Lowe’s Cos. to distribute small business grants

MOORESVILLE, N.C. — Lowe’s Cos. is considering applications for relief grants submitted by small businesses before August 4. The retailer is distributing a total of $55 million in grants through a nonprofit called Local Initiatives Support Corp. Of that sum, $30 million is earmarked for businesses owned by members of minority groups. “Having grown up in a small town, I have first-hand knowledge of the extraordinary challenges small business owners in rural communities across the country face during the pandemic,” Lowe’s Cos. CEO and President Marvin Ellison said in a statement. “We also remain committed to supporting minority small businesses that are being disproportionately impacted.”