What is the SoGal Black Founder Startup Grant?
Black Founder Startup Grant. The Black Founder Startup Grant program from the SoGal Foundation and other sponsors provides grants of up to $10,000 to Black and multiracial women and nonbinary entrepreneurs. The program accepts applications on a rolling basis and is open to entrepreneurs with a legally registered business who plan to seek investor financing to scale.
Across the US, there are amazing Black startup founders who are building great companies yet are locked out of access to the funding that is critical to their success. SoGal Foundation has teamed up with Winky Lux, bluemercury, twelveNYC, Twilio, and other sponsors to make a small step towards progress by providing several $10K and $5K cash grants to Black women or nonbinary entrepreneurs.
Awardees will also receive tactical help navigating the fundraising environment at large so that they will have a more equitable opportunity at scaling the next billion dollar idea. They will also receive lifetime “ask-me-anything” access to the SoGal Foundation and SoGal Ventures teams. We know this is a small start, and we are hopeful that it will grow. We believe in a brighter future where the next world changing business does not go unrealized because of systemic discrimination.
To qualify, you should:
- self-identify as a Black woman or Black nonbinary entrepreneur (inclusive of multiracial Black women and multiracial Black nonbinary folks)
- have a legally registered business
- plan to seek investor financing in order to scale, now or in the future
- have a scalable, high-impact solution or idea with the ambition to be the next billion dollar business.