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Yesterday, at eBay Open, Dawn Block, VP and General Manager and Rebecca Michals, Director of Seller Engagement and Community, announced the recipients of the sixth annual Up & Running Grants program, awarding $500,000 in grants and resources to help 50 small businesses scale their operations and impact. The live announcement highlighted the creativity, passion, and resilience that define the eBay seller community.
In announcing the grantees, Dawn and Rebecca emphasized eBay’s commitment to championing entrepreneurs and helping them succeed at every stage, stating, “Up & Running was built on the simple yet powerful idea to empower our sellers and foster economic opportunity. We’re incredibly proud to see how these grants not only help businesses grow, but also uplift communities, families, and futures.”
The 2025 grant cohort reflects the breadth and diversity of eBay’s seller community, with recipients spanning more than 25 U.S. states and representing eBay’s wide range of product categories, from sneaker and auto parts sellers to record shops, toy stores, and antique dealers.
As part of the announcement, Dawn and Rebecca were joined onstage by Tanya Mahrous and Toby Tobias, co-founders of Second Life Thrift Store in Avondale Estates, GA. Their story exemplifies the transformative role eBay can play in helping sellers not only grow their businesses but also scale their missions.
After leaving a corporate career to start a nonprofit thrift store supporting animal rescue, Tanya and Toby built Second Life into a beloved Atlanta community hub. When the pandemic forced them to shut their doors, they pivoted to eBay, turning a local mission into a national movement. Their online storefront not only helped keep the organization afloat, but unlocked a new path to long-term sustainability by reaching buyers across the country. Every item sold in their eBay store helps fund life-saving animal care, honoring their late rescue dog Lucky and proving that small sellers can make a big impact.
Also at eBay Open were previous years’ grant recipients, including Yinka Ogunsunlade (2020), Alex Carrera (2021), Michelle Nguyen (2022), Kirsti Renwell (2023), and Jonathan Copeland (2024), who returned to celebrate this year’s grantees and share how the program has fueled their growth.
2025 Up & Running Grant Recipients
Following the onstage announcement, eBay unveiled the full list of 2025 Up & Running Grants recipients, which include:
Adam Robarge, Dabarge Golf , Tomah WI
Alore Arrington, Der Rittmeister Militaria , Seminole, FL
Angela Pelky, Second Summit Sneakers , Hood River, OR
Bassil Hamid. Tilal Auto Parts , Aurora, CO
Brandon Bramblett, BT Picker , Sioux City, IA
Brian Borell, Koiya Creations , Massillon, OH
Cherie Durand , Anchors Up Rescue Group , Plainfield, CT
Christopher Young, Hotwyre Live , Fontana, CA
Dekevrick Wilkins, Badge Addictz , Marshall, TX
Del aram Arefi, Seat Pro , Houston, TX
Devyn Michelotti, Let’s Go Devo , Phoenix, AZ
Donna Matturro McAleer, Bicycle Collective , Salt Lake City, UT
Dretha Barham, Blount County Friends of the Library , Maryville, TN
Emily Gray, Iris Tiger Toys , Springfield, MA
Eric Montoro, Laces Reloved , Ruskin FL
Ewduar Rincon Parra, BEfore Treasures , Madison, WI
Fralen Gatte, gotts_time_exchange , Jennings, LA
Gianni V Chavez, MomShiftRN , Chicago, IL
Haiden Lockwood, The Reloaded Co , Waterloo, IN
Jeff Mutschler, SRO Records , Austin, TX
Jeff Stewart, BamaSluggers , Iron Station, NC
Jessica Hartman, Shirts Hats and More , Casselberry, FL
Jordan Rodriguez, Exclusive Souls , Houston, TX
Jose Deleon, SouthPadreXchange , Los Fresnos, TX
Kenneth Ransom, Sterling Trust Co. Ltd. , Hempstead, NY
LaToya Morris, Liquidation Diva, LLC , AustinTX
Lauren Allen, Antiques Around Us , Wellsboro, PA
Mary Pugh, Friends of Orcas Island Library , Eastsound, WA
Matthew Carlisle, Vinyl615 , Franklin, TN
Michelle Ludwiski, ToylandBay , Fort Wayne, IN
Michelle Phillips, Salty Bird ReShop , Franklin, TN
Paula Holthaus, Haus Designs , Simpsonville, SC
Paul Lee, Treasure Zen , Santa Ana, CA
Paul Tabereaux, Pace Kicks , Huntsville, AL
Ralph Almond Cabeltis, Mirage Luxury Travel , North Las Vegas, NV
Richard Thornton, DIESELPARTS408 , Ellijay, GA
Robert Deen, DeensLife , Thornton, CO
Scott Schaaf, Pinwheel Records , Chicago IL
Serenity Kiser serenitysings , Camino, CA
Sharla S Jackson, Tradewinds247 , Denver, CO
Sumeet Kalantry, WheresYourSole , Forest Hills, NY
Tan Hui Sie, MonarcoMonarco , Tualatin, OR
Tanya Mahrous, Second Life Thrift Store, Inc ., Avondale Estates, GA
Amanda Ryman, The National Museum of Transportation , St. Louis, MO
Tim Langefels, ToughPullsTim , Chanhassen, MN
Tristan Bourque, River City One Sixth , Grovetown, GA
Troy Isley, Aurora Comics , Weston, FL
Tsegazeab Tedla, Tsega , Tempe, AZ
William Morris, Bill's Custom Cycles , Bloomsburg, PA
Zayd Khirfan, Taqwa Trade , Flint, MI
