Washington, D.C. (08/13/15) – The National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) awarded 11 grants to local affiliate LGBT chambers of commerce on Thursday, August 13 at the 2015 International Business & Leadership Conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Funded by the Wells Fargo Foundation, these grants are targeted towards programs that foster the development, growth, and sustainability of certified LGBT Businesses Enterprise® (LGBTBE®) companies.
NGLCC affiliate chambers applied for available grants in funding levels from $2,500 – $10,000 to expand capacity and technical assistance of an existing program benefitting LGBTBE® companies. Applications were judged based on overall chamber strength, growth in members and community presence, engagement with NGLCC and the LGBT Supplier Diversity Initiative, strength of the program and outlined goals and metrics.
“We are incredibly proud of our long-standing partnership with Wells Fargo. They have been an incredible supporter of our programs and initiatives and I am proud to bring this opportunity to our affiliate chambers,” said Justin Nelson, NGLCC Co-Founder & President. “Wells Fargo has been with us from the beginning and their commitment to helping the LGBT business community is underscored by this exciting grant program.”
“Wells Fargo has a rich history of supporting diverse chambers of commerce, and we share their commitment to helping small business owners succeed financially,” said Lisa Stevens, Regional Marketing, Small Business and Pacific Midwest Bank Executive. “Through our partnership with the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC), we are proud to provide funding that will support chamber-led entrepreneur training programs and dedicated resources for education, growth and advancement of diverse business owners in communities across America.”
NGLCC awarded 11 grants to the following NGLCC Affiliate Chambers for their innovative programming:
About NGLCC
The National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce is the business voice of the LGBT community and is the largest global not-for-profit advocacy organization specifically dedicated to expanding economic opportunities and advancements for LGBT people. NGLCC is the exclusive certification body for LGBT-owned businesses. www.nglcc.org
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About Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a nationwide, diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.7 trillion in assets. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides banking, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance through 8,700 locations, 12,800 ATMs, the internet (wellsfargo.com) and mobile banking, and has offices in 36 countries to support customers who conduct business in the global economy. With approximately 266,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in the United States. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 30 on Fortune’s 2015 rankings of America’s largest corporations. Wells Fargo’s vision is to satisfy our customers’ financial needs and help them succeed financially. Wells Fargo perspectives are also available at Wells Fargo Blogs and Wells Fargo Stories.
