COMCAST RISE $10,000 Grant - NOW ACCEPTING

March 15th, 2021

Beginning on March 1 through March 14, eligible businesses in Houston, in addition to Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit and Philadelphia, can apply for a $10,000 grant at www.ComcastRISE.com. A total of 100 grants in Houston, or 500 grants overall, will be awarded in May 2021. The Investment Fund is the latest extension of Comcast RISE, the multi-year, multi-faceted initiative launched in October 2020 that initially focused on black-owned, small businesses and then extended to BIPOC-owned to help those hardest hit by COVID-19.

The Comcast RISE Investment Fund is focused on small businesses who have been in business for three or more years with 1-25 employees. Businesses must be in the following geographic locations to be eligible: Houston, TX (Harris and Fort Bend Counties).

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Frequently Asked Questions for Customer Service Staff

What type of account should I create to access the application?
The Survey Monkey Apply site allows you to create an individual and organization account. Either accounts will allow you to submit a Comcast Rise Investment Fund application.
I created an account but never received the verification email.
The verification email is sent to the email associated with your Survey Monkey Apply account. If you did not receive the verification email, please review your account to make sure you entered your email correctly i.e. .com not .comn. If your email address is correct and you did not receive the verification email, please contact our technical support team for assistance: https://aeoworks.smapply.io/helpdesk/.
I reviewed the Terms and Conditions and marked “Yes” on the screen but I cannot proceed to the next step.
If you cannot proceed, please make sure that you have signed the Terms and Conditions. There is a thin black line at the end of the Terms and Conditions form. Use your mouse to sign your signature. Once done select “Mark as Complete” to proceed to the next step.
What tax forms are acceptable?
We accept the following federal tax forms:
- Form 1040, US Individual Tax Return with Schedule C
  - If you are submitting the Form 1040, please make sure that the Schedule C is included. We will not accept only the 1040.
- Form 1120, US Corporation Income Tax Return
- Form 1065, US Partnership Income Tax Return

Do I have to submit both 2018 and 2019 tax documents?
No. We only require either the 2018 or the 2019. You do not need to submit tax returns for both years.
I have not filed my tax return for 2018 or 2019. Is there a substitute document I can submit?
We cannot accept substitute documents for the tax return.
I am a single member LLC. Can I submit my 1040 tax return with the Schedule C?
Yes. We accept the Form 1040 with the Schedule C. This is the most common tax document we receive.
I meet all of the eligibility criteria. Why was my application declined?
Meeting the eligibility criteria is only the first step in the application process. There are other criteria that we use to evaluate your application. If you believe that your application was declined in error, please send an email to smb@aeoworks.org for review.
I responded to a question on the application incorrectly. How can I correct my response?
If you believe that your application was declined due to a response on the application, please send an email to smb@aeoworks.org for review. We will review the application and determine the reason for decline. If the decline was due to a response, we will delete the application, and inform the you to submit a new application.

Please note that incorrect responses to any of the questions on the eligibility form will cause a decline. Additionally, there are questions on the main application that can cause a decline as well e.g., closed due to reasons other than Covid-19 or permanent closure.
I was declined because I am a government employee. My business is separate from my government employment. Will you reconsider your decision?
Government employees are ineligible for the program so that we can ensure compliance with potentially applicable federal, state, and local gift rules. This applies to all government officials and employees at this time. If the government entity for which you work is not subject to these gift rules, please contact us with proof of that exemption and we can re-evaluate your eligibility for the program.
I was declined because my business is currently closed due to reasons other than Covid-19. Why am I not eligible for this grant?
We understand there are a wide of reasons why small businesses close. The purpose of this grant is to support and enable the growth of small businesses impacted by Covid-19 or the civil unrest.