Duke Energy Foundation Awards $275,000 To Support More Than 60 Small Businesses in Ohio, Kentucky

• Duke Energy coordinates with local chambers to distribute funds
• Grants to support minority-, women-, or veteran-owned small businesses

CINCINNATI, December 7, 2023 /3BL/ - November 25th was Small Business Saturday, a day dedicated to celebrating and supporting small businesses that keep communities vibrant. The Duke Energy Foundation has partnered with six local chambers of commerce and the Miami University Small Business Office to award $275,000 in grants to more than 60 local small businesses.

Under this partnership, the Duke Energy Foundation supplies the funding, while the chambers and Miami University Small Business Office determine the businesses to which the funds are granted. Preference is given to minority-, women- and veteran-owned businesses. Funds may be used for a broad array of expenditures including but not limited to physical space adaptability and beautification, technology improvements, talent sourcing, job posting fees, and professional development training costs.

“With the holidays upon us, our local small businesses are working tirelessly to serve their customers,” said Amy Spiller, president, Duke Energy Ohio and Kentucky. “We hope these funds bring a little extra cheer to those business owners who continue to navigate the current economy. And, as always, we encourage everyone to shop small.”

The Small Business Assistance grant program was first developed in 2020 to help small businesses survive and rebound from the pandemic. Since then, the Duke Energy Foundation has partnered with local chambers to provide approximately $880,000 in assistance to small businesses.

“Duke Energy continues to be an important partner to the Cincinnati Regional Chamber, and a great neighbor to our region’s small business community,” said Brendon Cull, president and CEO of the Cincinnati Chamber. “We hope these small business owners understand how critically important they are to our local economy and feel supported this season.”

The following small businesses have been selected to receive this year’s Duke Energy Foundation Small Business Assistance Grants:

Brown County Chamber of Commerce ($25,000)

• Bushel N A Peck LLC
• Curry’s Crafting Corner
• Hometown Screen Printing
• Jail Break Inn
• Lu Lu’s Suds
• National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) Brown County
• R. Varney Photography & Marketing
• R&R Poultry Farm
• Redeemed Homestead

Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber ($75,000)

• Blossoms Florist Inc
• Bonus Golf
• Cream + Sugar Coffeehouse
• DEFINE Oakley
• DJX Construction Company LLC
• KOFINAS OLIVE OIL
• Lentz & Company
• LoVe on Fourth
• Mad Cheese, LLC
• Minks By Marie LLC
• Olive Tree Catering LLC
• OTR Funplex
• RushFit Studio
• Sweet Sistah Splash - Sheba Mama
• Waverly’s Hope Child Care LLC

Clermont Chamber of Commerce ($25,000)

• Back the Hero Rumble
• Clear Mountain Food Park
• Debi’s Cut & Curl
• DigiMax Graphics Plus
• Tano Bistro & Catering

Grant County Chamber of Commerce ($25,000)

• Beauty & the Beard
• Body Works Gym
• Browning’s Country Ham
• The Colonel’s Creamery
• Cornerstone Equipment
• Dry Ridge Auto
• Ella Mae’s Sundaes
• Farmhouse Furniture
• Minuteman Press
• Ivy Leaf Florist
• Jim Simpson Realtors, Inc
• My Kiddie College
• Saylor Trailer Sales, LLC
• Shirt & Stuff Happens LLC

Miami University Small Business Office – Butler County ($25,000)

• Central Studio
• The Cracked Pot
• Dot's Beauty Salon
• Jessica Hyath Photography
• Nail ID
• Smooth Music Group
• Santosha Studio
• Tailor Made Counseling Services

Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce ($75,000)

• Airtrek Robotics
• Bailey Ross LLC dba Thrive Empowerment Center
• Clear Mountain Food Park
• Colonel De Gourmet Herbs & Spices
• Debi’s Cut & Curl
• Golden Gelato Company
• Inspired Fashion
• Kealoha’s Kitchen
• Twin Bistro & Catering dba The Gruff
• Union Music Academy
• Unique International Market

Warren County Foundation ($25,000)

• To be announced in early December

Duke Energy Foundation

The Duke Energy Foundation provides more than $30 million annually in philanthropic support to meet the needs of communities where Duke Energy customers live and work. The Foundation is funded by Duke Energy shareholders.

Duke Energy Ohio and Kentucky

Duke Energy Ohio/Kentucky, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, provides electric service to 900,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in a 3,000-square-mile service area, and natural gas service to 550,000 customers in a 2,650-square-mile service area, in Ohio and Kentucky.

Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America’s largest energy holding companies. Its electric utilities serve 8.2 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 50,000 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas unit serves 1.6 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. The company employs 27,600 people.

Duke Energy is executing an aggressive clean energy transition to achieve its goals of net-zero methane emissions from its natural gas business by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions from electricity generation by 2050. The company has interim carbon emission targets of at least 50% reduction from electric generation by 2030, 50% for Scope 2 and certain Scope 3 upstream and downstream emissions by 2035, and 80% from electric generation by 2040. In addition, the company is investing in major electric grid enhancements and energy storage, and exploring zero-emission power generation technologies such as hydrogen and advanced nuclear.

Duke Energy was named to Fortune’s 2023 “World’s Most Admired Companies” list and Forbes’ “World’s Best Employers” list. More information is available at duke-energy.com. The Duke Energy News Center contains news releases, fact sheets, photos and videos. Duke Energy’s illumination features stories about people, innovations, community topics and environmental issues. Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

Media contact: Casey Kroger Media line: 800.559.3853 Twitter: @DE_CaseyK

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