eligible businesses in India can submit their application until 4 October 2020.
How to Apply for Facebook Small Business Grants Programme
Once the application process has become available in your area, you can apply via Facebook’s partner, Ureeka. You will first need to fill out a survey to confirm your eligibility. To do so, you will need a SurveyMonkey account, so please sign up for a free account before beginning this process. Once ready, you will answer a few questions to determine if you qualify. If eligible, you will then be taken to an application page that has six parts, in which you must input:
- Contact information, including your name, email address, home address, and phone number
- Information about where your business is located, plus a short description of what your company does
- Information on the background, ethnicity, and gender of the company’s owners
- Details on how you would use the grant to help your business manage through COVID-19, and how your use of the grant would impact your local community
- Your Federal Employer Identification Number and a supporting document (Proof of Incorporation, FEIN, Partnership, Official Registration, Business License). This can be uploaded as a PDF, Word doc, Powerpoint or image
- Acceptance of Facebook’s Terms and Conditions, along with your digital signature
Once you’ve filled out the application, you must return to the home screen and hit “submit.” You also have the option to download your responses. For more details on how to fill out the application, Facebook has created this video.
Once the application window opens in your area, you will have two weeks to apply for Facebook’s Small Business Grants Program. Facebook says, “After the application window closes for your area, we’ll need a few weeks to review your application, ask followup questions, and select our finalists before announcing grant recipients.” We invite you to visit the Facebook Small Business Grants Programme website to view more details.
