Small businesses with high visibility and access to cost-effective products and services are more likely to thrive, grow, and expand. Unfortunately, not all entrepreneurs encounter equal opportunities to be successful.
A study from StartOut, a national LGBTQ+ nonprofit organization, notes:
“LGBTQ startup founders are completely absent in two-thirds of the 77 cities with 50 or more high-growth entrepreneurs,” and suggests “entrepreneurial ecosystems contain less than a tenth of the LGBTQ founders that would be expected if everyone had equal access.”
That is why Vistaprint, the design and marketing partner for small businesses, is teaming up with StartOut: to uplift and fuel the creativity of LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs through a year-round Platinum-level partnership.
Vistaprint is partnering with StartOut to invest a total of $250,000 to lift LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs through a combination of financial donations, education, mentorship, and scholarship programs.
Vistaprint is also advancing its commitment to diversity and inclusion by providing StartOut members with invaluable opportunities and resources that can help set them up for success.
Learn more about how to support StartOut as you shop online for custom pride products.
What is Vistaprint?
Vistaprint is a global e-commerce company that produces carefully designed print and digital custom marketing materials to help small businesses thrive.
They offer business cards, packaging, advertising, signs and posters, promotional products, and more in addition to stationary, photo gifts, even clothing. Taken together, their products and services help small business owners own the now.
What is StartOut?
StartOut is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing the number, diversity, and impact of LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs.
As the largest supporters of the LGBTQ+ business community, StartOut supports more than 17,000 members nationwide by “providing the resources entrepreneurs need to succeed, promoting the successes of our community, and researching the economic impacts of LGBTQ+ discrimination.”
Vistaprint x StartOut Partnership
Some of the ways Vistaprint’s partnership with StartOut will lift LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs include:
1. StartOut Acceleration Initiative Scholarships
Vistaprint is sponsoring 25 scholarships for the StartOut Acceleration Initiative, which offers one-on-one mentorship opportunities between growing small businesses and industry experts to help bridge minority and gender inequality in the entrepreneurial community.
2. COVID-19 Relief for LGBTQ+-Owned Small Businesses
StartOut is working with 99designs by Vistaprint to identify ten LGBTQ+-owned small businesses for participation in 99 Days of Design, a global initiative providing customized design support (from refreshed brand identities to marketing materials) plus $15,000 financial donations to help small businesses around the world rebuild and recover from the pandemic.
3. Official Sponsorships
Vistaprint is an official sponsor of StartOut’s annual Equity Virtual Summit, which focuses on helping LGBTQ+ women and minority entrepreneurs meet challenges, fundraise, and thrive in business. The company also sponsors StartOut’s networking platform, NetworQ, the largest online directory of its kind for LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs.
Support StartOut with these Vistaprint Pride Products
In celebration of Pride Month, Vistaprint has committed 20 percent of the proceeds from its June 2021 sales associated with its newly launched line of Pride products and marketing items, which includes:
1. Pride T-Shirts
There are thirty-five Pride T-shirt designs (fun themes like Girls Night Out and Bachelor Party!) that you can customize with your name, city, business logo, photos, text, and more.
Giving Tip: Giving Assistant shoppers earn 10% cash back on Vistaprint purchases to keep or donate.
2. Masks by Vistaprint® Pride Collection
Vistaprint’s Pride face masks have bendable nose bridges, adjustable ear straps, and filter pockets with design concepts such as ‘Yas Queen,’ ‘Love Wins,’ and the Pride Trans Flag.
3. Pride Mugs
Add photos and text to custom Pride mug templates featuring rainbow flags, queer pride, and hearts, available in wraparound and two-sided styles.
4. Pride Stickers
Spread love and show support with Pride-themed stickers, including horizontal roll labels and bumper stickers you can customize with text, hashtags, location, and event messages.
Other Vistaprint Pride products to help small businesses and shoppers show support include:
- Yard signs
- Banners
- Postcards
- Notebooks
What Sets Vistaprint Apart?
Support for the LGBTQ+ community extends well beyond Vistaprint providing businesses and shoppers with Pride Month merch; the company also strives to increase workplace equality and has most recently made strides with the following initiatives:
- LinkedIn Learning Module trainings on diversity and inclusion
- Virtual PRIDE speaker events with LGBTQ+ advocates, allies, activists, political figures and celebrities
- Job fair sponsorship for the New England Trans community at First Event Boston
In addition to being named one of the best remote-first workplaces in the U.S., Vistaprint also debuted on the Human Rights Campaign’s list of “Best Places to Work for LGBTQ Equality,” scoring a perfect score of 100 on the HRC Foundation’s 2021 Corporate Equality Index (CEI).
The CEI rates companies’ corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ workplace equality and scores businesses on their performances related to:
- Non-discrimination policies across business entities
- Equitable benefits for LGBTQ workers and their families
- Corporate social responsibility, and
- Supporting an inclusive culture.
How You Can Give Back When You Shop Vistaprint
Shopping at Vistaprint with Giving Assistant not only helps you save on customized gifts, products, and marketing materials—you can also support LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs and small businesses with your everyday shopping year round.
We partner with your favorite retailers and make it easy for you to find the best online deals, plus earn cash back you can keep or share with charitable organizations like StartOut. Learn more about how Giving Assistant works and how you can turn your savings into donations for nonprofits working on causes you care about.
If you haven’t already, you can download our browser extension, the Giving Assistant Button (it’s free!), and start applying promo codes and donating to nonprofits seamlessly as you shop online at Vistaprint. Every bit helps empower more small businesses to live their dreams!