Innovation Fund

Innovation Fund is sponsored by Southern Black Girls and Women's Consortium. Offers startup funding for small businesses led by Black girls and women, as well as funding for new ideas.

Southern Black Girls – We Fund the South! The Movement for Black Girls and Women The Southern Black Girls and Women’s Consortium is a collective of Black women in philanthropy, activism and girls’ work, who hold deep roots in movement-building. Powered by Joy.

Driven by Justice. 8 States. 9 Cities.

1 Declaration… you belong here! Southern Black Girls, in partnership with Pete & Thomas Foundation Apply for a grant to spread joy in your community!

Deadline: September 4 Don’t Take No Wooden Nickels A message from our Executive Director on the April 29, 2026 Supreme Court Ruling #BlackGirlJoy Challenge Awards We act to improve the lives of girls and women across a region where funding has lagged We have awarded grants to over Black women-led organizations Since 2020, We have given #BlackGirlJoy Challenge Awards Join the Movement for Black Girls & Women SBGWC amplifies the voices, stories, and leadership of Black girls and women, creating spaces for community care, growth, and resilience We engage Youth Ambassadors as ‘program advocates’ to help the next group of Black girls seeking to win the #BGJ Challenge.

Help Us Select Our Next Grantee Partners. The Wisdom Council is an intergenerational group of leaders who represent the 13 states served by the Consortium. The Southern Black Girls and Women’s Consortium is a network of activists and philanthropists who fund Black girls’ needs with the aim to create space for Joy.

The Southern Black Girls and Women’s Consortium (Southern Black Girls) is a collective of Black women in philanthropy, activism and girls’ work, who hold deep roots in movement-building.

Led by four anchor institutions including the Appalachian Community Fund, the BlackBelt Community Foundation, the Fund for Southern Communities and the TruthSpeaks Innovation Foundation, Southern Black Girls has become a disruptor in grantmaking and is positioned as a catalyst to fundraise and provide greater resources toward underfunded organizations that, intentionally, support and empower Black girls and women in the South.

Fed up with reports confirming that Black women and girls receive less than one percent of the $4. 8 billion in philanthropic investments in the south, Southern Black Girls launched the Black Girls Dream Fund to embody our mission and raise $100 million over the next decade to financially empower the goals of Black girls and women. To date, we have already awarded $11.

4 million to over 250 organizations and special projects across 13 southern states – Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Texas. Invest in Southern Black Girls & Women, Strengthen the Nation Over half of the Black population lives in South Black women and girls receive less than 1% of the $4.

8 Billion in philanthropic investments in the South To date, Southern Black Girls has awarded $11. 4 million to fund the dreams of Black girls and women in the South Loading the next set of instagram posts...

Candice Dixon 2026-07-08T16:05:14-05:00 Southern Black Girls and Women’s Consortium Announces 2026 Joy and Justice Tour Amid National Femicide and Black Maternal Health Crises Candice Dixon 2026-07-08T16:05:14-05:00 July 8th, 2026 | Media , News | Southern Black Girls and Women's Consortium Announces 2026 Joy and Justice Tour [...]

Candice Dixon 2026-06-30T12:42:26-05:00 Southern Black Girls and Women’s Consortium Award $350,000 To Over 20 Organizations Across the South Through Black Girls Defense Fund Candice Dixon 2026-06-30T12:42:26-05:00 June 30th, 2026 | Media , News | Southern Black Girls and Women's Consortium Award $350,000 To Over 20 [...]

Candice Dixon 2025-07-08T17:35:24-05:00 Megan Thee Stallion’s Pete & Thomas Foundation to Honor Southern Black Girls Founder LaTosha Brown and 13-Year-Old Mental Health Advocate Mila Henry Candice Dixon 2025-07-08T17:35:24-05:00 July 8th, 2025 | Media , News | Megan Thee Stallion's Pete & Thomas Foundation to Honor Southern Black Girls Founder [...]