Spartanburg County’s
Small & Minority Business
Development Initiative

Power Up Spartanburg is a movement to transform Spartanburg County into the #1 place in the U.S. to start, run, and grow a small or minority business.

An Initiative of:

Is Power Up Spartanburg Right for Me?

If you have an innovative idea, a passion project ready to take the next step, or a homegrown business you know can grow, Power Up Spartanburg is for you.

Open to small and minority businesses in Spartanburg County, Power Up has a host of offerings to help you take the next step, from access to knowledgeable mentors and subject matter experts, to assistance securing financial guidance, to help finding a storefront space.

Access to
Capital & Space

Connections to financial resources and physical space are key resources small and minority businesses need to establish a foundation of success.

  • Power Up Funding made $10+ million in loans, and a pool of grant funding, available to small and minority businesses. For the first two years, 30% of these funds are reserved for minority-owned businesses.

    Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) will serve as fiduciary agents for these funding opportunities.

    Launched

  • Property owners and developers are being engaged to find and activate small-scale storefronts, and micro-office or micro-retail space in active downtowns across the county.

Technical
Support

Beyond capital and space, a host of resources are needed to start, sustain, and grow a small or minority business.

  • Power Up Spartanburg will increase access to local small and minority business accelerators. Accelerators will be expanded to cover all parts of the county.

    Launched

  • Committed subject matter experts are accessible to guide small and minority business growth across Spartanburg County.

    Launched

  • Power Up Spartanburg is connecting small businesses to large employers, helping them become certified and creating the opportunity for transformational business growth.

    Launched

  • Spartanburg County is a sister community for the renowned MIT Venture Mentoring Service, recruiting mentors trained to assist small and minority business owners participating in Power Up Spartanburg.

    Launched

Making New Connections

Connections are critical, so impactful events and knowledgeable community champions will be available for small and minority businesses to learn from.

  • These events connect small and minority businesses to local experts, success stories, and networking sessions to grow the impact of the initiative's resources.

    Launched

  • A group of community captains are part of an extensive contact list, providing small and minority businesses the tips, contacts, and knowledge they need.

    Launched

Digital Community & Resource Hub

Powered by Duke Energy, The Grid will empower small and minority business owners to make impactful connections, find critical information, and broaden their network. The Grid is designed to serve as a roadmap for starting, sustaining, growing, or exiting a small or minority business in Spartanburg.

Launched

Implementation Partners

Looking for resources to grow your small or minority business, or hoping to take the next step for your big idea?

What Small Businesses Are Saying

The Power Up University classes we went to were amazing. And then the networking and events Power Up offers has been very helpful allowing us to tap into other small businesses and their networks.

Amy Williamson, Blessed Blooms Flower Shop and Gifts

Power Up has been around for about 18 months and in that period, our sales have been up. The sort of thing we’ve gotten out of Power Up is finding new ways to approach every customer and making sure that they know that we can help them with a lot more than just the hitch.

Justin Lawrentz, Lawrentz Tailgating and Outdoor

Power Up has helped me grow my business and hire additional staff. And the support the program provides enabled me to update and increase my equipment. I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish what I have without Power Up Spartanburg.

Enrique Gomez, Gomez H. Lawn Services LLC