Fueling Emerging Entrepreneurs

LISC LA is Fueling Emerging Entrepreneurs in LA County.

Powering

Local Dreams,

Fueling

Community Growth.

Launching during National Small Business Week (May 2025) presents a powerful opportunity to drive visibility, trust, and engagement for the BMO-LISC LA Fueling Emerging Entrepreneurs program.

OUR IMPACT

$200M

Grants deployed to small businesses

8,500

Small businesses received access to capital

1 M

Small businesses supported with technical assistance

Program Overview

Fueling Emerging Entrepreneurs (FEE) is a grant initiative developed by LISC LA in partnership with BMO, designed to support the growth, resilience, and sustainability of small businesses across Los Angeles County. The program focuses on entrepreneurs located in under-resourced communities—especially those who have historically faced barriers to accessing capital—and aims to increase their ability to grow, compete, and contribute to local economic ecosystems.
The program is grounded in the belief that access to flexible capital, when paired with coaching and connections, can create lasting change for entrepreneurs and the communities they serve.

Who This Program Supports

  • We welcome applications from:

    • Small businesses with annual revenue between $10,000 and $50,000 — including early-stage entrepreneurs and side hustles with growth potential

      • Entrepreneurs who have historically struggled to access capital

      • Business owners committed to strengthening their communities through local hiring, service, or economic activity.

    • Priority will be given to businesses based in the following “venue cities:

      • Los Angeles

      • Long Beach

      • Inglewood

      • Santa Monica

      • Pasadena

      • Carson

      • Venice Beach

      • El Monte

      • Pomona

      • Arcadia

What Makes This Program Different

Fueling Emerging Entrepreneurs offers more than just financial relief—it is designed to provide momentum.

Grant recipients receive:

  • Flexible-use funding to address urgent needs or unlock growth opportunities

  • Visibility through storytelling and promotional features on LISC LA and BMO platforms

  • Access to support from local partner organizations that offer technical assistance, business development, and coaching

  • Community and network building through events and shared learning opportunities

Application Process: How It Works

The Fueling Emerging Entrepreneurs program uses a dynamic, challenge-based application process designed to build capacity while identifying promising small businesses. Rather than a traditional static application, this approach helps entrepreneurs reflect on key aspects of their business while engaging with tools, resources, and a supportive community.

Judging Criteria

Grantee selection will be based on a combination of pitch quality, digital engagement, assessment completion, and business potential. Judges will evaluate:

1. Pitch Quality, Engagement & Assessment Completion

  • Clarity, creativity, and impact of the video pitch

  • Follower growth and engagement on the Fud app (or other linked social media)

  • Completion and thoughtfulness in all nine challenge assessments

2. Innovation, Impact & Scalability

  • Originality and growth potential of the business idea

  • Contribution to local economic development and community well-being—especially in focus areas like Crenshaw, South LA, Inglewood, Long Beach, Carson, Pasadena/Altadena and other venue cities.

  • Long-term sustainability and potential for scale

  • This dual approach ensures grantees are evaluated holistically—not only by business size or polish, but by potential, community value, and readiness for the next stage of growth.

Why This Challenge-Based Approach Works

This model not only identifies promising businesses—it helps build their capacity and examines their level of bank readiness throughout the process. It:

  • Encourages reflection, growth, and intentionality

  • Builds confidence in storytelling and digital engagement

  • Creates a level playing field for side hustles and early-stage ventures

  • Offers participants real value—even if they don’t receive a grant

  • Provides incentives for business development and acceleration

  • Applicants begin by creating a business profile on social networks with video posting capabilities such as Fud, Linkedin, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok etc. apps, which serves as platforms for storytelling and engagement.
    - Invite others to follow your profile—engagement boosts visibility and increases chances of selection.

  • Next, entrepreneurs must APPLY at FuelingEntrepreneurs.com/assessments
    • Registration must include a working link to the applicant’s business profile on one of the social apps as described above.
    • This step also provides access to upcoming info sessions and other support resources.

  • Applicants evaluate their business’s brand visibility and communication strategy, including:
    • Social media presence
    • Messaging and outreach techniques
    • Areas for improvement in audience engagement
    This helps entrepreneurs identify how well their brand is showing up online.

  • Entrepreneurs assess how they currently use data in their business, including:
    • Customer tracking and feedback
    • Business performance metrics
    • Data-driven decision-making
    This step offers tips on how to leverage data to grow smarter and faster.

  • Applicants take inventory of their own knowledge and training needs.
    • Review available business education resources
    • Identify gaps in skills or business knowledge
    • Begin planning ways to upskill and strengthen their leadership

  • This step helps entrepreneurs evaluate the legal foundations of their business, including:
    • Intellectual Property, Business formation and structure
    • Contracts and agreements
    • Compliance and risk management
    Participants receive prompts and insights to strengthen their legal infrastructure.

  • Entrepreneurs examine their business’s financial health, such as:
    • Revenue streams, pricing, and budgeting
    • Funding strategies and cash flow
    • Opportunities to improve financial planning and stability

  • This step focuses on how the business uses technology to operate and scale:
    • Review tools used for operations, marketing, and sales
    • Identify gaps and opportunities for automation or digital improvement
    • Learn strategies to boost efficiency using tech

  • Participants wrap up the challenge by:
    • Uploading a refined 60-second video pitch to the Fud app, summarizing their business, vision, and growth goals
    • Integrating insights from the 8 assessments into their pitch
    • Encouraging further engagement by continuing to grow their following and visibility
    The final pitch serves as a key storytelling component and helps reviewers assess readiness, clarity of vision, and overall potential.

Upcoming events

  • 2025 Fueling Emerging Entrepreneurs Info Session 1

    TBA

    10:00 AM - 10:30 AM PST

    Join us TBA to learn more about the program components, application requirements, and the ideal Fueling Emerging Entrepreneurs candidates.

    RSVP

  • 2025 Fueling Emerging Entrepreneurs Info Session 2

    TBA

    6:00 PM - 6:30 PM PST

    Join us TBA, to learn more about the program components, application requirements, and the ideal Fueling Emerging Entrepreneurs candidates.

    RSVP