Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Small Business Grants topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Westminster celebrates graduates of first Level Up Digital Marketing program; 19 businesses receive $5,000 grants
Summary
The City of Westminster and the Small Business Development Center marked completion of the Level Up Digital Marketing program, awarding 19 local business owners $5,000 each after four weeks of hybrid training. City leaders said two additional grant rounds are planned for 2025.
The City of Westminster and the Small Business Development Center celebrated the first cohort of the Level Up Digital Marketing program on a session that marked participants’ completion of the training and imminent receipt of city-funded grants.
"This group of men and women are celebrating their finish in the first Level Up Digital Marketing program," said Speaker 2, announcing the graduates and the partnership between the city and the SBDC. The program awarded 19 Westminster business owners $5,000 each to support digital promotion of their businesses.
City officials framed the effort as part of a broader economic development strategy. "Economic development is, built on a foundation of small businesses and our small business community," Speaker 1 said, adding that the city aims to give business owners "the resources and tools that they need" to prosper and reinvest locally.
Organizers described the program’s rollout as beginning in early 2025 with an information summit. Speaker 2 said SBDC mentors provided guidance through a month-long sequence that combined in-person meetings and Zoom training. The 19 participants met with mentor trainers over four consecutive weeks to improve their digital footprint and the public-facing image of their companies.
Trainers urged participants to align digital outreach with their brand values. "You're gonna align with your brand values," Speaker 5 told participants, advising them to consider who their clients are and whether sustainability matters to those customers.
Participants described concrete learning goals. "I'm hoping to increase my knowledge about social media advertising, increase, just gain more knowledge with my POS or possibly, kiosk systems," said Speaker 6. Another participant, Speaker 7, thanked the SBDC and the city and said they planned to put the $5,000 "to good use."
Beyond the direct financial support, several participants emphasized the networking and community benefits of the training. "I think more importantly than just the the grant money is the connection, the community," Speaker 8 said, thanking the City of Westminster and the SBDC for fostering a network of local entrepreneurs.
Organizers said the program is a hybrid of face-to-face and online sessions and that staff will track digital conversion metrics discussed during training. Speaker 3 reminded attendees that the group was "halfway through the program" at session 2 and noted participants were two weeks away from receiving the grants.
Speaker 2 closed by announcing that the City of Westminster has plans for two additional grant programs in 2025 and directed business owners to the city website for application and program details. No formal votes or legislative actions were recorded at the event.
The program, organizers said, aims to combine training with modest cash awards to help small businesses expand their online reach; organizers invited interested businesses to check the City of Westminster website for upcoming opportunities.
