Glossier's $500,0000 Grant Initiative For Black-Owned Beauty Businesses Is Accepting Applications Now

When Black Lives Matter protests erupted throughout the country in May, Glossier was one of the first brands in the beauty space to put a hefty donation toward the cause. Half of that money will be distributed through grants for Black-owned beauty businesses, Glossier says, and the application process for those grants is now officially open through July 3.

"Our vision has always been to change how the world sees beauty, and that means driving inclusive change within our own industry," Glossier said in an Instagram announcement Thursday. "We are committed to supporting and amplifying new leaders and voices, particularly those who have been historically underrepresented and under-resourced, and recognize that our work does not stop here—we have a lot more to do, both within Glossier and beyond."

Founder and CEO Emily Weiss made a personal statement on the Glossier blog, saying that the company had been "one of the rare female-founded businesses to successfully raise venture capital" when it launched in 2014 and that the team is "keenly aware that a Black woman with the very same vision likely would not have received the same support."

So, to give Black beauty entrepreneurs a fair chance at growing their businesses, Glossier opened up its application process for $500,000 worth of grants on June 11.

According to Weiss' statement, U.S.-based Black beauty entrepreneurs may apply for $10,000 for a pre-launch business, $30,000 for an early-stage business, or $50,000 for a growth-stage business. Any company marketing cosmetics, skincare products, or beauty tools will be considered. In addition, Glossier vowed to provide advisory support, set up monthly calls with other experts, and shout out the selected brands and founders from Glossier's social channels.

In a separate statement, the brand disclosed its internal diversity breakdown as part of the #PullUpOrShutUp initiative led by Uoma Beauty founder Sharon Chuter. Although there were no Black people in leadership roles, the brand revealed that 9 percent of its 250 corporate employees identified as Black.

As part of its $1 million contribution to the movement, the brand has also donated $500,000 to Black Lives Matter, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, the Equal Justice Initiative, the Marsha P. Johnson Institute, and We The Protesters. The application and more information about Glossier's grant initiative for Black-owned beauty businesses can be found on Glossier.com.