MORE OPPORTUNITIES. Red Letter Grant and First Nations Community Financial have partnered to offer the Indigenous Women's Start-Up Grant this spring and fall, FNCN's executive director, Becky Albert-Breed (pictured, middle), a former RLG awardee herself.

The Red Letter Grant (RLG) recently announced a new grant opportunity now being offered in partnership with First Nations Community Financial: the Indigenous Women’s Start-Up Grant. Applications for the first-time grant, which are due April 15, are available online.

The Indigenous Women’s Start-Up Grant will award $2,000 this spring and another $2,000 this fall to Indigenous women entrepreneurs throughout Wisconsin – two awardees total. Applicants must reside and do business in Wisconsin and be part of one of the state’s 11 federally recognized tribes.

Becky Albert-Breed, executive director of FNCN and an enrolled member of the Ho-Chunk Nation, is a former RLG awardee herself, earning a start-up grant in spring 2021 for her business, Integrity Audit & Tax in Black River Falls. Since then, Albert-Breed has maintained a relationship with the organization and approached RLG Founder and Executive Director Rebecca Cooke about working together to create an Indigenous women’s grant.

“We can’t think of a better partnership than joining Red Letter Grant to support women in business and believe this entrepreneurial cornerstone is essential to our Native communities!”

BECKY ALBERT-BREED

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF first nations community financial

“We are excited to present this opportunity for our Indigenous women business owners bringing their dreams to reality,” Albert-Breed said. “We can’t think of a better partnership than joining Red Letter Grant to support women in business and believe this entrepreneurial cornerstone is essential to our Native communities!”

Cooke said she is excited to offer the new grant through RLG in partnership with FNCN. A panel of judges for the grant is currently being formed. “Providing more dollars for women-led start-ups in Tribal communities widens our state’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and allows for more creativity and innovation,” Cooke said.

The Indigenous Women’s Start-Up Grant will be open for applications until 11pm on April 15. From April 15-May 10, applications will be judged by the panel, and top applicants will be invited to interview from May 13-17. On May 22, both the Indigenous Women Start-Up Grant and Region 1 Grant awards ceremony will be held (location TBD).

RLG makes semi-annual investments in women-led small businesses ranging from $2,000-$5,000 grants. Applicants submit their business plans to a rotating panel of judges, go through an interview process, and the top ideas are then awarded start-up funds. To date, the program has served 10 counties until its recent expansion to eight more counties in northwest Wisconsin. The new partnership with FNCN allows an expansion to further support Indigenous women statewide.

First Nations Community Financial (FNCN) is a not-for-profit, state-chartered Native Community Development Financial Institution based in Black River Falls. FNCN offers an array of financial education, access, and other services to Ho-Chunk Nation tribal members to continue encouraging economic growth and financial empowerment in its communities.

Learn more about and apply for the new Red Letter Grant online.