Comcast Celebrates 2024 Rise Grant Recipients
$500K in grants awarded to 100 small businesses in Southern Colorado
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO / ACCESSWIRE / November 21, 2024 / Yesterday, Comcast brought together more than 100 Comcast RISE recipients, partners, local officials, Comcast leaders and more from across Southern Colorado for Comcast RISE Day: an evening of education, collaboration, networking and recognition.
The Comcast RISE program awarded a total of $500,000 in grants along with technology makeovers, marketing assistance, coaching sessions and education resources to 100 small businesses in Southern Colorado this year. Southern Colorado is one of five communities in the nation chosen for the 2024 program.
"I'm confident that with the marketing assistance and technology makeover, we can more effectively share the type of experience we offer, increase our occupancy, and ensure more happy guests have a RAD Colorado experience," said Erin Welch, RISE Grantee and Owner of RAD Hostel in Colorado Springs.
Comcast RISE Day was a way to provide ongoing investment and help ensure the long-term success of these small businesses, which are the bedrock of economic growth in their communities.
"Thanks to Comcast RISE, I now have an opportunity for a fresh start, and resources to grow my business,"Said Rique Lucero, RISE grantee and Owner of ColorSplashPaintball in Pueblo, CO.
"Small businesses are the backbone of our communities, and Comcast is dedicated to the success and empowerment of these local businesses in Southern Colorado," said J.D. Keller, Regional Senior Vice President, Comcast Mountain West Region."Our mission for Comcast RISE is to ensure these businesses can prosper, thrive, and create a sustainable impact across Colorado."
Comcast RISE was created in November 2020 to help small businesses hardest hit by COVID-19 by providing the grants and services needed to survive and recover. The program since evolved from helping businesses survive the pandemic, to helping businesses and their communities achieve stronger economic growth.
Held at the United States Olympic and Paralympic Museum in Colorado Springs, the event featured networking, a marketplace offering connections to local resources through Colorado Springs Chamber and EDC, the BBB of Southern Colorado, The Pueblo Economic Development Corp., and the Pikes Peak Small Business Development Center, as well as Comcast Business.
Robert Thompson, Vice President, Comcast Business in the Mountain West Region, emceed the evening, and we were honored to hear from Jonathan Liebert, CEO/Executive Director, Better Business Bureau of Southern Colorado, who discussed how AI can be a power-up for small businesses.
Story Continues
More information is available at https://www.comcastrise.com/ .
About Comcast RISE: Comcast RISE is part of Project UP, the company's $1 billion commitment to advance digital equity through programs and community partnerships that connect people to the Internet, advance economic mobility and open doors for the next generation of innovators, entrepreneurs, storytellers and creators.
About Comcast Corporation
Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA) is a global media and technology company that connects people to moments that matter. We are principally focused on broadband, aggregation, and streaming with over 56 million customer relationships across the United States and Europe. We deliver broadband, wireless, and video through our Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky brands; create, distribute, and stream leading entertainment, sports, and news through Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, Universal Studio Group, Sky Studios, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, multiple cable networks, Peacock, NBCUniversal News Group, NBC Sports, Sky News, and Sky Sports; and provide memorable experiences at Universal Parks and Resorts in the United States and Asia. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.
Contact Details:
Comcast
Leslie Oliver
+1 303-810-6326
leslie_oliver@comcast.com
Company Website:
https://colorado.comcast.com/
SOURCE: Comcast Corporation
View the original press release on accesswire.com
Hashtags
- Business#ComcastRISE,ComcastRISEDay,RISE,COVID-19,ProjectUP,Internet,ErinWelch,RiqueLucero,J.D.Keller,RobertThompson,JonathanLiebert,Comcast,ComcastBusiness,RADColorado,RADHostel,ColorSplashPaintball,UnitedStatesOlympicandParalympicMuseum,ColoradoSpringsChamberandEDC,BBBofSouthernColorado,ThePuebloEconomicDevelopmentCorp.,PikesPeakSmallBusinessDevelopmentCenter,BetterBusinessBureauofSouthernColorado
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
37 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Decades After Its Joint-Venture Journey Began, Hulu's Sole Ownership By Disney 'Finally Resolved' With $439M Payment To NBCU, Bob Iger Exults
The long and winding road of Hulu, which started in the pre-smartphone era as a streaming joint venture involving NBC and Fox, has concluded with the finalizing of Disney's buy-out of Comcast. Disney is paying an extra $438.7 million to Comcast's NBCUniversal, on top of the $8.6 billion it committed in 2023 under the terms established in a put/call arrangement unveiled in 2019. That deal, which was accompanied by Disney's $71.3 billion acquisition of most of 21st Century Fox, fueled Disney's streaming ambitions as it prepared to launch Disney+. More from Deadline It Starts On The Page (Limited): Read 'Dying For Sex' Episode 1 Script "Good Value Diet Soda" By Kim Rosenstock & Elizabeth Meriwether Iris Apatow Joins Season 3 Of Hulu's 'Tell Me Lies' As Recurring 2025 Premiere Dates For New & Returning Series On Broadcast, Cable & Streaming While Disney gained full operational control of Hulu, the agreement preserved Comcast's one-third financial position pending the outcome of negotiations over the final price. A $27.5 billion floor value was set, with multiple third-party appraisals then entering the discussions. Disney's appraisal, not surprisingly, came in below the $27.5 billion level, while NBCU rendered an estimate that was 'substantially' higher, Disney said in an SEC filing. Disney CEO Bob Iger and Comcast CEO Brian Roberts publicly jockeyed over the value of the service in a sector increasingly defined by streaming. The transaction, completed Monday, 'takes into account the valuation of a third appraiser,' the filing explained. Had the NBCU appraiser prevailed, the result would have been a payment to Comcast/NBCU of about $5 billion, Disney said. The buyout is slated to close on or before July 24. 'We are pleased this is finally resolved,' Iger said in a statement. 'We have had a productive partnership with NBCUniversal, and we wish them the best of luck. Completing the Hulu acquisition paves the way for a deeper and more seamless integration of Hulu's general entertainment content with Disney+ and, soon, with ESPN's direct-to-consumer product, providing an unrivaled value proposition for consumers.' Comcast said in a statement provided to Deadline, 'Hulu was a great start for us in streaming that generated nearly $10 billion in proceeds for Comcast and created an important audience for NBCUniversal's world-class content. We wish Disney well with Hulu and appreciate the cooperative way our teams managed the partnership.' Disney has been more closely integrating Hulu with its Disney+ flagship and its linear networks in recent years. Hulu remains a key participant in Disney's vertical bundles as well as a successful one involving a third-party, HBO Max. After NBC and Fox hopped onboard the streaming pioneer ahead of its official founding in 2007, Disney soon followed and Time Warner would go on to take a 10% stake. In-fighting often hindered the progress of Hulu as its strategy continuously shifted. While each participant in the JV fell away as companies pursued their own independent strategies, the irony is that a Hulu-style coming together of legacy players is now coalescing as media giants grapple with the costs and murky financials of streaming compared with the lucrative pay-TV business. Best of Deadline Sean 'Diddy' Combs Sex-Trafficking Trial Updates: Cassie Ventura's Testimony, $10M Hotel Settlement, Drugs, Violence, & The Feds A Full Timeline Of Blake Lively & Justin Baldoni's 'It Ends With Us' Feud In Court, Online & In The Media Where To Watch All The 'John Wick' Movies: Streamers That Have All Four Films Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
CORRECTION -- Payden & Rygel
LOS ANGELES, June 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In a release issued earlier today by Payden & Rygel, please note we have corrected the proper name of the Payden & Rygel municipal bond team in the headline, as well as the first and second paragraphs. The corrected release follows: Default ahead for California? Unlikely, says New Report From Payden & Rygel's California Municipal Bond TeamRecent concerns over California's fiscal health—driven by declining initial public offering (IPO) volume, reduced federal funding risk, and rising costs—have prompted questions about the state's financial stability. However, after a thorough analysis, Payden & Rygel's municipal bond team believes the risk of a bond default or severe credit deterioration remains low. 'While we understand investors' concerns about the California economy, its capacity to generate adequate revenue to match spending levels and the potential impact on the state's municipal debt, we believe that although the revenue picture is softening, the outlook remains relatively stable over the next 1-2 years with potential credit rating deterioration limited to just one notch over that timeframe in a worst case scenario. Near term ratings will hinge on the final FY 26 budget that we expect Sacramento to pass by June 15th, otherwise lawmakers don't get paid,' say the report's authors, the Payden & Rygel's municipal bond team. 'We are also closely monitoring the evolution of entitlement spending reduction proposals at the federal level but ultimately expect Medicaid cuts to be less pervasive than currently feared,' they added. Here are six reasons to be optimistic: The 10th amendment prohibits states, including California, from filing for bankruptcy. While defaults are technically possible, California is nowhere near default based on current less than a month in the current fiscal year, tax revenues are weakening but remain strong, with Governor Newsom's recent May Revision projecting a relatively small $12 billion projected for next year. IPO activity, while down, is not a core revenue driver. Its recent decline reflects a normalization post-COVID stimulus, not a structural weakness. All three major credit agencies S&P, Moody's, and Fitch—rate California AA-/Aa2/AA, respectively, all with stable outlooks but we expect the ratings agencies to refine their views this summer following the finalization of the FY 2026 budget process by the end of gross domestic product (GDP) ranks #4 globally, recently surpassing Japan, underscoring a broad, diverse and innovative state economy with a deep employment base. Although reserves have dipped since 2023 due to pandemic fund drawdowns and budgetary uncertainty in FY 2023/2024 due to delayed tax receipts, they remain at comparatively strong levels historically that will grant state leadership time to navigate federal policy uncertainty, which Governor Newsom blames for a softening of service is low at 3–4% of governmental expenditures, and pension funding remains solid. Because of constitutional protections that prioritize education and debt payments, revenue would need to drop over 50% to threaten debt service. For context, State revenues dropped 15% in uncertainty, California retains healthy credit fundamentals with relatively stable ratings, manageable deficits, excellent access to liquidity and conservative budgeting assumptions that support bondholder confidence. In summary, while recent headlines surrounding tariffs, fiscal tightening, and economic uncertainty have contributed to heightened market anxiety, our base case remains firm: Although California's credit profile is softening, it continues to demonstrate resilience, supported by a vast and diversified tax base, substantial reserve levels across all governmental funds, and long-term liabilities that we consider both moderate and manageable. Here is a link to the full report. ABOUT PAYDEN & RYGEL With $165 billion under management, Payden & Rygel is one of the largest privately-owned global investment advisers focused on the active management of fixed income and equity portfolios. Payden & Rygel provides a full range of investment strategies and solutions to investors around the globe, including Central Banks, Pension Funds, Insurance Companies, Private Banks, and Foundations. Independent and privately-owned, Payden is headquartered in Los Angeles and has offices in Boston, London, and Milan. Visit for more information about Payden's investment offerings, including US mutual funds and Irish-domiciled funds (subject to investor eligibility). This material reflects the firm's current opinion and is subject to change without notice. Sources for the material contained herein are deemed reliable but cannot be guaranteed. This material is for illustrative purposes only and does not constitute investment advice or an offer to sell or buy any security. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. For press requests, please contact:Kate Ennisennis@ Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Disney finally owns all of Hulu, ending long tug-of-war with Comcast
Walt Disney Co. has agreed to pay Comcast Corp. an additional $438.7 million to finalize the Mouse House purchase of streaming service Hulu. Disney in December 2023 initially paid Comcast $8.6 billion for NBCUniversal's one-third stake in the streaming service. The final payment, announced Monday, brings the total amount the Burbank entertainment giant will ultimately pay Comcast for its stake to $9.2 billion. This week's agreement came after an extended appraisal process as the two companies struggled over Hulu's actual value. The platform that is home to "The Handmaid's Tale" and "Only Murders in the Building" appears to be worth about $27.5 billion. The resolution also represents a major step in Disney's years-long pivot to streaming. 'We are pleased this is finally resolved," Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger said in a statement, acknowledging Disney's productive partnership with the Philadelphia-based company. "Completing the Hulu acquisition paves the way for a deeper and more seamless integration of Hulu's general entertainment content with Disney+ and, soon, with ESPN's direct-to-consumer product, providing an unrivaled value proposition for consumers," Iger said. Read more: Disney to pay at least $8.6 billion for Comcast's Hulu stake The two companies have had tense relations since Comcast launched a failed hostile takeover of Disney in 2004. Tensions flared again seven years ago after Comcast jumped into Disney's bidding process for Rupert Murdoch's entertainment assets, substantially driving up the price for Disney. Disney prevailed. It gained the majority stake in Hulu as part of its $71-billion acquisition of much of Murdoch's company in April 2019. That spring, Disney and Comcast negotiated a pact that outlined the governance of the service while it was jointly owned by the two companies and also provided a blueprint to dissolve their partnership. At the time, they agreed that Hulu would be valued at no less than $27.5 billion, making Comcast's stake worth at least $8.6 billion. Comcast's divestiture process began two years ago when Chief Executive Brian Roberts signaled that his company wanted out. The parties then entered into an appraisal process to find a value for Hulu. Disney noted the $438.7 million payment was substantially less than what Comcast had wanted. The deal is expected to close by July 24. Hulu launched as an NBCUniversal and Fox joint venture in 2008. Disney joined the following year as an equity owner. 'Hulu was a great start for us in streaming that generated nearly $10 billion in proceeds for Comcast and created an important audience for NBCUniversal's world-class content," Comcast said in a statement Monday. "We wish Disney well with Hulu and appreciate the cooperative way our teams managed the partnership." Sign up for our Wide Shot newsletter to get the latest entertainment business news, analysis and insights. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
