Support Our Work

If you’re like us, you know that there are systemic injustices that limit access to capital and need to be addressed.

ConnectUP! Institute is a social finance innovation and enterprise development studio grounded in economic justice and powering equitable economies that work for all. We know that people invest in people they know, and that we are the sum of our networks. With only 1.2% of BIPOC entrepreneurs receiving venture capital funding, there is an obvious gap in access to money and resources that are essential in growing any business.

Your donation helps us continue to support trailblazing founders like those in the first cohort of our Integrated Capital Fund:

Junita Flowers

Junita’s Jar

Bella Lam

Coconut Whisk

Melanie Lewis

Perfect Piece Sweets

Sabrina Jones

SJC Body Love

Martena Jones

Fabolous Diva Boutique

We prepare BIPOC, women and rural entrepreneurs to scale and create culturally-informed pathways that build authentic, values-aligned relationships that support founders in growing their businesses.

We also provide opportunities for collaboration across the ecosystem, hands-on support, action-driven workshops and education, and investor and ecosystem development.

All of ConnectUP!’s work is led by Black women. Our programming prioritizes women of color and is informed by the lived experiences of Black women – but all are welcome. We believe when we work for the most marginalized, we do better for all. This has been our secret to success.

You have the power to help us continue supporting the entrepreneurs you know and love in the community. Here’s the impact that your donation will have:

$250

Provides a founder with two hours of executive coaching.

$250

Provides a founder with two hours of executive coaching.

Donate

$500

Provides a founder with five hours of mindset coaching.

$500

Provides a founder with five hours of mindset coaching.

Donate

$1,000

Allows a founder to implement a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system.

$1,000

Allows a founder to implement a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system.

Donate

$2,500

Covers the cost of travel and registration to key industry trade shows.

$2,500

Covers the cost of travel and registration to key industry trade shows.

Donate

$5,000

Supports five founders in our Garage StartUP! program, which provides micro-grants to MN BIPOC businesses.

$5,000

Supports five founders in our Garage StartUP! program, which provides micro-grants to MN BIPOC businesses.

Donate

$7,500

Supports 3 months of CEO circles for founders to meet, network, and solve business challenges with industry-adjacent founders and subject matter experts.

$7,500

Supports 3 months of CEO circles for founders to meet, network, and solve business challenges with industry-adjacent founders and subject matter experts.

Donate

$10,000

Enables a founder to purchase equipment for scaling or support our general operations to grow our innovative programs supporting Black and Brown founders.

$10,000

Enables a founder to purchase equipment for scaling or support our general operations to grow our innovative programs supporting Black and Brown founders.

Donate

Support Our Work

Junita Flowers

Junita’s Jar

Bella Lam

Coconut Whisk

Melanie Lewis

Perfect Piece Sweets

Sabrina Jones

SJC Body Love

Martena Jones

Fabolous Diva Boutique

We prepare BIPOC, women and rural entrepreneurs to scale and create culturally-informed pathways that build authentic, values-aligned relationships that support founders in growing their businesses.

You have the power to help us continue supporting the entrepreneurs you know and love in the community. Here’s the impact that your donation will have:

$250

$250

$500

$500

$1,000

$1,000

$2,500

$2,500

$5,000

$5,000

$7,500

$7,500

$10,000

$10,000

Subscribe

Subscribe