Opportunity for USA and territories women entrepreneurs to participate in a business development program. Successful applicants will receive a $10,000 grant and in-kind support in the form of education, mentorship, networking, amplification, and certification to scale their businesses.
Women and non-binary small business owners often lack the funding and resources they need to scale and grow their operations. That's why the Launch Program exists: to remove barriers to access that prevent them from succeeding. The Launch Program provides women and non-binary small business owners capital through a grant, mentorship from industry experts, and six months of free education that supports them on their unique journeys.
The 2023 Launch Program is open to women- and non-binary-owned consumer packaged goods businesses—selling items like food and beverages, household goods, apparel, and more—with an annual gross revenue between $100,000 and $499,000. Joining the Launch Program means joining a diverse and supportive community of founders.
Program Benefits:
$10,000 Cash Grant: A one-time cash grant of $10,000 to help you scale your business
Six-Month Program: Education from industry experts to answer your biggest questions and support your small business growth
Mentorship: Opportunities for one-on-one coaching and mentorship to learn from experts who can help you overcome challenges and plan for growth
Community: The opportunity to network with an authentic, inclusive community of small business owners who understand your journey
Applicant Criteria:
- Applicant must be a woman or non-binary founder or co-founder of the company.
- Applicant must be a citizen or legal resident of the United States or a US territory.
- Applicant must be 21 years or older.
- Only one entrepreneur per business may apply and/or participate.
Business Criteria:
- Business must be at least 51% owned by participating founder or co-founder.
- Business must be a Consumer Packaged Goods company (all CPG industries are welcome to apply).
- Business must have an annual gross revenue between $100,000 and $499,000 (should you be selected as a semi-finalist, you will be asked to submit your financials for verification).
- Business cannot be currently or have previously raised funds, or intend to seek venture capital or angel investment, or a liquidity event, in next 12 months.
- Business must be registered and located in the US or a US territory as a for-profit entity.
Ineligible
Note: The aim of this grant is to help independent small businesses and entrepreneurs - locations owned by publicly-traded corporations do not qualify, Nonprofit organizations do not qualify, and Subsidiary businesses or franchisees do not qualify.
Pre-Application Information
The deadline to apply for the 2023 Launch Program is Friday, March 31, 2023, at 11:59:59 PM ET.
Timeline:
- February 1 - Applications Open
- March 31 - Applications Close
- June - Selected Businesses to be Announced
- July - Program Kick-Off
- December - Program Concludes
Estimated Size of Grant
The LWL Launch Program provides a $10,000 USD grant, business education, mentorship, advisory support, community, and amplification for women and non-binary business owners and entrepreneurs.
Term of Contract
Six Month Program: Participants will receive high-quality educational resources, opportunities, mentorship, advisory services, and amplification across LWL programming.
