Designed to strengthen small, ethnically diverse businesses and enable them to thrive in a post-pandemic world, the Back2Business U.K. programme offers businesses the opportunity to apply for £10,000 grants. In addition to financial support, Fiserv can provide Back2Business programme participants with expertise and leading technology solutions such as the Clover® point-of-sale platform from Fiserv, and connections to community partners, at the request of the participants.

Back2Business is part of the Fiserv Forward Together Plan to further diversity and inclusion within Fiserv and in communities where the company has a presence. The programme launched in the United States in 2020 and has provided grants to over 850 businesses to date.

“We are expanding our Back2Business initiative to the U.K. to help small ethnically diverse businesses owners capitalize on the opportunity of reopening and returning to full operation,” said Neil Wilcox, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at Fiserv. “The last 18 months have been challenging for many small businesses, and we recognize great needs remain. We are ready to help this essential sector of the economy to resurface stronger and better equipped.”

Successful grant applicants can use the grant for any purpose they choose, including technology investment, operational costs such as rent and payroll, premise re-design or marketing. Grants will be administered by the Association for Enterprise Opportunity (AEO), a global organisation that provides support to underserved entrepreneurs and businesses.

In order to be eligible for a grant, businesses must be majority owned by a person from an ethnically diverse background, located in the U.K., have been in business prior to January 2020, have revenue of less than £1,000,000 annually and have 15 or fewer employees.

UK Businesses Getting Back2Business

Three U.K. businesses have already been selected to receive Back2Business grants in the amount of £10,000 each:

● Sarah Rayner is a deep tissue massage therapist and acupuncturist based in the Apotheca Clinic in Kent. Since graduating from The British School of Osteopathy (now UCO) in 2009, she has been dedicated to combining osteopathic methods with deep tissue massage and acupuncture.
● Jemmy’s Catering is an Essex-based family-run business owned by Lanre Tawose and Bunmi Tawose, with nearly 20 years of experience providing professional catering services for Nigerian, West African and Afro-Caribbean cuisine.
● The Gym Kitchen founder Segun Akinwoleola, who grew up in East London, provides nutritious meals and fitness advice for health-conscious individuals who are constantly on the go.

In recognition of the importance of the entrepreneurial ecosystem, each grant recipient will also be connected to local networking, support, and resources from Fiserv community partners such as the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry and its Black Business and Asian Business Associations.

“London Chamber of Commerce and Industry is pleased to partner with Fiserv, as they align with our diversity and inclusion values, including through their investment in business support in London’s ethnically diverse communities,” said Richard Burge, Chief Executive of London Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

“Small businesses are the backbone of our communities,” said John Gibbons, Head of EMEA at Fiserv. “We are bringing the Back2Business programme to the U.K. to help these ethnically diverse-owned businesses re-emerge stronger and stay competitive moving forward, and hope this will encourage other companies to look for opportunities to help how and where they can.”