Duke Energy, S.C. Chamber open small business mentorship grant

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The Duke Energy Foundation has provided $100,000 in grant funding to the S.C. Chamber of Commerce to finance business management mentorships for 56 small businesses in the counties served by the energy company.

“Small businesses are the lifeblood of our economy in South Carolina, and the pandemic has challenged their very existence these past few months,” Mike Callahan, Duke Energy’s South Carolina president, said in a news release. “We’re pleased to work with the state chamber to offer these critical resources to the business community during these challenging times.”

The program includes six months of mentoring from experienced professionals from the marketing, legal support, advocacy training, governance, sustainability, finance and tax fields, as well as a $1,000 microgrant to aid with COVID-19 related expenses. At least half of the recipients will be minority- or women-owned businesses, according to the release.

“The S.C. Chamber is excited to partner with the Duke Energy Foundation to administer this new program focused on helping small and minority owned businesses in the state,” Ted Pitts, president and CEO of the chamber, said in the release. “This creative small business program will help entrepreneurs and their companies grow, benefiting them, their communities and the state.”

The program coincides with the chamber’s launch of online classes for small business across the state. The chamber will brief businesses on how they can sign up in the coming weeks, the release said.