Applications Open for the 2022 RE: Her Academy

July 11, 2022

RE:Her today announced the opening of applications for the 2022 RE:Her Academy, a new combined grant and education program for women food and beverage entrepreneurs in Los Angeles. Following on the success of our 2021 COVID-19 Relief Grants and increased funding for the program thanks to our partnership with DoorDash, RE:Her will distribute 10 cash grants of $20,000 each to women-identifying hospitality business owners, which recipients can use for business growth. Grantees will also participate in a ten-week in-depth learning program with industry experts to help sustain and grow their businesses.

The 2022 Academy program focuses on women owners of early-stage food and beverage businesses. Applicants must be members of RE:Her’s Los Angeles chapter whose businesses have been open from one to three years, with projected 2022 revenues between $250,000 and $1 million. Businesses must be at least 50% woman- or women-owned.

Applications for the RE:Her Academy program will be accepted from July 11-29. Grant recipients will be announced the week of August 12. The application, along with details about the Academy and how to become a member of RE:Her, are available at https://www.regardingherfood.org/how-to-apply-2022.

An independent committee of industry, business, and philanthropic experts, led by Kimberly Velazco, RE:Her Director of Grant Relations and chef/owner of Alice’s Southern Comfort, will select the grantees. The committee includes Kristin Aldana-Taday of the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, chef and food TV personality Monti Carlo, Mendocino Farms founder Ellen Chen, Speaking Broadly podcast host and former Food & Wine editor-in-chief Dana Cowin, Dulan’s on Crenshaw and Dulan’s Catering owner Greg Dulan, Los Angeles Times food writer Jenn Harris, Jessica Kaczmarek of the James Irvine Foundation, Shake Shack culinary director Mark Rosati, restaurant accountant Barbara Barschak, and trademark attorney Elizabeth Sbardaletti.

RE:Her is a national non-profit on a mission to empower and advance all women-identifying food and drink entrepreneurs by way of innovative platforms that:

● UpliftHER Business

● SupportHER Community

● AdvocateHER Industry

RE:Her supports its members through industry-focused and consumer-facing initiatives, virtual and physical events, and promotion and representation. The organization launched in 2020 with a focus on providing opportunities and resources—financial, educational, and more—to women owners in Los Angeles and beyond.

In 2021, RE:Her’s inaugural grant program sponsored by DoorDash distributed 15 Covid-19 relief grants of $10,000 each to women restaurateurs in Los Angeles and provided access to professional, marketing, and human resources coaching, along with introductions to RE:Her’s community of peers and mentors.

The 2022 Academy program builds on this concept, targeting early-stage women-owned businesses and providing funding, a comprehensive ten-week curriculum of education and coaching to help participants grow their businesses in smart and sustainable ways, and access to a deep network of women owners and industry experts.

“We are thrilled to have support from DoorDash as we roll out our 2022 Academy program,” says RE:Her founding member and Co-Executive Director Dina Samson. “The program will help women owners navigate the hurdles of hospitality industry small business ownership, develop the skills to take their businesses to the next level, develop critical connections, and become leaders in the Los Angeles food and beverage community.”