The Equity Fund (originally known as the Twin Cities Queer BIPOC Business Capacity Fund) was created in 2020 in direct response to the dire economic circumstances created by COVID-19 and the civil unrest and burning of Lake Street following the murder of George Floyd by the police. PFund and Quorum distributed $90,000 in microgrants in 2020-21 to help Minneapolis queer small business owners of color with flexible cash assistance and remote business capacity training resources. 

Grant recipients participated in a series of hour-long remote educational sessions on vital business development topics such as human resources best practices, sources of capital, understanding legal liabilities and protections, and use of technology. In late 2022, PFund made a second round of Equity Fund grants to queer entrepreneurs of color. 

We’re excited to announce the launch of our 2024-2025 PFund Foundation and Quorum Equity Fund. This program is a joint initiative between PFund Foundation and Quorum (Minnesota's LGBTQ+ and Allied Chamber of Commerce) and aims to foster the growth of queer entrepreneurs across the Upper Midwest.

This program focuses on small business development, particularly for queer entrepreneurs of color and queer-owned businesses in rural areas. Together, PFund and Quorum are offering more than $400,000 in funding and comprehensive support across three distinct cohorts this year. Applications are due by 5 pm central on July 22, 2024. Each grant recipient receives:

• Grants ranging from $5,000 up to $30,000 to support building small business capacity and developing queer entrepreneurship across the region.
• Five customized training sessions led by Quorum, tailored to the needs of small business owners. Training for grantees from greater Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, and Wisconsin will meet virtually.
• A one-year membership to Quorum. Grantees from outside Minnesota will receive modest stipends to purchase an annual membership from a local queer Chamber of Commerce (for example, the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce).

For more information and to apply, please visit our website: https://www.pfundfoundation.org/equity-fund.