Google Awards Brooklyn Chamber $125,000 to Help Small Businesses 'Go Digital!'

Go Digital! provides free, on-site digital marketing assistance to mom-and-pop shops in low-income neighborhoods focusing on immigrant-owned businesses

Google has awarded $125,000 to the Brooklyn Alliance, the nonprofit arm of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, to expand the organization's successful Go Digital! program throughout the five boroughs in partnership with the 5 Chamber Alliance. The program, which first launched as a pilot in 2013, helps small businesses to set up their online business profiles.

"The Go Digital program empowers small businesses in high-need communities throughout Brooklyn to utilize their digital footprints, attract customers and increase revenue absolutely free of charge," said Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Andrew Hoan. "We're thrilled to be able to expand this program throughout the five boroughs, bringing smart, commonsense training to hundreds of businesses across New York City with the 5 Chamber Alliance."

Go Digital! provides free, on-site digital marketing assistance to mom-and-pop shops in low-income neighborhoods focusing on immigrant-owned businesses. The on-site service not only helps small businesses to set up their online business profiles across various internet and social media platforms, it also provides ideas on how to best take advantage of social media for their businesses by accessing data and tracking relevant business numbers. So far, the chamber has already served over 450 businesses with Go Digital!.

With the recently awarded grant, the program is set to expand in partnership with the 5 Chamber Alliance throughout New York City. The 5 Chamber Alliance, which relaunched in 2012, is the coordinated efforts of the Brooklyn, Bronx, Manhattan, Staten Island and Queens Chambers of Commerce. Together, the 5 Chamber Alliance pools its resources on initiatives to better support small businesses and low to moderate income communities throughout NYC.

In addition to the expansion of Go Digital!, the Brooklyn Chamber also plans to create a train-the-trainer curriculum to teach students and others how to provide digital marketing tools to businesses, as well as to host a forum on the future of innovation in Brooklyn.

"Google is thrilled to stand alongside the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce to celebrate 100 years of service and commitment to this amazing community. Our hope is that more small businesses across New York will benefit from Go Digital! as the chamber expands the program to all five boroughs," said Carley Graham Garcia, Google Head of External Affairs for New York. "Small businesses are the backbone of our local economy, and when they succeed our communities grow and thrive."