Summer on Main Street

Summer is in full swing and a lot is happening on Main Streets across the country. Last month, we awarded $250,000 in monetary grants and other prizes to 15 deserving organizations. It’s also an important time for buyers in the education sector, as schools, colleges, and universities prepare to make the most of their budgets this academic year.

Read on to learn how we’re giving back to the buyers at the heart of our local communities.

Meet the 2024 Small Business Grant Recipients

Across the country, small businesses strengthen our communities, whether they provide healthcare, lead environmental research, or design new technology. To further support the growth of small businesses, we hosted our third annual Small Business Grants program, designed to spur innovation and support the growth of small businesses that are driving impact in their local communities. Small businesses across the U.S. had the chance to win over $250,000 in grants, with one grand prize winner, 4 finalists, and 10 semi-finalists.

We teamed up with Entrepreneur.com to select 15 semi-finalists and asked you to vote for your favorite small business to receive the grant. Thank you to all who participated! Meet your 2024 Small Business Grant winners here.

Back to School Buying

While students might be on summer break, that’s not quite the case for faculty and staff who are preparing for the upcoming academic year. As administrators look for ways to improve their educational organization’s operations and retain faculty, teachers and professors create instructional materials, stock up on educational materials for students, and gather supplies to foster a motivational learning environment.

The right supplies ensure a smooth first day back for students—and the right tools to get it empowers faculty and staff to stock up with efficiency. In the U.S., Amazon Business serves 80% of the 100 largest educational organizations, with education customers spending more than 33% of their total year budget during Back to School. With Smart Business Buying tools, teams can access the selection, convenience, and value you expect from Amazon, with features that streamline and support education.

We created a Back to School purchasing checklist to ensure education buyers make Smart Business Buying decisions during this busy season. Check it out for guidance on:

1. Budget Review: Review your previous academic year spend and create a new budget plan for next year.
2. Buyer Management: Add new staff, replace those who left, manage permissions, and enhance security with Single Sign-On.
3. Taxes and Compliance: Ensure eligible purchases are tax-exempt, reduce out-of-policy risks, and set purchasing guardrails aligned with your organization's ethos.
4. Flexible Payments: Consolidate invoices and gain financial control with Pay by Invoice, ideal for high-volume purchases.
5. Customer Delivery: Empower your faculty by setting delivery instructions and preferred days with "Manage Your Delivery."
6. Exclusive Discounts: Access educator discounts with savings of 5% or more year-round.

And speaking of exclusive discounts—we know that more savings equals more ways for you to support your students, which is why you can find exclusive educator savings on Amazon Business throughout back to school season. You can also shop on Educator Deal Days on 8/19 and 8/23 to save an extra 20%.

From our local small businesses, to the schools and institutions raising the next generation of entrepreneurs and leaders, we’re proud to support the organizations that give back to our communities every day. We’re here for every step of your buying journey. Learn how to focus on your customers and community with Smart Business Buying.