Beyond Open Case Study

In partnership with an investment from Wells Fargo’s Open For Business Fund, Foundation For The Carolinas aimed to disperse $15M in grant awards over three rounds ($5M each round) to help build wealth among small business owners–including among businesses owned by people of color, women, veterans, and individuals with disabilities–through access to capital and investments in assets such as storefronts, equipment and technology without adding debt. 

Through the small business grant program, FFTC also sought to change the narrative about business ownership, access to capital and pathways to wealth creation, with a special focus on underserved communities, including the “Corridors of Opportunity” in Charlotte. 

The Beyond Open team, made up of staff and external consultants, developed an integrated communications plan to raise awareness, inspire action, and ensure the successful distribution of available funds. 

The first objective was to create an inclusive, approachable brand to engage diverse small business owners. As FFTC’s first grant program for for-profit businesses, outreach needed to be thoughtful and targeted. Through clear communications and strategic brand development, we built a community of over 7,600 individuals who subscribed to receive updates and engage with the Beyond Open program. Of the selected grantees, 91% identified as people of color, 57% as women-owned, and 85% were located within a Corridor of Opportunity—proof of our ability to connect with and serve the right communities.

Our second objective was to grow awareness and engagement. Using a variety of communication channels—email, social media, radio, TV, digital media, and community outreach, the campaign resulted in 179,000 total and 121,000 unique website visits; 92 media stories with a reach of 656,983,825; 72% e-newsletters open rate; 550+ in-person event attendance and 1,600 Application Information Session video views; Facebook reach of 12,500; 25,500 3-second or longer views of Grantee Stories videos; Instagram reach of 6,100 with 8,500 video views; LinkedIn impression of 6,409 in 2024; 480,000+ advertisement impressions across radio, podcast, print and digital media platforms. 

The final objective was to engage business owners throughout the application process, ensuring their success in securing grants. Through creative outreach efforts and collaboration with small business development organizations, we received over 4,000 applications and awarded $16.3 million to 402 small business owners, exceeding the initial commitment of $15M in grant funding.

The Beyond Open team of staff and consultants is proud to have contributed to this impactful initiative, providing small businesses with the financial tools to thrive and helping to reshape access to capital and wealth creation.