Wells Fargo (No. 9 on the DivesityInc Top 50 Companies list) is introducing the Wells Fargo Works for Small BusinessNeighborhood Renovation Program Contest, designed to help improve eligible small businesses in designated neighborhoods in five cities Atlanta, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami and Minneapolis through a physical location or storefront makeover. Wells Fargo is launching the program in collaboration with Rebuilding Together, a premier nonprofit organization focused on rebuilding communities.
Through the Wells Fargo Works for Small Business: Neighborhood Renovation Program Contest, eligible small business owners in select neighborhoods and zip codes in five cities across America will have the opportunity to compete for a business makeover. In each city, there will be four winners: one business will win up to $25,000 in business renovations, and three businesses will each win up to $10,000 in business renovations.
To enter the contest, which runs May 1-31, 2017, eligible small business owners must complete a contest application on wellsfargoworks.com/renovation and write an essay responding to four questions about their business. No purchase or entry fee is required. The contest rules, including full eligibility, application requirements and information on eligible neighborhoods in each city, can be found at wellsfargoworks.com/renovation/contestrules (PDF). A panel of judges will review the entries and Wells Fargo will announce the winners in each of the five cities in August. Wells Fargo will also host a small business community event in each city to showcase the renovations and extend resources to the broader community of small business owners.
“Working with small business owners is one of the most important things we do at Wells Fargo, and we know that when small businesses succeed, our communities prosper,” said Lisa Stevens, Wells Fargo head of Small Business. “We are committed to the communities we serve and are focused on encouraging economic development in cities across the U.S. By transforming a group of local small businesses, this program will help neighborhoods in five cities take another step forward.”
Wells Fargo serves approximately 3 million small business owners across the United States and loans more money to America’s small businesses than any other bank (2002-2015 CRA government data). To help more small businesses achieve financial success, in 2014 Wells Fargo introduced Wells Fargo Works for Small Business a broad initiative to deliver resources, guidance and services for business owners.
“Small businesses play an integral role in the communities we serve,” said Caroline Blakely, President and CEO of Rebuilding Together. “Through this opportunity, Wells Fargo is adding a crucial layer to our work, helping us build stronger communities throughout the country.”
The launch of the Wells Fargo Works for Small Business: Neighborhood Renovation Program Contest coincides with Wells Fargo’s Small Business Appreciation Celebration, which runs April 1 June 30. This annual event, which also coincides with the U.S. Small Business Administration’s National Small Business Week in May, highlights the accomplishments of small businesses and provides business owners with special offers on several products and services.
Visit WellsFargoWorks.com/renovation to learn more about the Neighborhood Renovation Program Contest, and learn more about Wells Fargo Works for Small Business a broad initiative to deliver resources, guidance and services for business owners.
