Money Moves for Women's History Month 2021

Happy Women’s History Month to all the women making waves out there! We see you, we hear you, and we admire you for embodying our theme for 2021: say no to the status quo! 

Great ideas are awesome, but why pay for it yourself when so many people are happy to do it for you? Stop giving your ideas away for free and take it up a notch by being your own sugar mama!

The best part? Soar to Excellence Coaching® is here to do all the heavy lifting for you. We know you’re feeling tired and burnt out. It’s been a chaotic year! So sit back and relax as we outline all the need-to-know grants, pitch competitions, and business incubators that’ll happily fund you business venture without you having to spend a dime. 

Women's History Month FACTS

Did you know it wasn’t until 1839 that a woman could lawfully own property without a man’s signature? And that was only in the single state of Mississippi! Fast forward to 2021 and now more than 11.6 million firms are owned by female founders in the U.S. 

But the jaw-dropping statistics don’t stop there! Of those same 11.6 million firms, nearly 9 million jobs and $1.7 trillion in sales are generated. Women of color own 5.4 million of these firms, generating 2.1 jobs and $361 billion in annual revenue. Don’t believe us? Just check out our blog post recapping The 2020 State of the Women where we break things down even further.

The numbers speak for themselves—women are killing the game! While the path ahead stretches far into the distance, it’s heartening to recognize the strides we’re already making. Our female predecessors have made one thing strikingly clear: if you have a great business idea—develop it! 

GRANTS FOR WOMEN IN BUSINESS

Let’s talk even more money, honey! If you’re a female founder looking for federal or private grants, you’ll want to keep an eye out for these personal favorites: 

The Amber Grant

In honor of a woman who died before fulfilling her business dreams, this grant awards $10,000 to a qualifying female business owner every month! If that isn’t enough to boost your excitement, the Amber Grant Foundation also selected an additional $25,000 winner at the end of every year. Yes, you read that correctly!

37 Angels

This angel investment group truly is divine. Dedicated to helping startups actively closing the gender gap, 37 Angels awards lofty grants all year round! Every 2 months, 8 applicants are selected to pitch to investors. Prizes range from $50,000-$2000,000 each, a striking upshot compared to the average $25,000 by other investors.

The FedEx Small Business Grant

Fedex doesn’t just deliver packages—they deliver dreams too! This grant offers small businesses a chance to win a 1st Place Grand Prize of $50,000! Runners-up score $30k for 2nd Place and $15k for 3rd. And if that isn’t enough, all winners receive exclusive FedEx Office print services on top of that! So what are you waiting for? Start crafting your winning pitch today!

IFundWomen

If you’re looking for grants, IFundWomen is the perfect place to start. Offering a wide selection of grant programs for women-identified entrepreneurs, there’s truly something for everyone! The Visa Grant Program and the IFW Brokered Grant, in particular, are exclusively tailored to Black-owned businesses.

Grants.gov

Grants.gov is the end-all-be-all when it comes to grants. Offering tips for applications, writing, and more, this portal doesn’t just fund federal grants. It advises exactly how to win them too! Offering filters for women-owned and minority-owned businesses, funding amounts and eligibility requirements vary broadly.

PITCH COMPETITIONS + BUSINESS INCUBATORS

COME GET THIS MONEY, MA’AM!

You have the ideas, now it’s time to get the ball rolling! If you need funding, virtual pitch competitions and business incubators are the places to be in 2021. They’re especially great since they allow you to pitch your startup to multiple investors all at once. Designed to help budding inventors launch their entrepreneurial goals, no one leaves empty-handed. Even if you don’t win the grand prize, you still build strategic partnerships, gain media exposure, and receive professional feedback. They’re also a great networking resource for women in business. You can find our top picks below:

Women’s Founder Network

WFN is currently accepting applications for their 2021 Fast Pitch Competition from April 1-June 15. Prizes and Benefits for finalists include: 

  • $40k+ in cash prizes
  • $125k+ in professional services
  • 1-on-1 pitch coaching
  • financial mentoring
  • potential investor connections
  • helpful professional feedback

Cartier’s Women’s Initiative Awards

Did somebody say female empowerment? That’s what Cartier does best. Helping female entrepreneurs make their stamp on the world, you don’t want to snooze on this pitch competition! The 18 finalists receive:

  • 1-on-1 coaching
  • widespread media exposure
  • invitation to 6-Day Social Entrepreneurship Executive Program 
  • access to workshops, knowledge sessions, & networking events
  • 6 selected finalists receive $100,000 each
  • 12 remaining finalists receive $30,000 each

NAWBO’s National Women’s Business Conference

NAWBO is here to power your dream! As the world changes more and more amid COVID-19, the one consistency is NAWBO’s commitment to funding innovative ideas. That’s why their business conference connects hundreds of female founders to discover the next best thing! The program includes: 

  • 3 days of expert guest speakers (October 17-19, 2021)
  • Access to NAWBO’s diverse network and resources 
  • Breakout sessions for business incubation
  • General sessions with meals and receptions

The Bank of America Center for Women Entrepreneurs

Who doesn’t love free money? And wow does Bank of America offer a lot of it! Offering a wide range of programs to help women entrepreneurs slay their dreams, here’s a small sample of their services: 

Black Girl Ventures

Black and Brown women face unique challenges in fulfilling their business goals. That’s why BGV and their crowdfunded pitch competition program exclusively services minority, female-identified entrepreneurs. Below is only a fraction of the many benefits their program provides:

  • Expert coaching & development
  • Access to community resources 
  • Discount on graphic design services 
  • All participants gain access to capital

NOW WHAT

You are not alone in your journey. With these valuable resources in hand, it’s time to buckle down and do the work. Organize and network to uplift your business venture. Polish off that elevator pitch and apply to the events outlined above. Make some money moves and score as many financial grants as humanly possible. Add that women-owned business certification to your homepage. Stop putting your dreams on hold waiting for the world to return to normal. This is the new normal! Your next opportunity is right around the corner. Prepare yourself with these resources so you can shatter every glass ceiling along the way!