Comcast will award comprehensive grant packages to 100 small business owners in Greater Boston as part of the Comcast RISE program to support entrepreneurial growth and community investment in 2025. To mark the launch, our Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Bobbie Carlton sat down with Becca Fracassa, Director of Community Impact for Comcast’s New England Region, for a live Ask Me Anything session at La SALA, a community space in Nubian Square, Roxbury.
They discussed how Comcast builds lasting community partnerships, and how eligible Boston area small business owners can take advantage of this year’s Comcast RISE opportunity.
What is the Comcast RISE program?
Comcast RISE is part of the company’s broader mission to serve communities and support digital opportunity. Comcast RISE is designed to help small businesses and their communities grow and thrive. Now in its fifth year, Comcast RISE has awarded 14,000 small businesses nationwide with over $140 million in marketing, monetary and technology grants.
In 2025, Comcast RISE will award grants nationally to 500 eligible small businesses across five regions – including 100 in the Greater Boston area.
Fracassa, who’s been leading community efforts at Comcast in the Boston area for over two decades, said, “Comcast RISE is focused on supporting the growth of these small businesses and uplifting our local entrepreneurs. We know that when small businesses are stronger, communities are stronger.”
What do Comcast RISE grant recipients receive?
Each selected business gets access to a suite of resources, including:
- A technology makeover, which includes computer equipment and 12 months of Comcast Business services (Internet, Voice, and Cybersecurity).
- Creative production, which includes a professionally produced 30-second TV commercial, plus a media strategy consultation and a 180-day linear media schedule.
- Education resources that include 12 months of access to online entrepreneurship courses, learning modules and resources for small business owners.
- A monetary grant of $5,000; and
- Coaching sessions that include a full business assessment and tailored growth recommendations for the grant recipient.
Who’s eligible for a Comcast RISE grant?
Specific information about eligibility is available on the Comcast RISE website.
Comcast RISE grants are open to independently-owned and operated businesses in operation for at least two years with fewer than 100 employees in the Greater Boston area.
Applicants do not need to be existing Comcast customers – and if they are, they’re still able to win a year of free Comcast Business services as part of their grant package. Applicants who have been declined for a Comcast RISE grant before are welcome – and encouraged – to apply again!
If you have any questions, please check the website and the frequently asked questions. Contact information will be provided to applicants who need assistance or have follow-up questions about their applications.
Are nonprofits eligible for Comcast RISE grants?
Non-profit organizations are not eligible, but they can still connect with Comcast to learn more about sponsorship and collaboration opportunities.
Fracassa added, “Comcast is focused on digital opportunity and programs that are building digital inclusion and workforce development.” Digital opportunity includes helping individuals learn how to use digital devices and Internet connectivity, especially providing young people with the skills, certifications, and knowledge to join the digital workforce. Examples of Comcast’s Community Impact partnerships in the Boston area are outlined in this recent press release.
Nonprofits in the Boston area can contact Becca Fracassa at rebecca_fracassa@comcast.com for more information.
How do you apply for Comcast RISE?
Applications must be completed online at ComcastRise.com. Applicants can expect to spend 15 to 20 minutes on their electronic applications. They’ll need basic information about themselves and their businesses, including a W-9 form and documentation of their incorporation.
“Pay close attention to how your business name appears across all documents – your W-9, incorporation papers and the application,” Fracassa commented. “You can save the information and come back to it, so take your time.”
Greater Boston applicants should be especially careful when selecting their county. “We don’t think in counties here like other states do,” Fracassa said, “but the system still asks for it. Double-check yours using your ZIP code.”
Fracassa recommends focusing your application on what your business does for your community. Don’t worry about writing beautiful text – instead, focus on telling the story of the work your business does, how you want to grow it and how you serve your local community.
Why Boston?
Each year, Comcast RISE selects five cities based on small business impact. Boston made the list thanks to its strong entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Fracassa said, “Small businesses in the Greater Boston Area employ about 2.8 million people. That’s 44 percent of the area’s employee base. It’s amazing the impact you can make when you build support and growth for small businesses.”
Tour of a local community-oriented business: La SALA and In the Cut
After the Ask Me Anything session, Lioness correspondent Phoebe Sahlas took a tour of the venue with its owner Pamela Leins, who is also Executive Director of the Boston Education Fund. La SALA is an event venue sharing space with barber shop In the Cut, serving as a community hub for the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston. In the Cut also serves as a training center for Boston Public School students interested in knowing how a barber shop operates.
Leins said, “This is a special place right in the heart of Nubian Square…We really use it as a connector in the city. I welcome everyone to come visit the space, and if you want to use it for anything, please reach out.”
Comcast RISE application deadline
The application period opened May 1 and runs through Saturday, May 31. Eligible small businesses in the Greater Boston area can apply for the Comcast RISE program at ComcastRise.com.
We hope to see lots of Greater Boston-area entrepreneurs apply and win these community-building grants!
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