Past Winners
Picture you, here:
Our Story – Supposey Venue
Supposey Warehouse & Gardens is Pensacola’s premier luxury wedding and event venue, located in the historic Tanyard district. Originally built in 1946 as a mill and foundry, this space was exquisitely restored in 2020 by wedding planning powerhouse Chloe and Nick Sexton. Chloe and Nick met in 2011 when Chloe had started Supposey as a wedding floral business. Nick brought his catering experience from South Beach to the wedding scene in Pensacola. After serving couples for 7 years with flowers, rentals, and wedding planning the venue dream became a reality in 2018. With a 2+ year renovation the property was ready to host events! Today, the venue blends Pensacola history with European influence and contemporary design. Elegantly suited for events of every scale, each detail has been meticulously curated to maximize your guests’ comfort and provide effortlessly unrivaled ambiance. The design of our expansive gardens and customizable ballroom is influenced by coastal Mediterranean villas, and are adorned with bespoke architectural elements direct from artisans in France, Egypt, Budapest, and Spain. Our 4800 sq. ft ballroom features exposed wood beams set beneath a stunning 25ft stunning vaulted ceiling. Twin glass doors connect the interior ballroom to our 4000 sq. ft gardens, complete with hundreds of twinkling string lights, and antique chandeliers to transform the space into the perfect “golden hour” event setting. The adjoining gardens boast natural southern beauty in a private tree lined courtyard, which include fountains creating an ideal romantic atmosphere. Also on premises is our photo-ready bridal Suite, and groom’s lounge, large bathrooms, and prep kitchen. As we are proud to have served Pensacola for 5 years now, we are eager to open a second location: Supposey Ballroom at Granada Square!
How We’ll Use the Grant – Supposey Venue
Winning the Women’s Founders Grant is a pivotal moment for Supposey. These funds will help us renovate our second location. We want to extend our heartfelt thanks for awarding us this generous grant. Your support is not only appreciated—it is transformative. The funds we received will go directly toward the much-needed renovation of our wedding venue, allowing us to enhance the space with updated design, improved accessibility, and modern amenities that reflect the elegance and joy that every couple deserves on their special day. This renovation will help us create a more welcoming, beautiful, and functional environment for the clients we serve—many of whom trust us with one of the most important moments of their lives. Thanks to you, we can elevate their experience and offer a space that truly brings dreams to life. We’re excited to begin this next chapter and will be sure to share the progress and impact your contribution has made along the way. Your investment in our growth is helping us build not just a venue, but lifelong memories for couples and their loved ones.
Thank you, Women’s Founders Grant, for believing in our business!
With much gratitude,
3 Chicks Films
I would like to take a moment to Thank the Women Founders Grant for giving us this grant money.
Their generosity has allowed us to continue the work we do in the community. We are a non-for-profit film production company " 3 Chicks Flicks" that has two main focuses. We provide job opportunities and learning opportunities for both the next generation of film makers but also women.
We focus on the continuing education of the next generation of filmmaker by creating workshop at reasonable prices or by going into the school systems and helping build a film club or community within the school we are able to do this work because grants just like this one. We teach kids how to make a movie step by step and allowing them the hands on experience in real time to make that happen.
Our other main focus is to help women in the business build and grow. We are all to aware of the gender gap in almost every field. We are doing our part to help make it smaller in the film industry. Every single film we make has a female lead and is heavily casted female. We give preference to women working behind the scenes as well. We take women who are interested in the business and provide on set experience to see what is all about and what they might be most interested in and then allow them to shadow and continue to build their resume and credits as they learn and grow. We create a safe place for the underserved to learn and grow in the community.
With grants like this we can make a difference in the entertainment industry, one movie or show at a time by touching so many lives.
Thank you so much for your support on our journey of filmmaking.
"I Am Unique!" is a children's book turned media brand that inspires kids (and adults) to overcome their insecurities and share their unique gifts with the world. Our products include a coloring/activity book, parent guide, teacher's guide, and merchandise. Our aim is to meet kids right where they are, and inspire them to live their lives undimmed.
What makes us unique is that I’ve turned a former childhood insecurity into a self-love and children’s media brand for kids. Here’s a 60-sec reel explaining our brand message: https://vimeo.com/264865755
Our Story
This story comes from a personal place because it stems from my childhood insecurity of having a birthmark. Growing up, I was insecure about having a birthmark. I was so insecure, that I wouldn’t wear certain tops or dresses that exposed it. For my high school prom, I had the makeup artist conceal my mark with foundation because I wanted to look absolutely beautiful that night. Fast forward to today, I realize that no one should be so insecure that they cover up a piece of who they are. You can learn more about my journey here: https://www.jennifervassel.com/about-me. My personal brand website is https://www.jennifervassel.com.
Here are some testimonials of our community impact:
How We Will Use the Grant
The grant will be used to purchase inventory for our upcoming events.
Thank you again for this opportunity!
I’m Kamilah S, a grant recipient.
We are launching the Volume 82 Speaker Series to raise awareness about social justice issues, self-care promotion, mental health awareness, and change impacting local communities.
The series will be a public event that showcases speakers and talent from various cultures and walks of life who will engage in live lectures, entertainment, and thought-provoking commentary regarding several impending issues based on their lived experiences or expertise.
Our debut event will be a two-day event focusing on crime prevention, youth leadership, education, and entrepreneurship.
We aim to make the Volume 82 Speaker Series an annual community event that’s highly anticipated each year.
The Women’s Founders Grant will help me to cover the many different costs associated with the speaker series, such as the venue, event security, the speaker honorarium, etc.
Please stay tuned for the upcoming reel I will share with the Women’s Founders Grant. I will record the reel at the event for which I was awarded the grant. I’ll credit WFG and explain my brand during the process.
Once again, I thank you for this fantastic opportunity to develop my debut project and present it to my community.
Juanita C, Miami, Florida - The CMT Studio was born from a lifelong passion for fashion and a dream to empower emerging designers and entrepreneurs. After spending 15 years in the fashion capital of New York City, I relocated to Miami, working remotely. During the pandemic, faced with industry upheaval, I pivoted and earned a master's degree in Marketing. This led to the creation of the CMT Studio, an apparel development and digital marketing agency dedicated to guiding new entrepreneurs through the brand development process.
The agency specializes in offering comprehensive branding, apparel development, and digital marketing services. We support our clients in transforming their creative visions into successful brands, whether they are startups or established businesses looking to scale. Our services include fashion design, brand strategy, digital marketing, and educational workshops. By combining expertise in fashion and marketing, we help our clients build strong, recognizable brands and navigate the complexities of the industry.
Receiving this grant will be instrumental in our growth. The funds will enable us to bring on a social media professional to manage and elevate our social media presence. This strategic hire will focus on increasing our followers, engaging with our audience, and driving customer acquisition. By enhancing our online presence, we reach a broader audience, build brand awareness, steadily attract more clients, and utilize the medium to provide knowledge and support to aspiring fashion entrepreneurs. This grant will not only help us scale our business but also amplify our impact on the next group of fashion innovators.
Her Story:
Emunah Soaps and Essentials LLC began as a heartfelt mission to provide high-quality, vegan body care products that nurture the body, mind, and soul. My inspiration stems from a deep-rooted commitment to health and wellness, influenced by my faith and a desire to offer natural, ethically-sourced alternatives to mainstream products. Seeing my son struggle with eczema drove me to create gentle, effective skincare solutions using what God has given us from the earth. This journey has not only been about creating products but also about fostering a community focused on sustainable, healthy living.
Business:
At Emunah Soaps and Essentials, we specialize in nurturing naturally with our handcrafted soaps, lotions, candles, loose leaf teas, honey and other body care products. Each item is made with love, using only the finest, ethically-sourced ingredients. We are dedicated to promoting a sustainable lifestyle, ensuring our products are kind to both the skin and the environment. Beyond our products, we support local suppliers and small businesses by sourcing ingredients locally and providing shelf space for their products in our store. This approach not only guarantees quality but also strengthens our community by fostering economic growth and building generational wealth.
How the Grant Will Help:
Winning the Women's Foundation Grant is a game-changer for Emunah Soaps and Essentials. The grant will be used exclusively to stock up on inventory for orders from our current partnerships and customers. This boost in production capacity is crucial for meeting the growing demand while maintaining our high product quality. With this support, we can ensure timely delivery to our partners, strengthen our relationships, and continue to provide exceptional products to our loyal customers. This grant will not only enhance our business operations but also allow us to make a more substantial impact on the health and wellness of our community.
Huge thanks to the Women's Foundation Grant!
I truly appreciate you!!
-Anjanet S.
Owner/ Founder of
Emunah Soaps and Essentials LLC
Brooke A from Yonkers, NY. - In Stealth Mode. I am a serial entrepreneur, having created several products and started multiple companies. Some have been a success, others have failed. What I have learned along the way is that there are two key ingredients to start up success (other than a great idea with an identified market need). You need capital and you need great people. When I started working on my current project, I applied to Women Founders Grant and was fortunate enough to be shortlisted. Natasha was one of the first people I was introduced to. I pitched the idea, described the work I had done so far and she jumped right in, offering support from the fund with no strings attached. She was an early product tester. She helped me craft my business plan and acted as my Yoda every step of the way. The support I have received from WFF has given me the resources I needed to complete my market research, develop my launch and early marketing strategy and prepare for my first quarter on the market. I am planning to launch this summer so stay tuned for updates, but I can honestly say that this journey would have been impossible without her support. If you have a great idea you need to protect it and nurture it as you work on turning into a product or service. You need to be aligned strategically but you also need partners who are truly aligned with your mission. If you are like me, you want to impact the lives of women who want the type of independence that can be achieved when you start and run a successful business. Natasha has planted the seeds of a community that is aligned, that supports and challenges its members and that will push you across the finish line. That is a gift that is critical as the capital to positioning you for success. And that is what you receive when you apply and if accepted, join this community of incredible women.
Avantee Taravez is a Visionary Strategist + Lead Designer building a technology driven B2B platform using AI to deliver modern design at a low cost to small businesses of all types across America. In beta stage, pre seed, Avantee and her two female co founders are more than just a team of brand-marketing professionals. Whether a consumer business is looking for a one-time design project, or a full-service marketing team, they are using the recent advances in AI to scale and build low cost yet high quality on-demand marketing agency services.
Christina Arora, owner of Inspired Fitness in Athens, GA. Seeing a demand in her local new Mom network for boot camps to get Mom’s back into their fitness regime, Christina is offering 3 boot camp classes per week. When she was pregnant, health issues meant she couldn’t exercise. One day she she was on her town’s Main St and realized there was a need for a boot camp company in her local community. She is now able to secure space to open and offer 12 classes on the schedule. She can also take her vision a step further, offering the ability to get that one-on-one attention and results without paying outrageous training rates plus getting the support from me personally.