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.
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.