100 Small Business Owners in Multnomah County Awarded Grants Through Comcast RISE

A man in a barber shop.

We’re excited to share that 100 small businesses in Multnomah County will receive comprehensive grant packages from Comcast RISE, our program that aims to help businesses and their communities thrive through economic growth. Grant packages will include business consultation services, educational resources, a $5,000 monetary grant, creative production, media schedule and a technology makeover. The distribution of these grants is part of our ongoing commitment to supporting the growth of all small businesses, while advancing the objectives of diversity, equity, inclusion, and community investment.

We are particularly focused on uplifting small businesses, as they make up 95% of all companies in Portland.  Nearly 600 small businesses in Multnomah County submitted applications for the Comcast RISE grants. Still recovering from pandemic-related economic downturn, many small businesses need external support to navigate the ever-changing commercial landscape. Small businesses are a dynamic element in Portland and part of what makes the city unique. SmartAssets reports that approximately 24% of Multnomah County locals have small business incomes.

A woman with dresses in a dress shop

“I started Sparkly Gowns as an online store and opened the brick-and-mortar location in 2022. This grant from Comcast Rise will help me grow my business. I want to improve my online presence, increase my marketing and add technology to my retail store. I am from Colombia, and as an immigrant business owner, it makes such a difference to get support,” said Fabiola Cardenas Castellanos, owner of Sparkly Gowns.

Nearly 60% of the Multnomah County small business owners who applied to Comcast RISE identify as a person of color, and 65% report being a female-owned company. This is notable, as small businesses, especially those owned by historically marginalized identities, were hit particularly hard during the pandemic. A study from the National Bureau of Economic Research noted that Black-owned small businesses were hardest hit, suffering the steepest decline (41%), followed by Hispanic and Asian American-owned small businesses. In addition, according to a study by the National Association of Women Business Owners, women-owned businesses have been growing at only half the rate of those run by men, namely because women struggle to access capital and other resources to help them succeed.

“This grant means a lot for Fisticuts Barbershop, and it comes at the perfect time. As a small-business owner, I had to be incredibly nimble to make it through the pandemic. Now I’m looking to promote and grow Fisticuts. The Comcast RISE grant gives me professional resources to tell my story,” said Roberto Martinez, founder, Fisticuts Barbershop.

“I bought Pacific Pie Company in July 2021 with the hope to breathe new life into the space and the community by expanding it into a coffee shop, but over the last couple of years I’ve run into roadblocks for growth,” said Brook Ramirez, owner of Pacific Pie Company. “The Comcast RISE grant comes at a great time and will allow me to move forward with my vision. It finally feels like all the pieces are falling into place.”

With today’s announcement, the following 100 selected businesses in Multnomah County will each receive grant packages:

Comcast RISE Recipients

Books With PicturesWorkshop Vintage
Laurel Johnson ConsultingOffice Retreat
Vitalidad Movement Arts CenterParWest Golf
Emisha InnovationsMoonlight Therapies
WokefaceJust Because Boutique
Horizon Driver EducationTwo Rivers Bookstore
Hip Chicks Do WineYancy Handmade
Escuela Viva Community SchoolAbbey Creek Vineyard
Unicorn Jiu JitsuMimi’s Fresh Tees
Silk And StoneAspire Dental
EyestrongPortland Chinese Times
Central OasisChill N Fill
Flourish Plant-Based KitchenBirds & Bees Nursery
Bull In ChinaRainbow City
The Ruff HouseCloudforest
Gaufre GourmetNick Mendez Photography
Bucket Brigade Sports BarRugged Heart Counseling
GMS Media And AdvertisingFisticuts Barbershop
Espacio FlamencoDouble J Motorwerks
Anwar BjyrdBlaqPaks
Let’s Play Again W/ Bricks ToysFat Cupcake
YogaRIOTKrishna Avalon Acupuncture
DB Dessert CompanyHands On Medicine
Parallel PDXCargo Inc
All N HaulWyrd Leatherworks and Meadery
CertaPro Painters of PortlandWillow Tree Wellness
Bold ReuseYoga Playgrounds
Artistic Portland GallerySip Herbals
Green Loop ManagementPoley Creative
HOTLIPS PizzaSeven Vision Studios
Blackthorn MercantileMandos Mundo Entertainment
All About AutomotiveCardCraft
Hot Eatz Cold TreatzConscia
Gresham AcupunctureBridgetown Acupuncture & Herbal
Misty Fall Body WorksAbbott & Associates
Bar CarloLion’s Eye Tavern
Prefer HealthOblation Papers and Press
Retro Game BarThe Barreled Bee
Mr. Chen’s Chinese KitchenOne Stripe Chai
Dwell Property ManagementTicket Tomato
Simple SundriesFoster Foosball
NW Women’s FitnessNew Farm Montessori
Paperjam PDXGone West PDX
Mister Ok’s EssentialsN’KOSSI Boutique
Bergerac French Comfort FoodPulse Wellness Cooperative
Sparkly GownsGrasshopper Boutique
Molly Haydon3-46 Grit Crossfit
Baby Ketten KararokeAdornment Events
Egyptian BrosPacific Pie Company
AlumaPersonal Beast

Marketing and advertising consultations

Media placements over a 90-day period

Commercial creative production services

Technology services from Effectv and/or Comcast Business

More information on eligibility requirements and how to apply for the grant program are available at www.ComcastRISE.com.

Past Comcast RISE Recipients

2 Rivers Bar and Grill 

Amalfi’s 

Amy Estrada Counseling 

Andrew’s Water Hole

Batter on Deck

Blendily 

Blue River Group LLC 

Boss Nailz 

Bratton Construction, LLC 

Bridge City Contracting 

Cafe Destino 

Capitol Bar 

Caribbean Spice 

Carriage House Auto Care 

Champions Barbering Institute 

Cheerful Tortoise 

Cima Services, Inc. 

Dogville Playcare LLC 

Eleni’s Restaurant 

Elliott & Murrey Coffee Roasters 

Empire Body Works LLC 

Employment Marketplace 

Evergreen Mart 

Flowers Tommy Luke 

Genesis Vegan Spa 

Heroes American Cafe 

Jamaican Homestyle Cuisine 

Kinetikos Physical Interactive 

LondonDRN PC 

Los Potrillos Corporation 

Meals For Heels 

Northwest Threads and Embroidery LLC 

Pacific Northwest Glass & Mirror

Professional Interpreters, Inc. 

Photos by Orion 

Physical Therapy and Hand Clinic 

Poboyz Cajun Creole Kitchen 

Professional Auto Body & Paint 

PS Dental 

R.A.A.P Counseling and Consulting, LLC 

Ragan’s Boutique

River Pig Saloon LLC 

Royalty Spirits 

Servicios Latinos Tax Preparation 

SkinwiseRx 

Sprouting Health and Wellness 

Sugar Street Bakery and Bistro 

Sunee Thai & Lao Kitchen 

Taqueria La Fuente

Teascape

The Cheerful Bullpen

The Headstrong

The Red Gate

Third Eye Books

Tie’s One Hour Dry Cleaners

Westside Stamp & Printing

  • We are committed to supporting small businesses who have been hit the hardest by the economic impact of the pandemic.

Visit  ComcastRISE.com to apply, for more information and the latest updates.