NASE Awards Laporte Small Business National Growth Grant

Isaiah Ruffin of Project Pizza Recipient of $4,000 Grant from the National Association for the Self-Employed

The National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE), the nation’s leading advocate and resource for the self-employed and micro-business community, announced recently that Laporte-based small business, Project Pizza has been awarded a $4,000 first quarter 2022 Growth Grant to help expand business operations.  Last year, NASE awarded $60,000 in grants to small businesses across the country and expects to award even more in 2022.

Project Pizza, located in Laporte, and owned by NASE member Isaiah Ruffin, was awarded a first-quarter Growth Grant in 2022. Project Pizza is the dream child of Chef Isaiah where he combines his passion for food with the opportunity to support school gardens and other activities that educate the youth on how food is grown, processed, distributed, consumed, and managed.

“Laporte small business, Project Pizza, was chosen for this Growth Grant award because it demonstrated a well-defined plan for growth ranging from executing new marketing initiatives, purchasing new equipment or other creative ways to grow and expand,” said John Hearrell, NASE’s Vice President of Membership and Affiliate Programs.  “America’s small business and self-employed community is the lifeblood of our economy, helping fuel growth along Main Street in small and large communities throughout the country. As our community begins to heal from the COVID-19 pandemic, we are happy to help small businesses like Project Pizza get to the other side of this crisis.”

“We are proud to invest $4,000 in NASE member Isaiah Ruffin and his small business to expand and help grow the local economy,” concluded Hearrell.

For nearly 20 years, NASE’s focus has been on finding the most effective way to bolster success for small businesses and self-employed members in communities across the country.  NASE has awarded over $1,000,000 since the program’s inception and continues to see a significant return on investments in the growth of member businesses helping to fuel their local economies.

NASE’s Growth Grant program is intended for businesses planning to take the next step in their venture.  It provides available capital for small businesses and sole proprietors to be able to hire and train additional employees, market their business in new and existing ways or invest in new equipment or software.

Applications are considered on a rolling basis throughout the year and winning small businesses will be awarded $4,000 grants each quarter throughout 2022.  Visit the Growth Grant page for more information.

NASE members also enjoy a comprehensive list of benefits designed to help small business owners and sole proprietors start and grow their businesses.  NASE members are offered a host of resources designed to help support entrepreneurs and small employers including access to professional “Ask the Experts” services in tax, health care, and marketing, a navigational assistant health care portal, scholarships and grants, discounts on shipping rates and office supplies, and affordable email marketing systems and web hosting services. NASE’s newest member benefits continue the tradition of providing real-world, bottom-line assistance to small business owners.  To become a member of NASE, apply online.