Beyond Open strongly suggests that applicants prepare early, review all information available, and make use of all available applicant supports to prepare the strongest, most compelling application possible to submit in this competitive grant program.
Download and review the Beyond Open Application Guide, which includes:
Important information to know before applying.
Eligibility requirements for Round 2.
Required documentation and financial information.
Examples of capital assets and uses that CAN or CANNOT be supported with a Beyond Open grant.
Contact information for applicant supports, questions, and assistance.
Overview of the application review process, criteria and grant selection process.
Preview of key Round 2 application questions and guidance for responses.
Click the image below to view the Beyond Open Round 2 Application Guide
(Spanish)
Attend a Beyond Open Application Information Session
Beyond Open strongly recommends that potential applicants participate in at least one Beyond Open Application Information Session before beginning the application process. In these weekly events, Beyond Open will present the Round 2 Preview Application, describe the review process and respond to questions from participants. A virtual workshop will be recorded for 24/7 access.
Visit the Events page for Application Information Session dates and registration.
Support
Community Partner Organizations
Beyond Open Community Partner Organizations (CPO’s) can answer questions about Beyond Open and provide guidance on the application process. With sufficient time in advance, CPO’s can also help create a business plan, set up financial reports and other vital business needs.
It is important to reach out early for support.
ASPIRE Community Capital is committed to radically transforming lives through wealth creation and upward mobility and helps entrepreneurs in under-resourced neighborhoods start and grow success small businesses in the Greater Charlotte area.
Call: 980-219-7577
Prospera is an economic development, nonprofit organization specialized in providing bilingual assistance to Hispanic entrepreneurs trying to establish or expand their business in the Charlotte area.
Call: 980-729-8273
Email: alanzas@prosperausa.org or dgutierrez@prosperausa.org
The Women’s Business Center of Charlotte (WBCC) empowers women-owned and BIPOC businesses to start and grow by offering tools and support to establish their businesses, generate sustainable profits, and strategize for future growth.
Call: 704-509-5884 English / Spanish
Round 2 Application: Instructions and Key Questions
Below are general instructions and key questions that will appear on the Round 2 application. Use this information to prepare your responses, gather needed documentation and assemble information in advance.
ELIGIBILITY AND PREPARATION
You will be asked to review and confirm eligibility and other information.
BUSINESS OWNER INFORMATION
• Owner name (first, last)
• Percentage (%) of ownership
• Demographic information (race, gender, age, sexual orientation, disability, veteran)
BUSINESS INFORMATION
• Business legal name
• Business description
• Legal form of business (Sole proprietorship, Partnership, C or S Corp., LLC, LLP)
• Certifications
• Business physical location and contact information (must be within a Corridor of Opportunity)
KEY QUESTION: BUSINESS GOALS
In no more than 400 words, what goals do you wish for your business to achieve in the next 3-5 years, especially those related to revenue and/or number of employees?
KEY QUESTION: GRANT REQUEST AMOUNT
What is the total grant amount you are applying for in Round 2 of the Beyond Open program?
KEY QUESTION: ASSET INFORMATION
You will be asked to describe the asset you wish to acquire, and to provide documented cost estimates for each asset that costs $20k or more.
KEY QUESTION: IMPACTS
How will this asset contribute to help reach your near- or long-term business goals, solve a problem your business faces, or make the most of an opportunity for your business?
Describe clear, strong, and direct connections between the business goals you described and exactly how the asset you wish to acquire will help to reach those business goals. Be as clear, direct and exact as possible, specifically on how the asset will help you reach employee number and revenue goals.
KEY QUESTION: MULTIPLE ASSETS
Your business may apply for a Beyond Open grant to acquire a small number of related capital assets that, together, are necessary components within a single project, or that must be acquired as a group in order to achieve a specific business outcome. These Beyond Open grant requests are called multiple asset requests. When applying for a Beyond Open grant to acquire multiple assets, it is important to prioritize the capital assets that, together, can create the most significant and measurable positive impacts for your business. Avoid applying for a “laundry list” of everything your business needs - these requests are not likely to be awarded a Beyond Open grant.
Examples of projects involving multiple assets might be a) updating your retail business lobby area to improve customer experiences; b) upfitting a new working space to boost productivity; c) replacing outdated kitchen equipment to ensure health and safety. In the lobby project example above, assets you need may include new flooring, reception desk, seating, and lighting. Or, if your business is a manufacturer, three pieces of equipment that together create one production line that will enable your business to increase capacity and sales.
To apply for a Beyond Open grant to fund multiple assets in a project, be prepared to explain the overall project or focused business goal of the project, exactly how the multiple assets are critical components of the project, and exactly how the multiple assets will contribute in related and important ways. You will be asked to provide:
• Project description and how each asset is vital to the overall project.
• Itemized list of all individual assets and details for each asset, including:
• specific brands and models
• a reasonable cost estimate for each individual asset under $20k in cost
• two (2) documented bids or quotes for each asset over $20k in cost
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
Depending on the amount of your grant request, you will be asked to provide various documents and information that support your request, and help make a clear, compelling case for a grant award. These documents and information include items like a business plan, financial statements and other key business tools. Do not apply without assembling ALL required and requested documents and information. Applications without required documents will not move forward in the review process. To make sure you understand and can assemble the documents and information you will need based on the amount of your grant request, see Required Documents and Information chart.
Access the ‘Beyond Open Round 2: Responding To Key Questions’ Guide to gain more insight on how to respond to key questions.
Access the ‘Beyond Open Round 2 Application’ Guide to review these questions and much more.
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FAQs Round 2
The Frequently Asked Questions and responses below provide guidance based on common questions received from Round 1 applicants and community members. Additional FAQs may be added to the website as inquiries are received.
WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON MISTAKES TO AVOID IN MY APPLICATION?
• Not eligible or uses not allowed
Applicant business not located inside one of the six Corridors of Opportunity.
Request includes unallowed uses (see how you CAN and CANNOT use a Beyond Open grant.)
• Missing, incomplete or inaccurate documentation and information
Required documents missing, incomplete or outdated.
Two cost estimates for asset not provided (required for assets over $20k.)
Required financial documents (such as profit and loss statements, cash flow reports missing, incomplete or do not show credible or consistent information.
Mismatch between amount of request and cost of asset to be acquired as documented by cost estimates.
Description of business services or products vague and unsupported by related documentation and information.
Requested or required business goals and business plan lack clarity, are not well defined or described, or do not credibly illustrate clear planning and/or measurable outcomes.
• Unclear or not compelling explanation and/or missing details in information provided, or in responses to application key questions. Weak applications fail to clearly establish how the grant amount requested, the funded capital asset, and specific business goals are connected together in ways that are simple to understand.
Application lacks strong or very clear connections between the asset to be acquired and how the asset would create clear, specific business impacts and help achieve business goals.
Extensive list of unrelated assets or a “laundry list” of many or all business needs as opposed to a single asset, or very closely related assets, that will help to achieve clear business outcomes.
Asset to be acquired not clearly described or without specific model, type or other detailed information.
Grant request is for purchase or lease of unspecified property yet to be located.
GIVEN HOW COMPETITIVE BEYOND OPEN IS, IS IT WORTH MY TIME TO PARTICIPATE AND APPLY? Even if you do not receive a grant in this competitive process, Beyond Open can add value by preparing diverse small business owners to apply to many other small business grant and loan programs like Beyond Open. Programs similar to Beyond Open often require the same or very similar information, documents and responses to questions.
HOW DOES BEYOND OPEN WORK TO HELP MAKE THE PROGRAM ACCESSIBLE?
Awareness efforts for Beyond Open include: corridor canvassing and appearances at community events; in-person and online information sessions; information and applications in English, Spanish and Vietnamese; a dedicated website and collateral materials; social media; paid media and earned media placements in diverse-owned and local media outlets. Outreach, technical assistance and support are available through three community partner organizations–ASPIRE Community Capital, Prospera, and Women’s Business Center of Charlotte, and through other Beyond Open Advisory Council organizations including the Carolinas Asian American Chamber of Commerce, Carolinas LGBT+ Chamber of Commerce, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Black Chamber of Commerce, City StartUp Labs, Historic West End Partners, Latin-American Chamber of Commerce, North End Community Coalition and Veterans Bridge Home.
IS BEYOND OPEN A "FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED" GRANT PROGRAM?
Beyond Open is not a “first come, first served” grant program. Grant award decisions are made after all received applications are reviewed and scored
