Lift Bridge Yoga Co. in New Richmond.

The Red Letter Grant recently awarded 11 grants worth $1,000 each as relief funds for women-owned businesses, with a preference for businesses owned by Black, Indigenous, or LGBTQ+ people and people of color to help the community in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Recipients include Be Fit With Mi (Eau Claire), Community Crust (Stockholm), Dairyland Cafe (Ridgeland), Dragonfly and Damsel creative jewelry designs (Spring Valley), Dragonfly Studios (Independence), Inspired Balance (Menomonie), Jennifer Joyce Design (Menomonie), La De Dah (Menomonie), Lana’s Scoops (Withee), Lift Bridge Yoga Co. (New Richmond), and To The Point Acupuncture (River Falls).

The judging team included Dr. Selika Ducksworth-Lawton, Christine McCorkle, Hannah Koschak, Wenona Wolf, Kristen Dexter, and Elaine Coughlin, with sponsors American Provenance, Charter Bank Wisconsin, Northwestern Bank, Royal Credit Union, and Sarah Shooks Parks, among others.

The Red Letter Grant will be featuring each of the award-winning businesses on its Facebook page (facebook.com/RedLetterGrant). This spring, the Red Letter Grant also awarded $2,000 in start-up capital to Uplift Counseling Center, a newly opened Eau Claire therapy clinic. It is run by Sara Bowe, a veteran and former Eau Claire school district teacher. A full list of applicants is available on the grant’s Facebook page. More information on the Red Letter Grant can also be found at redlettergrant.org.