Grants worth $10,000, plus business consulting services

By Maredithe Meyer -Mar 3, 2021 12:47 pm 

Twenty local, Black- and minority-owned businesses were granted $10,000 as part of Fiserv’s Back2Business COVID-19 relief program. 

Brookfield-based Fiserv and the Milwaukee Bucks presented the grants Monday during the Small Business Forum Milwaukee, held at Fiserv Forum. See the list of recipients below. 

The financial technology services company launched Back2Business last August to support minority-owned small businesses heavily impacted by the pandemic. Fiserv initially pledged $10 million, and grant funding has since increased to $50 million. The program also includes access to business consulting services, technology tools and other resources.

To date, the program has assisted 462 minority-owned businesses in New York City, Atlanta, South Florida and Milwaukee, and provided funding to an additional 37 small business incubators and chambers of commerce to bolster their support of Black and minority-owned businesses. The program will travel to Chicago and Oakland in the coming months. 

“Back2Business assists minority-owned businesses, which have been disproportionately impacted by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Bob Hau, chief financial officer of Fiserv. “These businesses are helping move Milwaukee forward and we are honored to recognize them and the critical role they play in our city’s economy.”

In addition to grant funding, the 20 Milwaukee-area businesses received Fiserv’s Clover Flex handheld point-of-sale system as well as marketing and digital business consulting from digital marketing agency Small Business Milwaukee.

Local Back2Business grant recipients include:

• FortuNuts, maker of savory, packaged nuts. 
• Malones Fine Sausage, which has a 12,000-square-foot production facility on North King Drive and West Walnut Street. 
• Mr. Perkins Restaurant, longtime soul food spot diner on Milwaukee northwest side.
• NL Suits, a custom-made men’s clothing store in the Historic Third Ward. 
• PeachyClean, commercial, construction and residential cleaning service, serving Wisconsin, Illinois and Minnesota. 
• That Salsa Lady, which says it is the only black and woman owned salsa company in the U.S.
• Triciclo, a Peruvian restaurant on West Vilet Street.
• All About Organization, based in Hartland, selling custom-built organization and storage products. 
• AMRI Counseling Services, provides mental health and substance abuse counseling at its Milwaukee and Kenosha locations.
• Antigua Latin Restaurant LLC, a Latin-inspired tapas restaurant in West Allis.
• Carter’s Quality Care, care facility in Milwaukee for adults with developmental disabilities, mental illness, Alzheimer’s, or dementia.
• Direct Care Prenatal, Glendale-based home health care and case management services for soon-to-be mothers.
• Great Impressions LLC, commercial printer specializing in digital printing, graphic design, branding, marketing, advertising, and promotional products, on West Burleigh Street in Milwaukee.
• International Barbershop LLC, an upscale barbershop on West Capitol Drive in Brookfield. 
• Ironwood Drive Financial Group, financial advising firm in downtown Milwaukee 
• Johnson Media Consulting LLC, specializes in developing media strategies for corporations, medium and small businesses, along with shaping media curriculum for community media organizations and schools.
• Lush Popcorn, flavor- and liquor-infused popcorn maker located inside the Sherman Phoenix entrepreneurial hub in Milwaukee’s central city.
• Nurturing Nature Childcare LLC, licensed group child care center on West Fond Du Lac Avenue in Milwaukee.
• Positive Touch Therapy LLC, wellness spa offering therapeutic and relaxation massage, customized facials, waxing, and body treatments, located on North Farwell Avenue in Milwaukee.
• SPEARity, business and executive coaching firm located in downtown Milwaukee.

Milwaukee-area Black and minority-owned businesses with annual revenues of less than $1 million can apply for a Back2Business grant here.