The Power of the "Proof of Concept"
For many Black entrepreneurs, the journey to funding can feel like running a race with weights on your ankles. We hear about the "funding gap" constantly, but stats don't grow businesses; capital does.
That’s why I’ve compiled a Directory of Black Excellence in Grant Funding. This isn't just a list of names; it’s a map of what is possible. By seeing businesses that look like yours, led by people with similar stories, winning anywhere from $5,000 to $100,000+, the goal is to shift the narrative from "Can I get funded?" to "Which grant am I applying for next?"
Highlighting Our Grant Winners
| Entrepreneur |
Business |
Grant Awarded |
Grant Range |
| Brandon Byrd |
Goodies Frozen Custard and Treats |
Powershift Entrepreneur Grant |
$25,000 |
| Creighton Davis |
Kinfolx |
Powershift Entrepreneur Grant |
$25,000 |
| Ashley Sutton |
Hustle & Hope |
Powershift Entrepreneur Grant |
$25,000 |
| Lawrence Philips |
Green Book Global |
Powershift Entrepreneur Grant |
$25,000 |
| Frederick Paul II |
The Heat Factory LLC DBA Fahrenheit 313 Detroit |
Powershift Entrepreneur Grant |
$25,000 |
| Tami LaTrell |
The Mezzo Agency |
Powershift Entrepreneur Grant |
$25,000 |
| Emanuel Yancey |
Emanuels HOPE Foundation, Inc. |
Powershift Entrepreneur Grant |
$25,000 |
| William Huston |
Bay Street Capital Holdings |
Powershift Entrepreneur Grant |
$25,000 |
| Paulana Lamonier |
Black People Will Swim |
Powershift Entrepreneur Grant |
$25,000 |
| Darius Davie |
Groom Guy |
2025 Cécred x BeyGOOD Fund Salon & Barbershop Business Grant |
$10,000 |
| Garrick Dickerson |
Phenom Cuts Barber & Beauty |
2025 Cécred x BeyGOOD Fund Salon & Barbershop Business Grant |
$10,000 |
| Casie Murff |
The BeVel Barber Lounge |
2025 Cécred x BeyGOOD Fund Salon & Barbershop Business Grant |
$10,000 |
| Waverly Willis |
Urban Kutz Barbershop |
2025 Cécred x BeyGOOD Fund Salon & Barbershop Business Grant |
$10,000 |
| Juss Frankie (Frankie Rivera) |
Juss Vibes Hair & Beauty Studio |
2025 Cécred x BeyGOOD Fund Salon & Barbershop Business Grant |
$10,000 |
| Shy Watters |
Shy Watters Hair Studio |
2025 Cécred x BeyGOOD Fund Salon & Barbershop Business Grant |
$10,000 |
| Kimberly Brown (Granddaughter of founder) |
Dean's Beauty Salon & Barber Shop |
2025 Cécred x BeyGOOD Fund Salon & Barbershop Business Grant |
$10,000 |
| Antoinette Edinburgh Williams |
Edinburgh Williams Beauty Salon |
2025 Cécred x BeyGOOD Fund Salon & Barbershop Business Grant |
$10,000 |
| Ernestine (Lead Stylist/Owner) |
Colored By Ernestine |
2025 Cécred x BeyGOOD Fund Salon & Barbershop Business Grant |
$10,000 |
| Tiffany "The Barber Babez" |
Barber Babez Barbershop |
2025 Cécred x BeyGOOD Fund Salon & Barbershop Business Grant |
$10,000 |
| Jeff "J Cutz" |
J Cutz Studio |
2025 Cécred x BeyGOOD Fund Salon & Barbershop Business Grant |
$10,000 |
| Cheree |
Cheree Napturals |
2025 Cécred x BeyGOOD Fund Salon & Barbershop Business Grant |
$10,000 |
| Benjamin Avery |
Benjamin Avery Salon |
2025 Cécred x BeyGOOD Fund Salon & Barbershop Business Grant |
$10,000 |
| Tiffany S. Jernigan |
Euphoric Essence Hair Salon |
2025 Cécred x BeyGOOD Fund Salon & Barbershop Business Grant |
$10,000 |
| Tanisha Cultivation |
The Cultivation Lair |
2025 Cécred x BeyGOOD Fund Salon & Barbershop Business Grant |
$10,000 |
| Rashad German |
Rashad German Studios Shop |
2025 Cécred x BeyGOOD Fund Salon & Barbershop Business Grant |
$10,000 |
| Silky Source (Business Alias) |
Silky Sources Salon |
2025 Cécred x BeyGOOD Fund Salon & Barbershop Business Grant |
$10,000 |
| Ariel Curlology |
Curlology |
2025 Cécred x BeyGOOD Fund Salon & Barbershop Business Grant |
$10,000 |
| Keishon Warren |
Brooklyn Blend |
Black Ambition Prize |
$20,000 to $1 million |
| Chris Echevarria |
Blackstock & Weber |
Black Ambition Prize |
$20,000 to $1 million |
| Chisom Okwor |
Braidiant |
Black Ambition Prize |
$20,000 to $1 million |
| Chioma N. Ngwudo |
Cee Cee’s Closet NYC |
Black Ambition Prize |
$20,000 to $1 million |
| Jannae Gammage |
Cyphr |
Black Ambition Prize |
$20,000 to $1 million |
| Shawn B. Jones |
el powr |
Black Ambition Prize |
$20,000 to $1 million |
| Mylikia Ross Franklin |
Franklin’s Fruit Tea |
Black Ambition Prize |
$20,000 to $1 million |
| Lawrence Phillips |
Green Book Global |
Black Ambition Prize |
$20,000 to $1 million |
| Nana Wilberforce |
Akeptus |
Google for Startups Black Founders Fund |
Up to $150,000 |
| Seke Ballard |
Beta Financial Services |
Google for Startups Black Founders Fund |
Up to $150,000 |
| Manny Smith |
EdVisorly |
Google for Startups Black Founders Fund |
Up to $150,000 |
| Tiffany Ricks |
HacWare, Inc. |
Google for Startups Black Founders Fund |
Up to $150,000 |
| Dr. George Holmes Jr. |
Hire Henry |
Google for Startups Black Founders Fund |
Up to $150,000 |
| Darren Riley |
JustAir |
Google for Startups Black Founders Fund |
Up to $150,000 |
| Alex Milewski |
Pagedip |
Google for Startups Black Founders Fund |
Up to $150,000 |
| Erik Cardenas |
Zócalo Health |
Google for Startups Black Founders Fund |
Up to $150,000 |
Why This Directory Matters to YOUR Business
You shouldn't just read these names and move on. Here are three ways to use this information to level up your own company:
1. Use it as a "Grant Wish List"
If a business in your industry (e.g., Beauty, Tech, Logistics) won a specific grant, that’s a signal that the grantor is interested in your space. Add those specific grants to your 2026 calendar.
2. Find Your Next Mentor
Winning a grant is a skill. The founders on this list are now experts in that skill. Reach out to them! A simple, respectful LinkedIn message like, "I saw you won the Powershift Entrepreneur Grant, and your journey inspires me. I’m a founder in a similar space. Would you be open to a 15-minute call?" can open doors to invaluable mentorship.
3. Strategic Partnerships
Are you a graphic designer? Reach out to a winner who just received $50k to scale; they might be looking for branding help. Are you in logistics? A retail winner may need a more reliable shipping partner. Use this list to find businesses that are "capital-rich" and ready to grow.
Don’t Leave Money on the Table
The most common reason small businesses don’t win grants is simply that they don’t apply. Let these founders be your evidence that the money is out there and it is meant for you.
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