One of our core values at Get Online NOLA is giving back to our community through marketing services, volunteering, and outreach. Starting in 2022 we wanted to do more to support this value, so we created the Get Online NOLA Grant. Every year we provide a free website to one small business or non-profit that needs a digital boost.
Each year we are delighted to receive inspiring applications from small businesses in south Louisiana and nationally. After a winner is chosen, we enjoy getting to know the small business owners we’re helping throughout the website-building process. In this blog post, we will highlight previous Get Online NOLA Grant winners so you too can get to know these great businesses.
2024 Winner: Gro Enterprises
Gro Enterprises, a sustainable construction materials company, is our 2024 Get Online NOLA Grant recipient. Founded by Joel Holton in 2022, Gro Enterprises emerged from Joel’s extensive experience in environmental services and construction restoration. Recognizing the urgent need for climate-conscious building materials, Joel set out to manufacture high-performance, plant-based alternatives that are safer for both construction workers and building inhabitants.
Gro Enterprises aims to revolutionize the construction industry by providing sustainable materials that contribute to the creation of safer, more eco-friendly housing. Their initial focus is on supporting low-to-moderate-income communities around New Orleans, aligning with their mission to foster environmental and social sustainability.
Joel expresses his gratitude, saying, “Winning this grant is a huge benefit to Gro Enterprises. Get Online NOLA will be making our very first website which we know will help introduce our message and products to a wider audience. I’m excited for the future growth of my business and sustainable housing in Louisiana.”
This is Gro Enterprises’ first website, you can view it here: Gro Enterises Website.
2024 Runner Up: New Voices New Orleans
New Voices New Orleans, is a music and cultural education program that works with kids to empower creativity and self-expression and help them find their voice. New Voices New Orleans has been awarded a marketing strategy and audit valued at $750!
2023 Winner: Sassy A Cosmetics
Sassy A Cosmetics was founded by 15-year-old Asia Dillon in 2018. Asia, then age 11, wasn’t planning to start a business. She simply set out to help soothe her younger sister’s painful eczema-chapped lips. Realizing that conventional products could cause more irritation, she decided to create her own natural formula.
The product was so successful that Asia started selling it at local pop-ups. Since then, the teenage CEO, and her mom Latrice, have grown the business and product line to include lip balms, lipsticks, and other cosmetic products. Her dedication to bringing Sassy A products to life is exciting to see for all business owners.
Asia says, “Winning this grant means the world to me. Allowing customers to visit my new professional website and easily buy our unique products is helping to grow my business.”
2022 Winner: Will & Toosie Specialty Iron Work
The first Get Online NOLA Grant winner was Will & Toosie Specialty Iron Work. Pillars of the Lower 9th Ward community, Will and Rochelle “Toosie” Peck own Will & Toosie Specialty Iron Work. Will specializes in creating the ornate but functional ironwork fences and railings that New Orleans is known for. The grant came at the perfect time for Will & Tootsie – they had suffered a major setback earlier in the year when Will’s van, filled with his specialty tools, was stolen.
“Having a professional-looking website for my business is a big deal. I can show my previous work, and find new clients online without needing to rely on word of mouth,” says Will Peck.
Visit our Grants page for more information on the current grant cycle and apply for your small business! Need help getting your business online ASAP? Ask us today about our Streetcar Websites that are designed to get your website up and running in as little as two weeks.