Eight Corporate Sponsors Back Innovative Woman-Led Businesses with $2,500 Grants Each
New York, NY – June 25, 2024
The Enthuse Foundation proudly announces the eight winners of the third round of its prestigious grant program, dedicated to addressing the unique challenges women entrepreneurs face. Each awardee will receive a $2,500 grant to support their innovative business ventures.
The winners were selected based on their demonstrated financial need, the strategic plans for using the funds, and the potential impact on their business's bottom line. This initiative, backed by eight leading corporate sponsors, aims to empower and propel women-led businesses towards greater success and sustainability.
“As an entrepreneur, I know how hard it can be,” said Kim Lawton, co-founder of the Enthuse Foundation and Enthuse Marketing. “In a male-dominated field, women entrepreneurs often struggle to access resources, information, and support to help their businesses thrive. The Enthuse Foundation exists to make a difference here, and I’m so proud our grant program continues to do that for deserving women founders.”
Here are the grants and respective winners:
Business Tools Grant sponsored by 1919 Investment Counsel – Jocelyn Ramirez, Todo Verde. Todo Verde, based in Los Angeles, is a plant-forward Latine-owned food business inspired by regional, true-to-culture flavors. The brand helps home cooks create chef-curated meals using its non-GMO seasoning and offers recipes through digital platforms and a best-selling cookbook.
Child Care Grant sponsored by BTR Nation – Brittany Rhodes, Black Girl MATHGIC. Black Girl MATHgic, based in Detroit, is a movement to increase math confidence, awareness, enthusiasm, agency, and fluency in children, with a focus on girls and black children, who are disproportionately impacted by math anxiety.
Community Connections Grant sponsored by Inspiro Tequila - Laura Markewicz, Lotza. Lotza, based in Milwaukee, WI, is a non-alcohol sparkling citrus punch (to mix with a spirit or enjoy solo) that boosts your mood and supports liver health and next day recovery.
Digital Marketing Grant sponsored by Enthuse Marketing—Alison Elliott, Farmer Foodie. Farmer Foodie, based in Boston, makes and sells deliciously memorable Cashew Parm products that are shelf-stable, sustainable, and free from dairy and gluten.
Health Insurance Grant sponsored by Cross Agency — Dayo McIntosh, Yateou. Yateou, based in greater Reno, NV, leverages AI technology and robotics to reimagine the traditional apothecary experience and drive transformative beauty practices. With AI skin analysis and a patented robot barista, we enable individuals to create personalized, sustainable beauty products on demand.
Insurance Grant sponsored by The Alera Group — Lin Chen, Pink Moon. Pink Moon, based in New York, NY, promotes harmonious well-being by integrating ancient wisdom from Eastern healing practices with modern daily rituals to help you cultivate joy and bloom into your fullest potential.
Rainy Day Fund sponsored by C/OLABWORKS – Nikki Seaman, Freestyle Snacks. Freestyle Snacks, based in Atlanta, GA, is a premium olive snack company reimagining olives as we know them. They are high-quality, delicious marinated olives from Greece with convenient, liquid-free packaging.
Retirement Grant sponsored by Alliant – Johnalynn Holland, Holland House Press. Holland House Press, based in greater Richmond, VA, is designed to address a critical niche within the home decor, art, and gift market by providing affordable, culturally relevant, and sustainable products.
More than 1,300 entrepreneurs applied for this year's grant program, with a record 3,200 submissions for eight available grants (founders were allowed to apply for more than one grant). Last year, 580 business owners applied, with 1,500 submissions for nine grants.
"It's always amazing and a little overwhelming to see the number of submissions for our grant program," said Kristy Snyder, co-founder of the Enthuse Foundation and Enthuse Marketing. "It speaks to the rise of women business owners in the United States and the tremendous funding gap for these entrepreneurs. I'm so proud of our grant program and how it supports a variety of women founders with a specific need they have. It's been Kim (Lawton, co-founder) and I's goal to provide additional capital outside of our annual pitch competition, which is only possible thanks to the continued generosity of our corporate sponsors."
Past grant winners have utilized funds to transition their website to a Shopify platform, purchase time-saving inventory management software, and undergo urgent dental treatment.
About the Enthuse Foundation
The Enthuse Foundation invests in a new generation of women founders and cultivates the next generation of business leaders. It is a non-profit organization that serves women and entrepreneurs through community building, education, resources, inspiration, mentorship, grants, and events. Learn more.
Comments