OAKLAND, Calif., Oct. 7, 2020 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — “Together We Win” | “Juntos Ganamos”, a campaign geared towards encouraging consumers to support small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) impacted during the COVID-19 pandemic, is collaborating with The Rockefeller Foundation Opportunity Collective (ROC) to expand its nationwide efforts and deepen its long-term commitment to help those Black and Latino-owned businesses in need and the communities in which they reside. A specific focus of this effort are those underrepresented small businesses employing the most vulnerable groups affected by COVID-19. This effort will complement the initial pledge of “Together We Win” and provide support to more than 10 cities across the United States, and builds on Hispanic in Philanthropy’s PowerUp Fund efforts, funded by Google.org, to directly support hundreds of Latino-owned SMBs with access to capital and the training they need to overcome the economic downturn and continue to grow.

ROC aims to catalyze public and private sector investment in places to promote more inclusive growth, both in the post-pandemic recovery and over the long term, and is an ideal partner for “Together We Win” as it allows the campaign to focus on those cities and communities home to Black and Latino-owned SMBs most affected including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, El Paso, Houston, Louisville, Miami, Newark, Norfolk and Oakland. The Rockefeller Foundation has pledged an initial $10 million, which it will allocate to a collective of government, business, faith-based, and non-profit partners in these 10 cities, all of which have two core goals: protecting communities and eliminating barriers to access capital and credit among low wage workers and small businesses operated by women, Black and Latino owners.

“We are excited by the renaissance of partners interested in supporting BIPOC entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurship is a demonstrated means to economic independence. This investment supports the ability of Latinx entrepreneurs, who have opened businesses at almost double the rate of business openings for any other demographic group in recent years. They are critical to the local and national economies – providing jobs and local essential goods and services to low income or vulnerable groups. This investment furthers our goal of helping these vulnerable enterprises stabilize, scale, and grow to the benefit of their families and communities,” said Gregory Johnson, Director, U.S. Equity and Economic Opportunity, The Rockefeller Foundation.

The “Together We Win” campaign, created by Hispanics in Philanthropy (HIP), Ureeka and  The Flo Lab, was launched in June 2020, and has since succeeded in identifying Black and Latino-owned SMBs needing support, providing them with the tools to aid them in their recovery and prosperity through the pandemic and for years to come. With a focus on traditional small businesses, the objective of the campaign and this partnership is not purely financial, but rather intended to empower business owners by giving them access to resources to benefit their SMBs and local communities. From encouraging them to have conversations with policymakers, key opinion leaders, local organizations and financial institutions, to showing them how opening a dialogue and getting involved will help foster a greater understanding of what is available, how “Together We Win” can help, and ultimately equip them to make vital business decisions with lasting impact.

“When we conceived ‘Together We Win’, we wanted to create more than a campaign – we wanted a movement, a seismic shift – to help businesses recover and regain their footing now in the short term, while providing them with the tools and resources to stay open and prosper in the long term,” said Nancy Santiago, Co-Founder of the PowerUp Fund, HIP Senior Advisor. “Now with the endorsement of The Rockefeller Foundation Opportunity Collective and Google.org, we have additional means to really extend our reach and make a sizable impact on hard hit communities at a national level.”

Get Involved, Together We Win!

Help support this community of SMBs through various programs, resources and financial solutions that position each for sustainability and growth – not just survivability. Among those benefiting from the campaign are Liliana Monge of Sabio and Alejandro Flores-Muñoz of Unum Sunglasses, among others. Visit the “Together We Win” Business Hub to find a Black or Latino-owned SMB you can support. #ShopBlack #ShopLatino

The “Together We Win” campaign believes in the power of community and invites individuals to participate to help amplify their message of support, as well as initiatives for the Black and Latino business community.

As the campaign evolves, “Together We Win” aims to be a reliable and comprehensive resource for SMBs as well as individuals, brands and corporations. The “Together We Win” website serves as a central hub for communities, businesses and benefactors, providing critical information about campaign operations. From success stories to campaign achievements and a myriad of ways to get involved – those seeking to join the movement can find additional information online at www.togetherwewin.info. To learn more, join the conversation online by ‘liking’ and ‘following’ the “Together We Win” campaign on Facebook and Instagram, and use #TogetherWeWin.

About HIP
Hispanics in Philanthropy (HIP) is on a mission to strengthen Latino leadership, influence and equity by leveraging philanthropic resources, and doing so with an unwavering focus on social justice and shared prosperity across the Americas. As the leader of a transnational network of foundations, donors, and nonprofits, we are making impactful investments in the Latino community and developing our leaders so they can effectively address the most pressing issues impacting communities in the U.S., Latin America and the Caribbean. Follow HIP on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

About Ureeka
Ureeka is a community and platform that connects black, brown and female small business owners – the Next Wave Entrepreneurs – to peers, mentors and coaches; trusted business and technology advice; vetted resources and capital that business owners need to grow and scale. Ureeka is a for-profit business, founded by a diverse team whose expertise ranges from technology and investing to the public sector. The company’s mission centers on creating economic opportunity by igniting the potential of small businesses through a platform of resources and a community of peers and experts. Learn more at https://www.ureeka.biz/. Follow Ureeka on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.

About The Flo Lab
The Flo Lab conducts advisory work for emerging Latinx companies and works on specialized marketing strategies for brands and organizations that are looking to connect with a Latinx audience. Follow The Flo Lab on Instagram and LinkedIn.

About The Rockefeller Foundation
The Rockefeller Foundation advances new frontiers of science, data, and innovation to solve global challenges related to health, food, power, and economic mobility. As a science-driven philanthropy focused on building collaborative relationships with partners and grantees, The Rockefeller Foundation seeks to inspire and foster large-scale human impact that promotes the well-being of humanity throughout the world by identifying and accelerating breakthrough solutions, ideas, and conversations. For more information, sign up for our newsletter at rockefellerfoundation.org and follow us on Twitter @RockefellerFdn.

About Google.org
Google.org, Google’s philanthropy, supports nonprofits that address humanitarian issues and apply scalable, data-driven innovation to solving the world’s biggest challenges. We accelerate their progress by connecting them with a unique blend of support that includes funding, products, and technical expertise from Google volunteers. We engage with these believers-turned-doers who make a significant impact on the communities they represent, and whose work has the potential to produce meaningful change. We want a world that works for everyone—and we believe technology and innovation can move the needle in four key areas: education, economic opportunity, inclusion and crisis response.

Media Contacts:
Gracia Larrain, for Together We Win | Juntos Ganamos & The Flo Lab
[email protected]

Reynaldo J. Delgado, for Together We Win | Juntos Ganamos & The Flo Lab
[email protected]

Sonia Melendez Reyes, HIP
[email protected]

Kelsey Quickstad, Ureeka
[email protected]

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SOURCE Together We Win; The Rockefeller Foundation