R/GA Launches Pro Bono Make/Good for Businesses Initiative to Help Close the Racial Wealth Gap for BIPOC Entrepreneurs

Participants to gain access to innovative thinking, and marketing resources to drive business growth

NEW YORK, April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- R/GA, the company that designs businesses and brands for a more human future, announced the launch of its Make/Good for Businesses - a first-of-its-kind pro bono initiative committed to helping close the racial wealth gap. According to Axios, 2-3% of private equity funds go towards BIPOC-owned and led businesses. The Make/Good for Businesses initiative is designed to champion change by investing in BIPOC entrepreneurs by providing them access to a wide range of services across branding, marketing, and digital strategy to drive the growth and acceleration of each company. 

"The Make/Good for Businesses program allows us to offer our expertise for greater impact towards reducing racial inequalities and issues that underrepresented entrepreneurs and communities face. I'm incredibly proud of our commitment to address these issues by doing what we do best," said Sean Lyons, Global Chief Executive Officer.

Make/Good for Businesses welcomes Black, Indigenous, Latine, Asian and underrepresented entrepreneurs in Argentina, Brazil, Germany, the U.K. and U.S. to apply to the program. Call for applications will run from April 12th, 2022, to April 26th, 2022. The final selection will be announced in June. R/GA will provide the selected applicants with the company's innovative thinking and access to R/GA's creatives, strategists, technologists, designers, and consultants to help them develop and scale their businesses over a twelve-month period.

"Owning a business is one of the most effective tools for closing the racial wealth gap for Black, Indigenous, and people of color. While it takes many barriers to grow a business, BIPOC entrepreneurs still lack substantial access to services and resources and need more help to overcome these disparities. R/GA'ers from our global network have committed to providing their time and support to BIPOC entrepreneurs to have the best opportunity to build sustainable, long-term wealth. We will offer the group entrepreneurs in our communities the same services and resources we offer our clients while embedding sustainable practices and solutions internally and externally," said Bayyina Black, Global Sustainability and Impact Director.

Last year, Make/Good for Businesses conducted a pilot program over the course of 18 months, and provided creative and operational services to 10 BIPOC businesses in Austin, Berlin, London, and New York. As one significant result of the pilot, Berlin-based nonprofit Founderland was awarded a $700K+ grant from Google, which ultimately led the organization to hire 10 new employees, and scale operations.

For more information about Make/Good For Businesses, please visit: Make/Good. 

About R/GA
R/GA is a global digital product, and marketing innovation company, part of The Interpublic Group of Companies (NYSE:IPG), with 15 offices across the United States, Europe, South America, and Asia-Pacific. We help brands and businesses define, connect with and create more human futures. We offer services across brand design and consulting, communication, experience, health, media, relationship design and ventures. For more information about R/GA, please visit rga.com.

SOURCE R/GA