FAQS

Questions & Answers

It's time to discover what you need to grow your business. Hello Alice is here to guide you through funding, expert advice, and a supportive community at every step of your entrepreneurial journey.

An illustrated image of Ziggy running past a directional sign

General

Hello Alice is named after the fantastic tale of Alice in Wonderland. Co-founders Carolyn Rodz and Elizabeth Gore realized a business owner’s journey can often leave them feeling like Alice — curiouser and curiouser. Constantly running into the unexpected. Believing as many as “six impossible things before breakfast,” as the book says. If that doesn’t capture the entrepreneurial spirit, we don’t know what does.

Account

Hello Alice account password must meet the following requirements:
- At least 8 characters in length
- Contain at least 3 of the following 4 types of characters:
  - lower case letters (a-z)\n
  - upper case letters (A-Z)
  - numbers (i.e. 0-9)
  - special characters (e.g. !@#$%^&*)

Grants

Application Closes: August 4, 2023
Application Review Period: August 7th - September 29th
Recipient Tentative Announcement: October 2023

Unlike a business loan, grants are not automatically "approved" or "denied". Once the application window is officially closed on 8/4/23, the grant application review process will begin. The grant review teams will work to narrow down the pool of eligible applicants to the strongest grant applications that align with the judging criteria outlined in the Terms and Conditions, resulting in the top 40 awarded in this round.

The Antares REACH grant recipients tentative announcement is set for October 2023 as outlined in the Terms and Conditions.

Once the application window is closed, you should receive additional emails regarding the status of your application at the email address linked to the Hello Alice account you submitted your application through. Sometimes these emails can be flagged as junk/spam based on your email account settings, so we recommend marking emails from us as "safe" to help reduce the chance of the emails going to your spam/junk folder. You must also be subscribed to receive Hello Alice emails to ensure you are receiving these notifications.
Each "round" for a grant program always requires a new application. If you applied for a previous round, you are welcome to apply again as long as you still meet the Eligibility requirements outlined in the Terms and Conditions for the new/current round of the grant program!

We require a new application as each applicant needs to review/input their answers and directly agree to the Terms and Conditions of that round, as well as verify the authenticity and accuracy of their submission. Our grant application system does pre-populate a host of answers that carry from application to application to help with the ease and speed of applying, but you can adjust or update any pre-populated answers as you see fit for each specific application.
For a full list of all 2022 grant programs and recipients, check out the 2022 Small Business Grants in Review publication here!
Driving Small Business Forward Grant Recipients:

Announcing the Driving Small Business Forward Grant Recipients: Hello Alice and Progressive are pleased to announce the 10 recipients of the Driving Small Business Forward grant program, who will each receive $25,000 to purchase a commercial vehicle used to support their business.

2022 eBay Up & Running Grant Recipients:

Congratulations to the 2022 eBay Up & Running Grant Recipients! Hello Alice and eBay are pleased to announce the recipients of the Up & Running grant program. Fifty sellers were chosen to each receive $10,000 in cash and coaching through the eBay Academy.

The Accelerate(HER) Fund sponsored by Tiger Global Impact Ventures Grant Recipients:

Announcing The Accelerate(HER) Fund sponsored by Tiger Global Impact Ventures Grant Recipients: We’re proud to announce the recipients of the Accelerate(HER) Fund sponsored by Tiger Global Impact Ventures, in partnership with Hello Alice and the Global Entrepreneurship Network! This initiative awarded grants up to $50,000 to women entrepreneurs leading tech or tech-enabled small businesses. Recipients will use the funding to help them get to the next big milestone on their entrepreneurial journey.

Antares REACH Grant Recipients:

Announcing the Antares REACH Grant Recipients: We’re proud to announce the recipients of the Antares REACH Grant Program, presented in partnership with Hello Alice and the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN)! This initiative awarded $20,000 grants to 40 historically underrepresented entrepreneurs, who will also have an opportunity to receive an additional $5,000 grant after completing a follow-up survey demonstrating how the grant has impacted their business.

NAACP Powershift Entrepreneur Grant Recipients:

Announcing the NAACP Powershift Entrepreneur Grant Recipients: The NAACP Powershift Entrepreneur Grant awarded Black entrepreneurs $500,000 live on Black Entrepreneurs Day with Shark Tank's Daymond John. From October 6-October 12, 2022, Black Entrepreneurs from around the country were able to apply for the chance to win $25,000 each to help them grow and scale their businesses.

BGE Energizing Small Business (2022, Round 2):

Announcing the 2022 BGE Energizing Small Business (Round 2) Grant Recipients: Hello Alice and BGE are pleased to announce the 123 recipients of the BGE Energizing Small Business grant program recipients who will each receive $20,000 to help support their business operations.

FedEx Entrepreneur Fund:

Announcing the FedEx Entrepreneur Fund Grant Recipients: Hello Alice and FedEx are pleased to announce the recipients of the FedEx® Entrepreneur Fund grant program, who will each receive $10,000 to support their business owned by military-connected entrepreneurs and/or people with disabilities.

2022 Small Business Growth Fund (Round 3):

Announcing the Small Business Growth Fund Grant Recipients: Hello Alice is excited to announce the new recipients of the Small Business Growth Fund (Round 3), sponsored by Mastercard as part of the Year of Small Business movement. As a recipient for this round, each small business owner will be awarded a $5K grant.

The Entrepreneurial Spirit Fund by SIA Scotch:

Announcing Grant Recipients of The Entrepreneurial Spirit Fund by SIA Scotch: We are proud to announce the recipients of The Entrepreneurial Spirit by SIA Scotch! With support and guidance from Hello Alice, this fund connects grant recipients with the capital, mentorship, and community that will enable them to take action, build stronger businesses, and positively impact the economy.

Alibaba.com Manifesting Grants Recipients:

Announcing the Alibaba Grant Recipients: Hello Alice and Alibaba.com are pleased to announce the 50 recipients of the Alibaba.com Manifest Grant Program. Each recipient was awarded $10,000 and will also receive up to $5,000 in logistics support to grow their businesses!
Unlike a business loan, grants are not automatically “approved” or “denied.” Once the application submission deadline passes, all applications are assessed for eligibility by the grant review team. Then, the pool of eligible applicants is further narrowed down to the strongest grant applications that align with the review criteria outlined in the Terms and Conditions.

Each grant program has its own unique Terms and Conditions, including the evaluation criteria and the number of recipients that will ultimately be awarded. You will be contacted by Hello Alice directly to inform you of your application status (whether you have been selected as a recipient or not) once the review process is completed (generally 6 to 8 weeks from the closing of the application period).

Check out the Grant Review Timeline section for additional details regarding our grant programs!
Application Closes: March 24, 2023
Application Review Period: March 27th - May 19th
Recipient Tentative Announcement: June 2023

Check out the grant recipients announcement here!

Unlike a business loan, grants are not automatically "approved" or "denied". Once the application window is officially closed on 3/24/23, the grant application review process will begin. The grant review teams will work to narrow down the pool of eligible applicants to the strongest grant applications that align with the judging criteria outlined in the Terms and Conditions, resulting in the top 100 awarded in this round.

The BGE Energizing Small Business grant recipients tentative announcement is scheduled for June 2023 as outlined in the Terms and Conditions.

Once the application window is closed, you should receive additional emails regarding the status of your application at the email address linked to the Hello Alice account you submitted your application through. Sometimes these emails can be flagged as junk/spam based on your email account settings, so we recommend marking emails from us as "safe" to help reduce the chance of the emails going to your spam/junk folder. You must also be subscribed to receive Hello Alice emails to ensure you are receiving these notifications.
Check out our grant recipient announcements in 2023 below!
Stacy's Rise Project Grant Recipients:

Announcing the Stacy's Rise Project grant recipients: All 10 recipients are women-founded small businesses in the food and beverage industry. Each business makes between $25,000 and $1M in annual gross revenue for 2021 and agreed to participate in an exclusive virtual mentorship program with industry experts. Congratulations to these 10 recipients!

DoorDash Restaurant Disaster Relief Fund (Winter 2022):

Announcing the DoorDash Restaurant Disaster Relief Fund grant recipients: Hello Alice and DoorDash are pleased to announce the grant recipients for the Restaurant Disaster Relief Fund program! Each of these 25 restaurants will receive a $10,000 grant for rent, utilities, maintenance, supplies and other essential expenses.

Small Business Growth Fund (Round 4):

Announcing the Small Business Growth Fund (Round 4) grant recipients: Hello Alice is excited to announce the new recipients of the Small Business Growth Fund, sponsored by Mastercard. As a recipient, each small business owner will be awarded a $25K grant to help them make their next big move in 2023.

BOSS Network & Sage Invest In Progress:

Announcing the BOSS Network & Sage Invest In Progress grant recipients: We’re proud to announce the 2023 recipients of the Invest in Progress Grant made possible by Sage and The BOSS Network! All recipients will receive a $10,000 grant, as well as one year of monthly mentorship through the BOSS Business University, an online program that helps Black women successfully start and grow a business.

Democratizing Friends & Family:

Announcing the Democratizing Friends & Family grant recipients: Hello Alice and Project Entrepreneur, a program by UBS, are pleased to announce the 20 recipients of the 2023 Democratizing the Friends & Family Round Grant, who each received $25,000 plus mentorship to help them reach their next growth milestone.

Catalyst Fund:

Announcing the Catalyst Fund grant recipients: Hello Alice is excited to announce the recipients of The Catalyst Fund.

2023 Small Business Growth Fund (Round 1):

Announcing the 2023 Small Business Growth Fund (Round 1) grant recipients: Hello Alice is excited to announce the new recipients of the Small Business Growth Fund, sponsored by Etsy and Progressive.

2023 BGE Energizing Small Business (Round 1):

Announcing the 2023 BGE Energizing Small Business (Round 1) grant recipients: Hello Alice and BGE are pleased to announce the recipients of the BGE Energizing Small Business grant program who will each receive $20,000 to help support their business operations.

2023 Progressive Driving Small Business Forward:

Announcing the Progressive Driving Small Business Forward grant recipients: The Progressive® Driving Small Business Forward fund program will provide $25,000 towards a commercial vehicle to 10 Black-owned small businesses.

2023 Small Business Growth Fund (Round 2):

Announcing the 2023 Small Business Growth Fund (Round 2) grant recipients: Hello Alice is excited to announce the most recent recipients of the Small Business Growth Fund, funded by Etsy and Progressive, presented in partnership with GEN.
Application Closes: August 18, 2023
Application Review Period: August 28th - October 13th
Recipient Tentative Announcement: October 2023

Unlike a business loan, grants are not automatically "approved" or "denied". Once the application window is officially closed on 8/18/23, the grant application review process will begin. The grant review teams will work to narrow down the pool of eligible applicants to the strongest grant applications that align with the judging criteria outlined in the Terms and Conditions, resulting in the top 100 awarded in this round.

The BGE Energizing Small Business grant recipients tentative announcement is scheduled for October 2023 as outlined in the Terms and Conditions.

Once the application window is closed, you should receive additional emails regarding the status of your application at the email address linked to the Hello Alice account you submitted your application through. Sometimes these emails can be flagged as junk/spam based on your email account settings, so we recommend marking emails from us as "safe" to help reduce the chance of the emails going to your spam/junk folder. You must also be subscribed to receive Hello Alice emails to ensure you are receiving these notifications.
When logged into your Hello Alice account, you can view your in-progress/saved applications as well as your submitted applications by following the steps below!

Web browser (computer or mobile device):
1. Login to your Hello Alice account here
2. Go to Funding
3. Click View Grant Opportunities
4. From here, you will see 3 links: All, Saved & Submitted

Saved Applications:

Changes can still be made to the information provided on your application when it shows a saved status. Please note that saved applications are not automatically submitted - you must submit your application prior to the submission deadline outlined in the Terms and Conditions.

Submitted Applications:

Once the application has been submitted, no changes can be made. For more information, click here.
Application Closes: February 24, 2023
Application Review Period: February 26th - March 19th
Recipient Tentative Announcement: week of March 22, 2023

Check out the grant recipients announcement here!

Unlike a business loan, grants are not automatically "approved" or "denied". Once the application window is officially closed on 2/24/23, the grant application review process will begin. The grant review teams will work to narrow down the pool of eligible applicants to the strongest grant applications that align with the judging criteria outlined in the Terms and Conditions, resulting in the top 25 awarded in this round.

The Invest In Progress grant recipients tentative announcement is set for the week of March 22, 2023 as outlined in the Terms and Conditions.

Once the application window is closed, you should receive additional emails regarding the status of your application at the email address linked to the Hello Alice account you submitted your application through. Sometimes these emails can be flagged as junk/spam based on your email account settings, so we recommend marking emails from us as "safe" to help reduce the chance of the emails going to your spam/junk folder. You must also be subscribed to receive Hello Alice emails to ensure you are receiving these notifications.
Application Closes: March 3, 2023
Application Review Period: March 6th - April 10th
Recipient Tentative Announcement: April 2023

Check out the grant recipients announcement here!

Unlike a business loan, grants are not automatically "approved" or "denied". Once the application window is officially closed on 3/3/23, the grant application review process will begin. The grant review teams will work to narrow down the pool of eligible applicants to the strongest grant applications that align with the judging criteria outlined in the Terms and Conditions, resulting in the top 20 awarded in this round.

The Democratizing the Friends and Family grant recipients tentative announcement is scheduled for April 2023 as outlined in the Terms and Conditions.

Once the application window is closed, you should receive additional emails regarding the status of your application at the email address linked to the Hello Alice account you submitted your application through. Sometimes these emails can be flagged as junk/spam based on your email account settings, so we recommend marking emails from us as "safe" to help reduce the chance of the emails going to your spam/junk folder. You must also be subscribed to receive Hello Alice emails to ensure you are receiving these notifications.
According to our terms and conditions, an application “cannot be modified in any way” after it has been submitted. If you are needing to make a change to the information provided, you can create a new Hello Alice account with a different email address and submit a new application. If the information you are needing to change does not impact your eligibility, this is optional. If you are unsure whether your eligibility would be impacted, you can email us at [email protected] with your corrections.
Application Closes: June 30, 2023
Application Review Period: July 3rd - July 24th
Recipient Tentative Announcement: August 2023

Unlike a business loan, grants are not automatically "approved" or "denied". Once the application window is officially closed on 5/31/23, the grant application review process will begin. The grant review teams will work to narrow down the pool of eligible applicants to the strongest grant applications that align with the judging criteria outlined in the Terms and Conditions, resulting in the top 25 awarded in this round.

The Restaurant Disaster Relief Fund grant recipients tentative announcement is scheduled for August 2023 as outlined in the Terms and Conditions.

Once the application window is closed, you should receive additional emails regarding the status of your application at the email address linked to the Hello Alice account you submitted your application through. Sometimes these emails can be flagged as junk/spam based on your email account settings, so we recommend marking emails from us as "safe" to help reduce the chance of the emails going to your spam/junk folder. You must also be subscribed to receive Hello Alice emails to ensure you are receiving these notifications.
Application Closes: September 29, 2023
Application Review Period: October 2nd - October 23rd
Recipient Tentative Announcement: November 2023

Unlike a business loan, grants are not automatically "approved" or "denied". Once the application window is officially closed on 9/29/23, the grant application review process will begin. The grant review teams will work to narrow down the pool of eligible applicants to the strongest grant applications that align with the judging criteria outlined in the Terms and Conditions.

The Restaurant Disaster Relief Fund grant recipients tentative announcement is scheduled for November 2023 as outlined in the Terms and Conditions.

Once the application window is closed, you should receive additional emails regarding the status of your application at the email address linked to the Hello Alice account you submitted your application through. Sometimes these emails can be flagged as junk/spam based on your email account settings, so we recommend marking emails from us as "safe" to help reduce the chance of the emails going to your spam/junk folder. You must also be subscribed to receive Hello Alice emails to ensure you are receiving these notifications.
Application Closes: June 9, 2023
Application Review Period: June 12th - Sept. 14th
Recipient Tentative Announcement: week of September 25, 2023

Unlike a business loan, grants are not automatically "approved" or "denied". Once the application window is officially closed on 6/9/23, the grant application review process will begin. The grant review teams will work to narrow down the pool of eligible applicants to the strongest grant applications that align with the judging criteria outlined in the Terms and Conditions, resulting in the top 50 awarded in this round.

The 2023 eBay Up & Running grant recipients tentative announcement is scheduled for the week of September 25, 2023 as outlined in the Terms and Conditions.

Once the application window is closed, you should receive additional emails regarding the status of your application at the email address linked to the Hello Alice account you submitted your application through. Sometimes these emails can be flagged as junk/spam based on your email account settings, so we recommend marking emails from us as "safe" to help reduce the chance of the emails going to your spam/junk folder. You must also be subscribed to receive Hello Alice emails to ensure you are receiving these notifications.
Application Closes: October 6, 2023
Application Review Period: October 8th - October 25th
Recipient Tentative Announcement: November 2023

Unlike a business loan, grants are not automatically "approved" or "denied". Once the application window is officially closed on 10/6/23, the grant application review process will begin. The grant review teams will work to narrow down the pool of eligible applicants to the strongest grant applications that align with the judging criteria outlined in the Terms and Conditions.

The FedEx Entrepreneur Fund grant recipients tentative announcement is scheduled for November 2023 as outlined in the Terms and Conditions.

Once the application window is closed, you should receive additional emails regarding the status of your application at the email address linked to the Hello Alice account you submitted your application through. Sometimes these emails can be flagged as junk/spam based on your email account settings, so we recommend marking emails from us as "safe" to help reduce the chance of the emails going to your spam/junk folder. You must also be subscribed to receive Hello Alice emails to ensure you are receiving these notifications.
Application Closes: June 2, 2023
Application Review Period: June 5th - July 7th
Recipient Tentative Announcement: August 2023

Check out the grant recipients here!

Unlike a business loan, grants are not automatically "approved" or "denied". Once the application window is officially closed on 6/2/23, the grant application review process will begin. The grant review teams will work to narrow down the pool of eligible applicants to the strongest grant applications that align with the judging criteria outlined in the Terms and Conditions, resulting in the top 10 awarded in this round.

The Progressive Driving Small Business Forward grant recipients tentative announcement is scheduled for August 2023 as outlined in the Terms and Conditions.

Once the application window is closed, you should receive additional emails regarding the status of your application at the email address linked to the Hello Alice account you submitted your application through. Sometimes these emails can be flagged as junk/spam based on your email account settings, so we recommend marking emails from us as "safe" to help reduce the chance of the emails going to your spam/junk folder. You must also be subscribed to receive Hello Alice emails to ensure you are receiving these notifications.
Application Closes: April 21, 2023
Application Review Period: April 24th - June 2nd
Recipient Tentative Announcement: week of June 5, 2023

Check out the grant recipients announcement here!

Unlike a business loan, grants are not automatically "approved" or "denied". Once the application window is officially closed on 4/21/23, the grant application review process will begin. The grant review teams will work to narrow down the pool of eligible applicants to the strongest grant applications that align with the judging criteria outlined in the Terms and Conditions, resulting in the top 30 awarded in this round.

The Small Business Growth Fund grant recipients tentative announcement is scheduled for the week of June 5, 2023 as outlined in the Terms and Conditions.

Once the application window is closed, you should receive additional emails regarding the status of your application at the email address linked to the Hello Alice account you submitted your application through. Sometimes these emails can be flagged as junk/spam based on your email account settings, so we recommend marking emails from us as "safe" to help reduce the chance of the emails going to your spam/junk folder. You must also be subscribed to receive Hello Alice emails to ensure you are receiving these notifications.
Application Closes: July 21, 2023
Application Review Period: July 24th - Sept. 29th
Recipient Tentative Announcement: October 2023

Check out the grant recipients here!

Unlike a business loan, grants are not automatically "approved" or "denied". Once the application window is officially closed on 7/21/23, the grant application review process will begin. The grant review teams will work to narrow down the pool of eligible applicants to the strongest grant applications that align with the judging criteria outlined in the Terms and Conditions.

The Small Business Growth Fund grant recipients tentative announcement is scheduled for October 2023 as outlined in the Terms and Conditions.

Once the application window is closed, you should receive additional emails regarding the status of your application at the email address linked to the Hello Alice account you submitted your application through. Sometimes these emails can be flagged as junk/spam based on your email account settings, so we recommend marking emails from us as "safe" to help reduce the chance of the emails going to your spam/junk folder. You must also be subscribed to receive Hello Alice emails to ensure you are receiving these notifications.

Credit Card

Earn rewards and benefits including cash-back, gift cards, and exclusive access to Hello Alice business events and workshops. Get customized, on-demand business coaching to help you make critical decisions and special discounts on a variety of vetted business services. As part of the Mastercard World Elite for Business program, cardholders get access to powerful benefits like safety and security solutions and other tools³. Rewards are tailored to small business spending and cardholders may earn:²
- 4x points for every $1 spent on eligible wireless telephone services & business software purchases
- 3x points for every $1 spent on eligible office supplies & shipping purchases
- 2x points for every $1 spent on eligible ride share & restaurant purchases
- 1.5x points for every $1 spent on all other purchases
In addition, you can also earn points through various activities with Hello Alice:²
- Complete your profile on Hello Alice and earn 150 points
- Get rewarded 100 points when you log in three days in a row
- Complete a Program to earn 100 points
²For the Credit Card rewards program, see the Rewards Terms and Conditions in the Summary of Credit Terms. Please see the Hello Alice Terms of Service at helloalice.com/terms for information regarding expiration, redemption, forfeiture, and other limitations on Hello Alice points. Rewards redemptions are available online only. Please allow up to eight weeks after you qualify for the statement credit offer for it to be applied to your Account. Hello Alice points earned on Hello Alice activities cannot be redeemed for cash-back.

³See your Guide to Benefits when you become a cardmember for details.
The Hello Alice Small Business Mastercard® was designed to provide equitable access to working capital for small businesses while delivering best-in-class perks and rewards.

A card that grows with your business. Card benefits include:
- $0 annual fees¹
- 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first six billing cycles after account opening. After that, a variable APR of 19.99%-28.99% based on your creditworthiness.¹
- Access to 1:1 business coaching sessions with professional advisers available on demand²
- $200 statement credit when you spend $5,000 in the first three billing cycles after account opening (one credit per business account)². Apply by 11/30/23.
Having access to business credit is the lifeline for any business owner. A business credit card enables companies of all sizes to obtain the vital capital needed to expand, purchase inventory or equipment, and streamline day-to-day expenses while enjoying added perks, such as rewards and purchase protection. It's important to keep your personal and business spending separate. Responsible use of a business credit card also helps owners like you establish, build, or rebuild credit, which can be beneficial in qualifying for other financing and improve future borrowing terms, perks, loans, and improve future borrowing terms.
APR, or annual percentage rate, refers to the yearly interest a cardholder pays if you carry a balance. Simply put, it’s the cost of borrowing on a credit card. APR varies from card to card and may also include additional fees or charges. The Hello Alice Small Business Mastercard® has a 0% introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers made in the first six billing cycles after account opening. After that introductory period, purchases and balance transfers you make will be subject to an interest rate determined by your creditworthiness at the time of application. The Hello Alice Small Business Mastercard® offers an APR between 19.99%-28.99% based on your creditworthiness.¹
Hello Alice offers two credit cards: an unsecured card with a revolving credit line, and a secured card. A secured card is a type of credit card that requires a security deposit in order to open an account. Once a cash deposit is made, you may charge purchases anywhere that credit cards are accepted. Responsible use of a business credit card also helps owners like you establish, build, or rebuild credit, which can be beneficial in qualifying for other financing and improve future borrowing terms, perks, loans, and improve future borrowing term. If you choose to close your credit card account at any point, your entire security deposit will be returned. An unsecured card means you do not have to pay a security deposit in advance to be approved.

Loan

Say goodbye to long, complicated loan and financing applications! Our Small Business Loans Marketplace connects you with over 90 lenders and finance companies through one easy application, saving you time and getting you access to the capital you need for your small business.

While these are not minimum requirements, but the likelihood of us being able to identify a financing opportunity is lower. We are able to best serve applicants that meet the following criteria:
- At least $20K in monthly revenue
- Personal credit score of at least 600
- At least 6-12 months in business
How It Works:
1. Login to Hello Alice and visit the Small Business Loans Marketplace
2. Apply for a Small Business Loan by answering some quick questions about your business and see if you qualify for one of over 90 small business financing options.
3. A personal loan consultant will reach out to you within 3-5 business days to verify your information and provide an update on the status of your loan application.
While these are not minimum requirements, but the likelihood of us being able to identify a financing opportunity is lower. We are able to best serve applicants that meet the following criteria:
- At least $20K in monthly revenue
- Personal credit score of at least 600
- At least 6-12 months in business

Business Health Score

You can use your health score results to identify areas where you can improve your business practices and performance. The score provides insights into your business’ financial health, highlights strengths and areas of opportunity. Based on your score, Hello Alice provides personalized recommendations, resources, and support, including guides, programs, products, services, and expert events, to help you improve your business performance. By consistently taking the recommended actions and retaking the assessment after 90 days, you can monitor your progress and continue to make improvements to your business financial health.
The Health Score is a unique assessment designed explicitly for small businesses to evaluate the fundamental health of their business, and optimization for growth. Unlike a credit score, which primarily focuses on a business's creditworthiness and ability to repay loans, the Health Score takes into consideration a more comprehensive range of factors, such as financial management practices, business management practices, and credit score, to provide a comprehensive view of a business's financial fitness. Additionally, the Health Score provides actionable recommendations to help small businesses improve overall financial performance, increase the score, and optimize for long-term success. It's a tool that can be used by small businesses to monitor progress and make informed decisions about their financial future.
It is recommended to take the assessment at least once per quarter to track progress and identify areas for improvement. Regular assessment provides an ongoing understanding of the business's overall health and allows for timely interventions to address any challenges. Additionally, Hello Alice may prompt you to retake the assessment to stay up-to-date on the latest insights and resources for optimal business growth.
The business health score (BHS) is a comprehensive assessment that measures a small business's financial health and performance. The BHS is calculated based on questions that cover various aspects of a business's financial management, including revenue, expenses, cash flow, debt management, and more. The BHS provides small business owners with a snapshot of their current financial health and can help them identify areas for improvement. The BHS is designed to help small business owners make informed decisions about their financial future and achieve long-term success.
The Health Score is a tool we've created at Hello Alice to assess the overall financial health of your small business. It's calculated based on several key indicators encompassing your business's financial management practices, credit score, and financial performance. By answering questions about these areas, the Health Score generates a numerical score that ranges from 0 to 100, with a higher score indicating a healthier business. The score is designed to help you understand the current financial health of your business and provide you with actionable resources to improve it.
The score is intended to provide a snapshot of the business's financial health and help the owner make informed decisions to improve it. The higher the score, the healthier the business is considered to be. However, the score is not a guarantee of success or a measure of future performance but provides valuable insights. It can be useful for small business owners looking to optimize their financial health.
Hello Alice offers a range of resources and support to help small business owners improve their Business Health Score (BHS). These resources include:
1. Guides and educational content that provide insights and tips on how to improve the key factors that contribute to a healthy business.
2. Customized programs and products that are tailored to your specific needs and goals, based on the results of your health score assessment.
3. Expert events and webinars that bring together industry experts and provide valuable information and insights on topics related to financial health and business growth.
4. Personalized support from our team of experts, who are dedicated to helping you achieve your goals and improve your business financial health.
In short, Hello Alice provides a comprehensive suite of resources and support to help you optimize your business financial health, achieve your goals, and grow your business.
At Hello Alice, our mission is to empower small business owners to achieve their goals through access to resources, tools, and educational content. To help them understand and improve their business performance, we collect important data, including information about financial management practices, financial performance and position, and credit history.

We take data privacy and security seriously and maintain the highest standards. Our platform is SOC 2 Type 2 compliant and PCI certified, ensuring that all data collected is kept secure. The data collected is used exclusively to provide personalized recommendations and resources to small business owners and is never shared with third parties without the owner's consent.

By collecting and analyzing this data, we gain a better understanding of the unique needs of small businesses. This allows us to create targeted educational content, financial offerings, services, and solutions that help small businesses achieve financial stability and long-term success. Improving financial health can lead to increased revenue, improved cash flow, and effective debt management, setting small businesses on a path to long-term success.
Unfortunately, at the moment we do not have a feature that allows small business owners to compare their health score to others in their industry or region. However, this is something that we have plans to offer in the future, so please stay tuned. Our main focus right now is to provide personalized recommendations and resources based on a small business owner's individual health score, so they can focus on improving their own financial health.
It can take some time to see improvements in your health score as it is based on the current financial health and management practices of your business. The amount of time it takes will depend on the specific actions and steps you take to improve your score, as well as the current state of your business. Hello Alice provides personalized recommendations and resources to help you improve your score, but ultimately, the time it takes to see improvement will vary for each business.
There is no guarantee that a small business owner will increase their Business Health Score (BHS) by completing the recommended content and retaking the assessment after 90 days. However, using the resources and tools provided by Hello Alice and implementing the best practices for financial and business management can improve a small business's overall financial health and, therefore, potentially increase its BHS. It's important to remember that every business is unique, and results may vary. Still, Hello Alice is committed to providing the resources and support to help small business owners reach their goals.
You can use your health score results to identify areas where you can improve your business practices and performance. The score provides insights into your business financial health and highlights strengths and weaknesses. Based on your score, Hello Alice provides personalized recommendations, resources, and support, including guides, programs, products, services, and expert events, to help you improve your business performance. By taking the recommended actions and retaking the assessment after 90 days, you can monitor your progress and continue to make improvements to your business financial health.
The health score assessment is not directly tied to financing or funding options, but it can provide valuable insights into the financial health of a business. Understanding your business's financial health can help you make informed decisions about your finances and improve your chances of securing financing or funding in the future. Some funding providers may consider your health score when evaluating your loan application, so having a good score could increase your chances of approval. However, it is important to note that the health score is just one factor that funding providers consider when making lending decisions.
If your business scores low on the health score assessment, it means that there are areas where your business could improve its financial health. Hello Alice provides personalized recommendations and resources to help improve the score. This may include guides, programs, products, services, and expert events tailored to address the specific needs of your business based on the assessment results. It's important to understand that a low score is not necessarily a negative thing; rather, it's an opportunity to identify areas for improvement and take steps to strengthen your business's financial health.
The Business Health Score (BHS) is a measure of a small business's overall financial health based on the answers provided in the health score assessment. The score is not updated in real-time and only changes after the business owner has taken the assessment again. If a business owner completes a recommended course or content, the changes in their financial health may not be reflected immediately in their BHS. The updated BHS will only reflect the changes in the business's financial health the next time the business owner takes the assessment, assuming they have implemented the recommended changes.

Questions & Answers

General

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Account

Hello Alice Password Requirements

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Grants

2023 Antares REACH

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I applied for a grant previously - will my application automatically be entered in the new/current round?

2022 Grant Recipients

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2023 BGE Energizing Small Business Grant (Round 1)

2023 Grant Recipients

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2023 BGE Energizing Small Business (Round 2)

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2023 BOSS Network & Sage Invest In Progress

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2023 Democratizing the Friends and Family Round Grant

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2023 DoorDash Restaurant Disaster Relief Fund (Spring)

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2023 DoorDash Restaurant Disaster Relief Fund (Summer)

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2023 eBay Up & Running

Are grants hosted on Hello Alice open to businesses outside of the U.S.?

2023 FedEx Entrepreneur Fund

Are nonprofits eligible for the grant?

2023 Progressive Driving Small Business Forward

How do I know you received my application?

2023 Small Business Growth Fund (Round 1)

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2023 Small Business Growth Fund (Round 2)

Credit Card

What rewards and benefits are offered with the Hello Alice Small Business Mastercard?

What Is The Hello Alice Small Business Mastercard?

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What Is An APR?

What Is The Difference Between A Secured Vs. Unsecured Credit Card?

How Do I Transition To The Unsecured Card From The Hello Alice Small Business Secured Mastercard?

Loan

What is the Small Business Loans Marketplace?

How can I apply for a Small Business Loan?

Is a hard or soft credit pull done when I apply?

Are businesses outside of the U.S. eligible to apply?

Business Health Score

What is business health?

How does improved business health help my business?

How does the health score differ from a credit score or other financial assessments?

How often should I take the health score assessment

Who can use the Score? Only Hello Alice Members? Only U.S. businesses?

What is the business health score (BHS)?

What is the Health Score and how is it calculated?

Does the health score guarantee my business will succeed?

Is the health score assessment free?

How do I access and view my health score results?

What resources and support does Hello Alice offer to help me improve my health score?

Why does Hello Alice need to collect this data about me?

Can I compare my health score to other small businesses in my industry or region?

How long does it take to see improvements in my health score?

Is the health score assessment confidential and secure?

Is taking the Business Health Score required?

What is the methodology for the score?

Is there a guarantee I will increase my BHS if I complete the recommended content and then take the assessment again after the 90 days?

How can I use the health score results to improve my business?

Can I retake the health score assessment after I've improved my business practices?

Can the health score assessment be used to access financing or funding?

What happens if my business scores low on the health score assessment?

I completed a recommended course/content - why didn’t my BHS change?