Optimum Business and the Charleston Area Alliance have announced the opening of applications for the Lifting Up Small Businesses Grants, a new initiative aimed at bolstering small business growth in Kanawha County. As part of the program, 25 small businesses will each receive a $5,000 grant, totaling $125,000 in funding to support long-term economic prosperity in the region.
The grant program, introduced on April 14, 2025, is designed to directly support local entrepreneurs and strengthen the community’s economic infrastructure. Selected recipients will be announced later this year. The initiative includes recognition events hosted by Optimum Business, where local officials and community partners will celebrate the awarded businesses.
“Optimum Business is thrilled to partner with the Charleston Area Alliance to support the vibrant small business in Kanawha County. Optimum is committed to being more than a connectivity provider by investing in individual businesses to support the economic prosperity of this community,” said Jen Ostrager, Senior Vice President, Govt & Business, Community Affairs. “When businesses thrive, communities thrive. We’re very much looking forward to supporting the Kanawha community in ways that make an impact.”
“Small businesses are the heartbeat of our community, helping to power our economy and fostering local connections. Through our partnership with Optimum Business and the Lifting Up Small Business Grants, we are empowering these vital enterprises, uplifting our community, and encouraging sustainable growth for years to come,” said Mara Boggs, President & CEO of the Charleston Area Alliance.
The Lifting Up Small Businesses Grants represent Optimum’s latest effort to deepen its community involvement and demonstrate its commitment to local development. The company’s broader contributions in Kanawha County include supporting 136 classrooms with a total of $61,000 in funding through a partnership with DonorsChoose. Recently, $30,000 of that funding went toward STEM materials for local schools.
Optimum has also donated $20,000 over the past four years to local community organizations, including The Salvation Army Charleston WV Area Command and The Boys and Girls Club of Charleston and St. Albans.
The grant program aims to fuel sustainable business success in Kanawha County and reflects Optimum’s ongoing mission to “support, understand, and celebrate what makes each of its local communities unique.”
Learn more about the grant program’s rules and eligibility here.
