Non-profit is giving away money to support at least 25 small businesses across Virginia this holiday season

Roanoke, Virginia – Small, locally owned businesses play an important role in the national economy by providing goods and services to their local communities, creating jobs, and contributing to the overall economic development of those communities. These businesses often have strong connections in the areas where they operate and can serve as a cornerstone of the local economy.

Earlier this week, several Roanoke-based business owners asked the local community to shop local and directly support them. The request comes just as a growing number of people are dumping the traditional in-person shopping model and switching to online shopping, something that has become very popular since the start of the pandemic as Americans avoided close contact with other people. Although local businesses seem to be recovering with the help of federal and state money, non-profit organizations also play a huge role in this process.

One of them is the Virginia-based 30 Day Fund, launched by Virginia technology entrepreneur Pete Snyder and his wife, Burson, when the pandemic began forcing shutdowns. Working with the nation’s leading nonprofit legal experts, they created the first-ever non-profit-to-profit conduit for small businesses in crisis. It had never been done before. They began with their home state of Virginia, establishing the Virginia 30 Day Fund. Working with other business leaders throughout the Commonwealth, the Fund’s goal was to help save as many Virginia jobs as possible.

Small, locally owned businesses with 3–30 employees that have been operating for at least one year and have faced difficulties as a result of the pandemic are all eligible to apply and get help from the 30 Day Fund. So far, the non-profit has raised more than $50 million and given away over $43 million in grants, assisting over 3154 small businesses. But the Snyders are not going to stop helping small businesses anytime soon, as they have just announced their latest program, 12 Days for Christmas.

The 30 Day Fund is about to give $3,500 to 25 small businesses in Virginia this month to help them pay expenses, fund holiday bonuses, and buy new equipment.

“Holidays are the most wonderful time of the year for so many of us, but for small businesses it has been hard between runaway inflation and labor shortages, the hits just keep on coming, so we want to brighten up their holidays,” 30 Days Fund Founder Pete Snyder said.

Business owners can apply for the program at this link.