Despite being the fastest growing group of entrepreneurs, Black women often face immense struggles when it comes to actually funding their businesses. In fact, raising capital and mentorship are two of the biggest issues facing Black women entrepreneurs today.
To help bridge this gap and lift up Black female business owners, haircare brand Flawless by Gabrielle Union has partnered with LinkedIn to launch their $25,000 “Lift As We Climb” grant initiative. The brand’s co-founders, actress Gabrielle Union and celebrity hairstylist Larry Sims, shared the exciting news via an Instagram post on International Women’s Day.
Through the “Lift As We Climb” grant, three Black, female-identifying entrepreneurs across the fashion, skincare, and hair accessories/tools categories will each be awarded $25,000 in financial support. Additionally, they will also receive a one-year LinkedIn Premium membership and a mentorship session to help elevate their LinkedIn profile.
To be considered for the grant, entrepreneurs must submit a one-minute brand video and brand deck for evaluation by judges. All applications will be accepted until April 19th. Six finalists will be selected to participate in a virtual pitch event taking place on May 10th and the three winners will be announced on May 17.
Keep scrolling for further details regarding eligibility and application requirements.
Eligibility Requirements:
- Must be 18+
- The company must be based and operated in the United States (open to U.S. residents and U.S. based brands only).
- The company must be in one of the following categories: fashion, skincare, or hair accessories/tools.
- Must have an existing company website and social media presence.
- Products are not in distribution at a major retailer.
- Business must be past the ideation phase with a fully developed product or service with customers or ready for customers.
Application Requirements:
- Eligible members must complete the application in its entirety and submit it by the 4/19/23 deadline.
- The complete application must be submitted with the following:
- Submit a two-page brand deck that includes a one-page executive summary and one-page product overview.
- Submit a one minute video that provides insight into your brand, purpose, point of differentiation, and how your brand plans to leverage the monetary grant. Video submissions cannot exceed 10mb.
- Submit a high resolution, headshot-type photo.
- If any portion of the application is incomplete or not included, the applicant will be disqualified.
If you are interested in applying for the “Lift As We Climb” grant, be sure to apply here. And, for more announcements related to this grant initiative, be sure to follow @flawlessbygu on Instagram.
