Nancy Twine announces $1m Dream Makers Founder Grant to empower female leaders

Nancy Twine, Entrepreneur, Executive, Investor, and Philanthropist, announced the Dream Makers Founder Grant - a visionary initiative designed to empower and support female entrepreneurs, with a particular focus on Black and BIPOC founders in the consumer goods industry. The $1 million grant aims to bridge the resource gap and help emerging businesses flourish, reach new audiences, and achieve their full potential. The grant, spanning four years from 2024 to 2027, will distribute $250K annually to selected grant recipients.

"Navigating early-stage business funding can be incredibly challenging. Much of my decade-long trajectory growing Briogeo was spent as a heads-down entrepreneur, focused on building the business. As I eventually scaled the business, I was able to be more 'heads-up' and through that, have been able to mentor and invest in other entrepreneurs. Inspired by my journey, I created the Dream Makers Founder Grant to provide critical, early-stage funding to underrepresented female founders. This support is uniquely structured - it doesn't involve surrendering rights, equity, or entail payback obligations. It's designed to let these founders concentrate on their vision while securing essential initial funding to bridge pivotal startup needs," says Twine. "I am eternally grateful for the bets placed on me over the years and am thrilled to pay this opportunity forward. It's my hope that the Dream Makers Founder Grant, coupled with mentorship, will inspire and empower underrepresented female founders to relentlessly pursue their dreams." 

In its inaugural year, the Dream Makers Founder Grant will collaborate with Sephora's 2024 Accelerate program and Fifteen Percent Pledge, renowned for their support of diverse entrepreneurship.

Priya Venkatesh, Global Chief Merchandising Officer, Sephora: "At Sephora, we believe in pushing for more diverse voices and perspectives within the beauty industry. Partnering with the Dream Makers Founder Grant aligns with our commitment to fostering inclusivity and supporting underrepresented beauty entrepreneurs. By collaborating with Nancy Twine and this initiative to further support Sephora Accelerate founders, we aim to empower the next generation of beauty leaders and contribute to a more equitable and vibrant industry."

Aurora James, Founder, Fifteen Percent Pledge: "At the Fifteen Percent Pledge, we are working to close the racial wealth gap by calling on retailers to dedicate a minimum of 15 percent of their shelf space to Black-owned businesses. Now more than ever, we recognize that advancing our mission requires direct investment in the growth of Black-owned businesses. As a Black-business owner myself, I know first hand the barriers that entrepreneurs face when trying to find necessary capital to grow their businesses, and how much of an impact the Dream Makers Founders Grant will make. I want to thank Nancy for her partnership and commitment to our shared mission."

www.nancytwine.com