2024 LadderUp focus cities will be Birmingham, Boston, Minneapolis, Chicago, Detroit, Tampa, Charlotte, Houston, Miami and Ft. Lauderdale. 

It’s official! Retail store owners in ten cities across the country can now apply for 2024 grants in Shipt’s accelerator program, LadderUp! 

As part of Shipt’s commitment to boosting local economies, LadderUp helps retail store owners around the country grow and compete in an ever-evolving market. We’ve heard firsthand from retail store owners that bridging technology gaps and learning how to fully participate in e-commerce platforms are critical for their success and the ability to meet the needs of their communities. Good news - that’s exactly what LadderUp is designed to address. 

LadderUp launched last year, and over the course of spring and summer 2023, Shipt welcomed and graduated an inaugural class of 10 deserving retail store owners from across the country. We were inspired by the retail store owners we met, their enthusiasm for growing their retail businesses, and their deep commitment to their communities – so we’re headed into this year’s process with lots of enthusiasm and excitement.

Selected retail store owners will receive a $5,000 grant from Shipt to go toward their retail business operations. They’ll also go through an eight-week course to hear from retail industry leaders on driving sustainable growth, building a financial foundation, improving efficiency, developing better marketing, and learning e-commerce 101. Participants will also have access to virtual mentoring office hours with course instructors. It’s a lot of content in a short amount of time but based on feedback from our inaugural class, it’s time well spent. Upon program completion, participants will have the tools and resources to successfully navigate today’s e-commerce landscape. 

“At Shipt, we believe in the power of people and recognize that small business owners build thriving communities,” said Khadijah Abdullah, Vice President of Economic and Social Impact. “We understand the challenges retail store owners face in today’s ever-changing technological landscape and through LadderUp, we’re proud to help them grow and compete. We look forward to meeting this year’s participants and learning more about them and the communities they serve.” 

“LadderUp was a great opportunity for Fresh Houwse to learn firsthand, skills and techniques from leaders within certain industries and individuals from Shipt and how to utilize these resources to bring more opportunity to our community,” said Ivy Walls, owner of Houston-based Fresh Houwse Grocery. “If you’re a small business thinking of applying and you are ready to expand your reach and your knowledge of retail, LadderUp is for you.”

In addition to being a key business and community priority for Shipt, LadderUp follows through on one of the commitments we made at the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health. Online shopping and delivery expands access to food in underserved communities, particularly for those with mobility or transportation barriers.

Applications will be open for a month and close on February 16, 2024 at 6pm CST. If you are from one of our focus cities of Birmingham, Boston, Minneapolis, Chicago, Detroit, Tampa, Charlotte, Houston, Miami, and Fort Lauderdale and are interested in applying or know a grocery, health and wellness, or gifts and floral store owner that should, we encourage you to learn more and access this year’s application at Shipt.com/LadderUp.