Square's Forward program awards funding to 25 Black and Latino small businesses

Forward, the accelerator program by Square to support early-stage Black and Latino small businesses in the retail sector, received over a thousand applicants by its April 1st deadline. The majority were women-owned businesses. The inaugural program was launched in partnership with 1863 Ventures, American Express, and Social Change Fund United, the organization created by philanthropists, entrepreneurs, and NBA superstars Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, and Dwyane Wade, to support critical and timely issues impacting the Black community.