$5K Grant Program: West Virginia

The West Virginia $5,000 Grant is a funding initiative offered by Verizon in partnership with the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) as part of the broader Verizon Small Business Digital Ready program. This program is designed to provide educational resources, networking opportunities, and capital access to small businesses across the United States. For this specific opportunity, Verizon and LISC are targeting small business owners located in West Virginia, offering twenty-five (25) individual $5,000 grants. These grants are structured as direct awards to selected small businesses and are not required to be repaid. The initiative complements Verizon's ongoing commitment to digital inclusion and small business empowerment. To qualify for the West Virginia $5,000 Grant, applicants must be U.S.-based for-profit businesses whose primary business address is located in the state of West Virginia. Nonprofits are not eligible for this grant. Applicants must be at least 18 years of age and must be able to provide appropriate business and financial documentation such as W-9 forms and ACH information if selected as finalists. An important component of eligibility is participation in Verizon’s Digital Ready platform. Prospective applicants must register and complete at least one course or attend an eligible virtual or in-person event on the Digital Ready platform between January 1, 2026 and March 31, 2026. Only in-person events listed on the official In-Person Events page are eligible, and participants must scan the QR code on-site to receive credit. The application for this funding opportunity opens immediately and remains available until March 31, 2026 at 11:59 PM PT. Applications received after this deadline will not be considered. There is no pre-application requirement such as a Letter of Intent or concept paper; however, completion of a Digital Ready course or event during the eligibility period is mandatory for the application to unlock. Applicants can view and submit their applications through the Digital Ready platform. The application is also available in Spanish. Selected finalists will be notified by email no later than the week of May 17, 2026. Notifications will be sent by LISC using an official “@lisc.org” domain. Finalists must respond promptly and will be required to submit further documentation for verification, including business identification numbers, banking details for ACH transfers, and confirmation of eligibility. This verification process may include a background check conducted at LISC's expense, though it does not involve a credit score review. Failure to respond in a timely manner or to provide requested information may result in disqualification. Awards will be issued based on a competitive selection process. Not all applicants will receive funding, and priority will be given to applicants who have not previously received a Digital Ready grant, although previous recipients are still eligible to apply. There is no indication of matching funds or cost-share requirements for this grant. The funds can be used to help sustain or grow the recipient’s small business, though the grant page does not provide detailed restrictions or required spending categories. Applicants are encouraged to review the FAQ available on the Digital Ready site and to contact [email protected] with any technical issues during the application process. LISC will be responsible for the disbursement of funds and communication with applicants. The grant program does not specify a formal performance period or required project timeline, and no periodic reporting or milestones are mentioned in the documentation. This initiative is part of a recurring series of funding opportunities from Verizon and LISC, with the next expected cycle likely aligning with annual deadlines.