Black Women's Expo offering new event, grant to boost businesses

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The Black Women's Expo has a new event planned for this month.

Bagels and Bosses is a brunch and business panel on Saturday, April 22. It's from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m at the Hyatt Regency.

"It's a smaller event, much smaller, but it's something we've been asked to do," said Merry Green, President of MGPG Events and creator of the Black Women's Expo. "It's going to be around food and hospitality."

The idea is to have some of the activations you see at the expo, but at another time.

There's also a chance for someone to get money to support her own business. The BWe NEXT PowHer Business Grant is a $2500 grant, plus coaching sessions.

"I wanted to do something to something to help small businesses," said Green. "I know what many of our exhibitors at the expo go through, we hear it every year, we watch them come to our show to be at our show, we make it affordable, so that they can be there, and so we wanted to do something with this grant."

The deadline to apply is Wednesday, April 12 at 11:59pm.