Business owners, take note! Pepper, the bra brand for smaller breasts, is now accepting applications for his or her annual $5k Startup Grant for Black Women if you should start a business but need somewhat money to get it off the bottom. This initiative was began by Pepper two years ago in an effort to combat the disheartening proven fact that Black women entrepreneurs receive the least funding.

“The Pepper Startup Grant is specifically for Black women business owners, a dynamic group that has been systematically disenfranchised when in search of to accumulate the mandatory enterprise capital funding to expand their businesses. We’re here to vary that,” Pepper states via the web site. “Pepper was inspired by a passion to vary beauty standards for ladies who’re neglected within the bra industry, now we would like to assist underrepresented Black entrepreneurs kick start their businesses, in their very own way.”

“It’s overwhelming to receive so many applications,” Jaclyn Fu, Co-Founder, and Co-CEO of Pepper, tells ESSENCE exclusively. “We feel indignant that Black women receive the smallest amount of enterprise capital funding and are massively underrepresented as founders. The variety of applications shows the actual need for more funding opportunities, and we hope that Pepper can play a small role in driving more diversity and inclusion in funding through our annual $5K Startup Grant for Black Women.”

The Startup Girl Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit enterprise capital fund that invests in female founders, and Pepper are collaborating this 12 months. The recipient can have access to consultations with professionals within the legal, fundraising, finance, marketing, and other relevant fields as needed to deal with their particular needs. This network and extra support can even include mentorship calls with the Pepper founders and targeted promotion on Pepper’s social media accounts.

2020’s recipient was Ashley Young, CEO & Lead Stylist of Bridal Babes, the #1 boutique for brides and bridesmaids of color and ladies with curves. See what she needed to say below:

Last 12 months’s recipients, Carlissa and Laken King, co-founders of WorldGirls, share their experiences as recipients. “We launched in 2019 and applied for a ton of grants. We won the Pepper Grant last 12 months, which was amazing! Jaclyn has been super supportive and knowledgeable – anytime we had a matter, she was there to reply anything we wanted. It’s so hard financially to see the sunshine at the tip of the tunnel. Just keep going! You’ll find mentors like Jaclyn and the Pepper family, and they’ll support you. So long as you think in your journey and what you’re doing, you’ll succeed.”‘

“It’s at all times difficult to narrow all the way down to one winner because we consider all our applicants should feel seen, heard, and empowered in constructing their business,” says Fu. “That is our third 12 months in a row running this program, and we don’t plan to stop anytime soon.”

Applications close on August twenty sixth. For more information and the superb print on applying, please visit https://www.wearpepper.com/pages/grant