Google is rolling out new funding and support programmes for International Small Business Week

A new article on Social Media Today reports that Google has announced a range of SMB support tools and offers to help small organizations maximize their opportunities to stand out and attract customers online.



First up, Google is offering exclusive discounts on a range of digital tools designed to help SMBs operate more efficiently, reach more people and stay in touch with their customers. They include three months free of Google Workspace, 40% off of a domain from Google Domains, $130 off a Chromebook, and 60 days of Shopify Free and a free Shopify-built store.

While those are going to be some enticing offers for some of you, the only catch is that they're only available to businesses in the US and Canada, and they're only available this week. You can learn more and redeem these offers at Google's Small Business Week mini-site.

In addition to this, Google's also running a new 'Heroes of Small Business' campaign, which aims to recognize the SMBs that go above and beyond for their respective communities. Customers can nominate a small business of their choice, with $10,000 in prize money for the selected companies.

And finally, Google is also looking to provide additional support for LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs via a new program in partnership with StartOut, an LGBTQ+ nonprofit organization that helps to facilitate mentorship, access to capital and other business tools.

Small businesses play a critical role in the economy, with 99% of all businesses in the US considered to be in the SMB category. Those smaller operators have also been hit the hardest by the pandemic, with fewer resources and support available to withstand the financial hit that came with the various lockdown and other COVID mitigation measures.

As such, isn't it in all our best interests to be doing all that we can to support smaller businesses, in order to solidify economic strength?

After all, doing so also helps to provide more support for people within our own communities, and provides more avenues for entrepreneurial success, right?