CenterState CEO Announces $150K Small Business Stabilization Fund

(SYRACUSE) – National Small Business Month kicks off with the launch of a $150,000 small business stabilization fund provided by the KeyBank Business Boost & Build Program powered by JumpStart.

Administered by CenterState CEO’s Up Start program, grants are available to small businesses affected by COVID-19 in Onondaga County. The fund is part of a plan to deploy $500,000 in relief funds to small business communities throughout Upstate New York in response to the economic hardship caused by the pandemic.

“All of us in Central New York have been touched by the COVID-19 crisis and our small businesses have been hit especially hard,” said Stephen Fournier, KeyBank Central New York Market President. “KeyBank and our partners at JumpStart are committed to helping our community move forward with crucial funding, assistance and hope.”

This fund is intended to fill identified gaps in available emergency relief funding, while also providing wrap-around services in the form of technical assistance and one-on-one business consultation. These resources will be provided by the KeyBank Business Boost & Build C.U.S.E. Collaborative partners, including Up Start, the South Side Innovation Center, WiSE Women’s Business Center and Upstate Minority Economic Alliance.

“In our position as community connectors and advocates, CenterState CEO will help ensure that our small businesses have access to resources that can help them during this unprecedented economic crisis”, said Robert Simpson, president of CenterState CEO. “For years, KeyBank and JumpStart have been important partners in helping build our neighborhood businesses.  We are grateful for this investment and their continued support.”

Eligible minority and women owned businesses in the Health and Wellness, Service, Hospitality, and Lifestyle industries can receive grants of up to $5,000 per business, while funds last, and ideally prioritized for those who could not get or were not eligible for emergency relief funding through the SBA.

View the Applciation
Eligibility Requirement & Guidelines
Program FAQs

CENTERSTATE CEO NEWS MEDIA CONTACT
Elle Hanna
Director of Communications & Media Relations
ehanna@centerstateceo.com

JUMPSTART NEWS MEDIA CONTACT
Vicki McDonald
Media Relations
(216) 502-6395 (cell)
vicki.mcdonald@jumpstartinc.org

KEYBANK NEWS MEDIA CONTACT
Matthew Pitts
Communications Manager – Northeast Ohio, Western & Central New York
(716) 270-4243 (work)
(716) 903-8468 (cell)
matthew_pitts@keybank.com

ABOUT CENTERSTATE CEO

CenterState CEO is an independent and forward thinking economic development strategist, business leadership organization and chamber of commerce; dedicated to the success of its members and the prosperity of the region. We serve as an advocate and resource for smart business, catalyze and facilitate regional growth, and promote community prosperity through results-driven partnerships, planning and problem-solving. www.centerstateceo.com

ABOUT JUMPSTART INC.
JumpStart unlocks the full potential of diverse and ambitious entrepreneurs to economically transform entire communities. For more information, visit www.jumpstartinc.org and follow @JumpStartInc on Twitter.

ABOUT KEYBANK
KeyBank's roots trace back 190 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, KeyCorp is one of the nation's largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $156.2 billion at March 31, 2020. Key provides deposit, lending, cash management and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of approximately 1,000 branches and more than 1,400 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit https://www.key.com/. KeyBank is Member FDIC.

###