Fudenjuce of Nevada City seeks $250,000 grant to help small businesses

Fudenjuce in Nevada City, which offers vegetarian and organic soups, salads sandwiches and all-natural fruit smoothies and chakes, is seeking a $250,000 grant to expand its business.

A program called Mission Main Street Grants is a grant program by Chase to award 12 small businesses with grants of $250,000, or $3 million all told.

“Mission Main StreetSM Grants is an effort by JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association (“Chase”) to increase awareness of the important role small businesses play in local communities and to help small businesses grow,” according to Chase’s website.

A panel of judges will determine the grant winners. Small businesses must receive at least 250 votes during the voting period — via social media — to continue onto the judging phase.

Criteria includes:

•Solid business & management team/owner (20%);
•Well thought-out and feasible growth plan (20%);
•Likelihood to succeed within a two-year time frame (20%);
•Positive impact on local/relevant community (e.g. job creation, meeting an unfulfilled need, etc.) and demonstrated local support (20%); and
•Energy, enthusiasm, creativity and passion for your business (20%).

Fudenjuice has received 275 votes so far.

The 12 grants will be awarded in January.

“While we won’t know for a couple of months whether we have been awarded a grant or not, we nonetheless, thanks to you, have now obtained enough necessary votes to have our grant application considered for a grant award by their committee,” Fudenjuce said on its Facebook page.

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