Advancing Economic Mobility in Times of Uncertainty
2025 Impact Report
Supporting Small Businesses with Flexible microgrants
The HomeBase Program empowers small businesses to grow by providing microgrants up to $5,000 for eligible activities that increase revenue and leverage additional funding opportunities.
Advancing Economic Mobility in Times of Uncertainty
2025 Impact Report
Supporting Small Businesses with Flexible Microgrants
The HomeBase Program empowers small businesses to grow by providing microgrants up to $5,000 for eligible activities that increase revenue and leverage additional funding opportunities.
Over the years, Neighborhood Allies has grown to support minority-and-women-owned small businesses in a variety of ways – like through our Get Online Grow Online (GOGO) Program, which has helped hundreds of business owners to promote and sell their products and services online, as well as connect with customers in a post-pandemic world.
Demi Kolke, our Director of Community Investments, has been at the helm of GOGO and other MWBE-supporting initiatives since Day 1, working closely to connect over 500 business owners with resources, both within and outside of Neighborhood Allies’ program areas. As with all staff at Neighborhood Allies, Demi actively listens to the concerns of those we serve. Because of this insight, she is uniquely positioned to create innovative programming that best addresses the needs of small business owners.
Which is exactly how our new HomeBase program came to be.
The HomeBase Program empowers small businesses to grow by providing microgrants up to $5,000 for eligible activities that increase revenue and leverage additional funding opportunities. We aim to eliminate barriers for growth by providing flexible funding for minority-or-women-owned small businesses in Allegheny County.
“The building blocks for this program have been stacked in my brain for years, just waiting to be assembled. I’ve spent lots of time brainstorming solutions to problems that minority-and-women-owned small businesses in Allegheny County face. While no program is one-size-fits-all, I believe the flexibility of HomeBase paired with targeted support and guidance will help businesses take their next growth step, hopefully leading to more funding opportunities and increased revenue.”
During our inaugural year, we awarded grants to 21 businesses, totaling nearly $103,000 in investment!
The impact of the grants have been gamechanging for each of these businesses. Many have been able to create new revenue streams, reach new customers, or level up their products or services.
“I truly appreciate the work you do in empowering small businesses like mine. Your investment in “The Life Potion” is not just a financial contribution—it is an affirmation of the importance of holistic wellness and community well-being.”
“I am deeply grateful for the generous $5,000 grant from your organization. It allowed me to upgrade and replace essential fitness equipment I couldn’t afford on my own, which has had an immediate and meaningful impact on my business.
“[This grant] has meant major growth for us as we continue to expand. Being able to market ourselves has been a challenge financially, but this [grant] is allowing us to reach 3X the customer base and we hope to see a 3X sales volume increase.”
The grants also helped us see the true interconnectedness of our small business network and revealed the often wraparound nature of our work when small business owners excel by accessing several of our resources and program opportunities.
Here are just a few examples:
Taylor Shealey, owner of Boss Girl Collection, LLC., used the HomeBase grant to purchase a beauty vending machine, which dispenses Boss Girl Collection products to those passing through Carlow University’s Student Commons in Oakland. Taylor is also a graduate of our Get Online, Grow Online program (GOGO), and has been sponsored by Neighborhood Allies for her Boss Girl Academy, a program designed to teach entrepreneurship skills to youth.
Farmer Girl Eb offers locally grown produce, organic herbals, made-to-order food, and freshly squeezed juice at her corner store on Noblestown Rd. With the HomeBase grant, she purchased a high-end scale to assist in properly weighing and labeling her products. Ms. Ebony is also a graduate of GOGO, and is a current client of our Centralized Real Estate Accelerator. She has received predevelopment grant funding and technical assistance for a new shop space.
JVisionary Visuals offers photography and videography services ranging from personal portraits to weddings. With the HomeBase grant, they purchased an upgraded camera and other equipment to stay competitive in the photography and videography field. They then went on to provide photography and videography services for our 10 Year Celebration in 2025!
Pittsburgh Post Gazette feature on Taylor Shealey. Read the full article here.
Food scale purchased for Farmer Girl Eb’s shop.
Photos by J Visionary Visuals at our 10 year event.
Neighborhood Allies
429 Fourth Avenue, Suite 1900
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
412.471.3727
www.neighborhoodallies.org info@neighborhoodallies.org