BWP Awards grants to local business women each year to help support them and the growth of their business.

For 2024, the following grant awards will be available:

Member Awards:

(1) $5,000 award

(3) $2,500 awards

(2) $1,000 awards

Non-Member Award:

(1) $500 award

Each awardee will receive a free BWP Membership for 2025.

To be eligible for the Member Awards, applicants must have been an active BWP member as of August 31, 2024.

Eligibility Criteria:

-Must be a local woman that currently owns a business, wishes to establish a business or intends to get a business education.

-Applicants of an educational grant must show proof of enrollment or approval to attend school, specific classes or programs.
Business grant applicants must provide a minimum five year business plan or goal.
   - Representatives at the SBDC (Small Business Development Center) can help you draft a business plan.

If applying for a business grant, you must be owner of 50% or more of the business or start the business as 50% owner or more.

-If you already are in business, proof of ownership must be provided via a contractual agreement, operating agreement, initial resolution, stock ownership, bylaws documents, financial contributions or share certificates issued by the corporation. In the event of 100% ownership - all of the documents listed above, tax returns, or articles of incorporation are acceptable.

-If you plan to establish a business or are a Sole Proprietor that has not had a full tax filing year, you must in detail, indicate your plans of establishment/ownership in your five year business plan. Sole Proprietors must provide their tax documents with Schedule C attachments as their proof of ownership, when they file in 2024. If selected to be a recipient of the grant, funds will not be released until tax documents are provided.

To be considered, applicants must submit the application fee of $15. This is due by October 21, 2024.

Applications close on October 21, 2024. Awards will be announced on November 7, 2024, at the BWP Mix & Mingle event located at Cole Chevrolet in Pocatello.

Provide a brief description of your business, how long you have been in business or planned establishment date, and what product(s) or service(s) you provide. If you wish to apply for this grant to get an education in business, briefly describe the education you wish to acquire, when you plan to attend these courses and the planned outcome of developing these business skills.

(You can type your answer below and upload supporting documents in the below section)

Upload a document here for proof of ownership/proof of enrolled educational courses and any other supporting documents.
Proof of this must be provided via a contractual agreement, operating agreement, initial resolution, stock ownership documents, financial contributions or share certificates issued by the corporation. In the event of 100% ownership tax returns, articles of incorporation or your EIN confirmation would also be accepted.**

For educational grant applicants, in a one page document please identify the education you are seeking, how long it will take to acquire this education, the purpose of the business skills you are seeking, your 10 year plan for using this education and how this money will benefit your long-term career goals. 

In a one page document, please tell us about your business, why you started the business or why you intend to establish the business, your 5 or 10 year business plan and how this money would benefit your business goals.

-Business History: Include a summary of WHAT your business is,  WHEN the business was opened, WHO opened the business, WHY the business was opened, and WHERE the business was originated. Please provide a brief explanation explaining your Vision, Mission, and Goals for your business.

-Products and Services:  Discuss how your business generates revenue. What are your primary and secondary sources of income?    Describe the products being sold and why there is a market for them.  Explain why there is a demand for this and why your target market will come to you for this product/service. Discuss pricing for your products/services. How does this compare to the industry average? How does this fit into your projected revenue? Talk about anticipated volume sold and cost percentage.

-Competitive Analysis- Discuss the market saturation of businesses in your industry and the demand for them. What sets your business apart from competitors and will attract your target market? If your business is already in operation, discuss how you currently address challenges relating to competitors and what this could look like if others join the market.

-Local Economic Conditions - Discuss recent economic trends nationally and locally. Talk about industries related to yours and how they have been affected by the economy and current event.

-What kind of team do you require to make your business successful? Talk about who you need and if they are already employed with you, if you have individuals chosen, or if you need to start looking for individuals to fill job openings. How do you plan to find and retain employees if needed?

-What is the total project cost? Lay out the amount of equity contributions and grant financing required to move forward with the project.

-Who is your target market? What is the size of the market you will be servicing and how often will they use your product or service? What is the average income of your target market and how does that fit in with your pricing and anticipated frequency of use?

-Sales Forecast – Please provide projections and supporting data of research performed that lead to the conclusion within your projections.  If this is an existing business, talk about historical sales and what adjustments or changes you anticipate taking place, if any.