When small business owners are asked about their top challenges in operating and growing their enterprises, one answer rises to the top: access to capital.

Industry experts say that struggle is especially acute for Black and Brown entrepreneurs, who continue to face a persistent financing gap.

“There is an estimated $40 billion annual gap in unmet financing for BIPOC-owned businesses and $1 trillion nationally for small businesses overall,” said Carolyn Rodz, CEO and co-founder of Hello Alice. “This means there is a significant need and opportunity for grant programs across industry sectors and demographics, and we’re seeing more enterprises and financial institutions invest in these kinds of programs.”

Founded in 2017, Hello Alice is a free online platform created to tackle the inequit

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