Non-profit praises Lin-Manuel Miranda's efforts to help Puerto Rico's small businesses by bringing 'Hamilton' to San Juan

In the fall of 2018, Lin-Manuel Miranda announced he would be reprising the titular role in his hit play "Hamilton" for a limited number of performances in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

The announcement sparked excitement and hope among local businesses and communities still reeling from the devastation following Hurricane Maria in September 2017.

Miranda, a Tony Award winner and Pulitzer Prize recipient, has been a vocal advocate for Puerto Rico since it was ravaged by the Category 4 storm, which crippled its infrastructure and compounded its economic woes. He has partnered with several major corporations, including JetBlue, the island's biggest airline carrier, American Express and Marriott, to promote Puerto Rico as a tourist destination and hopefully help stimulate its economy.

"People are going to come to Puerto Rico because of 'Hamilton,' and hopefully spend a lot of money here in small businesses on the island," Miranda said after 'Hamilton's opening performance, according to Business Insider. "But they're also going to see how much work is left to be done."

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Profits from the 'Hamilton' performances in San Juan will be donated to Flamboyan Arts Fund, an organization founded by Miranda in 2018 that is dedicated to nurturing, preserving and sustaining the arts in Puerto Rico. Additional organizations who impact thousands of people will also see some of the profits, including the Hispanic Federation, a non-profit membership organization located in the U.S. and Puerto Rico that works to uplift Hispanic children, families and grassroots non-profits, especially in times of need.

One Puerto Rican non-profit grantee of the Hispanic Federation, Grupo Guayacán, Inc. (GGI), is working directly with entrepreneurs to help, support and grow small businesses throughout Puerto Rico.

"[The Hispanic Federation] was one of the first funders for us outside of Puerto Rico that were willing to put money to work in local communities and also support organizations like ours, which work directly with small businesses," GGI's Strategic Development Manager Gabriela Álvarez told AOL Finance. "Immediately after the emergency stage, they were very quick to start looking for projects that would support the long term recovery of Puerto Rico and supporting small businesses is a huge part of that."

Post-Hurricane Maria, GGI supplied local small businesses with over $360,000 in emergency funding. The non-profit organization directly supported and assisted 106 businesses, helping to keep over 1,500 workers employed during the aftermath of one of the worst disasters in the island's history.

"Working capital is the most immediate need," GGI's Executive Director Laura Cantero told AOL Finance. "[Small businesses] need to keep doors open until the emergency is over."

The organization assists entrepreneurs and businesses in every phase from ideation and innovation to growing established companies.

Small Business alumni of Grupo Guayacán:

The 23-year-old organization is working to generate lasting economic development through entrepreneurship programs and access to capital from local and international investors. And Miranda's recent efforts to draw attention to Puerto Rico's small businesses haven't gone unnoticed.

"I think ['Hamilton' in San Juan] is probably one of the most recent events that has had the most impact -- not only in Puerto Rico's recovery and economy, but I think it’s done great, great things for Puerto Rico to be able to envision what we can do," Cantero said. "It's a feel-good testament of the talent that exists locally, and of course, being able to attract people from all over the United States and all over the world to come to Puerto Rico and to see 'Hamilton.'"

Cantero and Álvarez said, now that 'Hamilton's three-week run is over and much of the media is returning to the U.S., the real challenge will be keeping the momentum going.

"Finding a way to provide long-term engagement with a lot of these players is really the key," Cantero said. "The best way to leverage all the media attention is to be able to provide executable things that can be done immediately to continue to help these businesses."

"I am hopeful that ['Hamilton'] will have ongoing effects to our economy," Cantero added. "Very, very happy it happened and looking forward to what can happen next as a result."

Click here to learn more about Grupo Guayacán, Inc.