Earlier this year, BLACK ENTERPRISE reported that Barefoot Wine was creating a new platform to celebrate the beauty of Black women. Now, the company has teamed with the New Voices Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing minority women entrepreneurs, to give business grants to various Black-owned beauty businesses.
The $10,000 grants, which six business received, will be used to highlight the beauty of Black women and integrate it into their branding. The winning businesses will also receive exclusive mentorships and business coaching through the foundation.
The Grand recipients are Alodia, Goddess Beauty Supply, Freedom Apothecary, Mischo Beauty, PuffCuff, and Range Beauty.
“At Barefoot, we are committed to doing our part as an ally and advocate to ensure Black women are recognized and supported,” Shannon Armah, Barefoot Wine’s associate brand manager, said in a press statement.
“As we have seen from the numerous applications we received, there are so many inspiring and much-needed Black women-owned beauty businesses worthy of our support. We hope the Barefoot Beauty Grant will help these deserving businesses continue to grow and thrive,”
“We look forward to having these six beauty companies join the New Voices’ vibrant community of women of color entrepreneurs,” Richelyna Hall, chief impact officer at the New Voices Foundation, said in a press statement. “With access to our unique ecosystem, they will receive unprecedented networking, learning, and leadership opportunities to help them grow and scale their businesses.”
In addition to the beauty grants, Barefoot Wine also chose recipients for its COVID-19 Business Recovery Grant. Twenty-five Black-owned hair salons affected by shutdowns due to the coronavirus pandemic will each receive $1,000.