Truist Foundation Inspire Awards

One moment can help change a family, a community, and a generation. That’s the goal of the Truist Foundation Inspire Awards—to create lasting change in a single moment.

An inspiring night.

Thanks to everyone who joined us for the 2024 Truist Foundation Inspire Awards. It was a truly inspiring culmination of our six-month journey. Congratulations to our first-place and Audience Favorite grant recipient, Centro Community Partners, and to our second-place grant recipient, Immigrants Rising, along with all of our other inspiring finalists!

Meet the finalists

Transcript

00:00:00:00 - 00:00:21:11

Greg Olsen

Welcome to the 2024 Truist Foundation Inspire Awards, celebrating changemakers brought together from all across the country. Successful small businesses not only invigorate communities, but transform local economies and lay the groundwork for a better future for all.

00:00:21:13 - 00:00:32:12

Lynette Bell

Our goal with the Truist Foundation Inspire Awards has always been to empower these nonprofits to lead both within their communities and beyond.

00:00:32:12 - 00:00:42:02

Bill Rogers

Together, we believe providing resources and encouraging innovation, we can help build career pathways. We can strengthen small businesses and we can create

00:00:42:02 - 00:00:43:11

thriving communities.

00:00:46:18 - 00:01:10:12

Denea Joseph

Thank you so much. It is an honor, a privilege. This makes us that much more viable to continue this work and to continue to serve our community, so thank you.

Arturo Noriega

First, I'm incredibly grateful. Thank you, Truist, for stepping up and supporting the entire ecosystem of innovators.

00:01:10:12 - 00:01:25:15

It should be in everybody's reach. And if you come from a family of entrepreneurs or immigrants that started generations ago or just started yesterday, we all share the same journey. This is what makes our country so amazing.

Let’s make a difference—together.

In 2022, we launched the inaugural Inspire Awards in response to the unprecedented impact of COVID-19 on small businesses, particularly entrepreneurs from undercapitalized communities. This year’s Inspire Awards Challenge looked to innovative, technology-based solutions as a proven pathway to resiliency and sustainability for small businesses.

Technology solutions empower businesses to reach new customers, adapt during economic disruptions, streamline operations, and build partnerships that strengthen the small business community. Even during uncertain times, technology is and will continue to be crucial to small business success.

Learn more about our finalists and their solutions

Learn more

Focus on cutting-edge concepts

Our nonprofit finalists will be comprised of organizations with innovative, tech-enabled solutions that address challenges faced by small business owners, including:

Financial readiness – Developing new or improved methods, or tools, that assist in finance for loan acquisition, including understanding and assessing credit and assets, loan-to-debt ratio, cost of growth, and information on alternative/non-traditional funding sources
Business development and procurement – Connecting small business owners to vendors, suppliers, and networks to transform their ability to do business
Support scaling – Supporting long-term business plans and succession through mergers and acquisitions, generational/equitable wealth, hiring pipeline, legal advising, and back-office support
Internal financial health – Introducing innovative solutions to decrease the burden of keeping healthy and accurate financial records
Employee advancement – Supporting upskilling and reskilling, managing human resources, and mid-management or mid-career advancement
Data and impact – Capturing, synthesizing, optimizing, and displaying data for business intelligence, impact evaluation, and improved decision-making for resource allocation

To be eligible, solutions to this challenge must include a technology component. Technologies can include but are not limited to platforms, apps, software, management tools, financial programs, etc.

For more details on our challenge, please visit MIT Solve.

Here’s a recap of the inaugural Inspire Awards.

Atlanta Wealth Building Initiative (AWBI) was the first-place recipient of the inaugural Inspire Awards. After each nonprofit finalist pitched their solutions to the Truist Foundation, AWBI was awarded a $250,000 grant. AWBI employs a community wealth-building framework to bolster 1,000 Black businesses in 1,000 days.

A grant for $225,000 was awarded to second place and audience fan favorite Aarti Sahgal, founder of Synergies Work. Synergies Work creates a framework of end-to-end support for entrepreneurs with disabilities focusing on financial capital, social capital, education, and mentorship to bridge the gaps between the business and disability community.

Like carrying a branch—but lighter.

Got a minute? Check for offers.

Get a game plan—in 2 minutes.

Make your move.

Investing—thoughtfully.

Podcast: Money and Mindset with Bright and Brian

Truist Foundation Inspire Awards

An inspiring night.

Let’s make a difference—together.

Learn more about our finalists and their solutions

Focus on cutting-edge concepts

Here’s a recap of the inaugural Inspire Awards.

Investment and Insurance Products:

Limited English Proficiency Support:

New York City residents:

Borrowers with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) needing information can use the following resources:

Truist Foundation Inspire Awards

An inspiring night.

Let’s make a difference—together.

Learn more about our finalists and their solutions

Focus on cutting-edge concepts

Here’s a recap of the inaugural Inspire Awards.

Disclosures

Investment and Insurance Products:

Limited English Proficiency Support:

New York City residents:

Borrowers with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) needing information can use the following resources:

Footer Navigation