Thursday, March 04, 2021
View ShowroomMILWAUKEE (March 2, 2021) – Twenty minority-owned small businesses got an assist from the Milwaukee Bucks and Fiserv, a leading global provider of payments and financial services technology solutions, on March 1 at the Small Business Forum Milwaukee at Fiserv Forum. Deserving businesses were recognized with $10,000 grants as part of the Fiserv Back2Business program, a $50 million commitment to support small, minority-owned businesses that have been negatively impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The Bucks are joining Fiserv as a champion of the Back2Business program, which supports small businesses through financial grants, business expertise, leading technology solutions, strategic partnerships, and community engagement. The relationship is an expansion of ongoing inclusion and community outreach efforts by both organizations.
The grant presentations were made during the event at Fiserv Forum by Bucks Head Coach Mike Budenholzer, Bucks and Fiserv Forum President Peter Feigin and Fiserv CFO Bob Hau. Prior to the grant presentations, speakers from the Bucks, Fiserv, and Small Business MKE, along with community partners from Sherman Phoenix, the African American Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin, and the Wisconsin Veterans Chamber of Commerce, discussed the pressing challenges that small businesses face in the current environment and shared solutions to carry businesses forward.
“The entire Bucks organization — players, coaches, owners, management and staff — feel strongly that we have a responsibility to stand for something beyond sports and give back to the local community,” said Bucks Head Coach Mike Budenholzer. “The Bucks and Fiserv share a deep commitment to advancing and strengthening Milwaukee.”
In addition to the grants, each small business was presented with a Clover® Flex handheld point-of-sale system, with built-in capabilities to accept payments, conduct business, and track sales, and marketing and digital business consultancy from digital marketing agency Small Business MKE.
“Back2Business assists minority-owned businesses, which have been disproportionately impacted by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Bob Hau, Chief Financial Officer of Fiserv. “These businesses are helping move Milwaukee forward and we are honored to recognize them and the critical role they play in our city’s economy.”
To date, Back2Business programs in Milwaukee, New York City, Atlanta, and South Florida have led to grants to 462 minority-owned businesses in seven communities, while an additional 37 community partners, including small business incubators and chambers of commerce, received funding to facilitate their missions of supporting Black and minority-owned businesses.
Black and minority-owned businesses located in Milwaukee with revenues of less than $1 million annually can apply for a Back2Business grant at https://aeoworks.org/fiserv/.
Small businesses presented with grant on March 1 include:
About Fiserv
Fiserv, Inc. (NASDAQ:FISV) aspires to move money and information in a way that moves the world. As a global leader in payments and financial technology, the company helps clients achieve best-in-class results through a commitment to innovation and excellence in areas including account processing and digital banking solutions; card issuer processing and network services; payments; e-commerce; merchant acquiring and processing; and the Clover® cloud-based point-of-sale solution. Fiserv is a member of the S&P 500® Index and the FORTUNE® 500, and is among FORTUNE World’s Most Admired Companies®. Visit fiserv.com and follow on social media for more information and the latest company news.