As for-profit businesses, B Corps put our money where our mouth is through investments like providing fair wages and employee benefits, choosing aligned vendors, and giving back to the community.  B Local Asheville & WNC does the same by reinvesting our funds into local companies who are certifying or recertifying as B Corps through our B Corp Certification Reimbursement Grant Program.

Grant Amount

Eligible companies may receive a one time grant of up to $500 for allowed expenses.

Eligibility

To be considered for a grant, the company must meet all of the following criteria:

• Based in or with an operating base in Western North Carolina
• Less than 10 employees
• Received B Corp certification or recertification from B Lab within the last 3 months
• Have not received a grant previously

Priority Support

We prioritize grants to companies which are:

• Requesting reimbursement for costs related to their initial B Corp certification
• Are majority owned by people from underrepresented communities including those who identify as BIPOC, LGBTIA+, living with a disability (whether visible or invisible), or women.

Allowed Expenses

Becoming a certified B Corp requires a significant investment of time and energy and comes with associated costs. The B Local Asheville & WNC grant allows companies to recoup some of their financial investment in the certification or recertification process for:

• Certification fees paid to B Lab
• Fees paid to an educational institution for student support related to certification
• Fees paid to a B Corp certification consultant

Application Process

To be considered for the grant, eligible companies must submit our Application and provide receipts of expenses to be reimbursed and proof of certification granted within the last 90 days. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis by a committee of B Local Asheville & WNC members.

Conditions

Grants will be made so long as funds are available. The program may end or be suspended due to lack of funds at any time. Submission of an application does not guarantee a grant.

Download this B Corp Reimbursement Grant Program Overview.