Furthering its commitment to financially empower women, Mars Wrigley’s DOVE® Chocolate announced the launch of a pitch competition to award grant money to U.S. based female small business owners. The company is building on its long-term partnership with CARE in helping West African cocoa-growing communities build their own small businesses.
By launching the competition that will give business grants to women in the U.S., Mars Wrigley’s DOVE® Chocolate recognizes that women business owners share common challenges, particularly in the area of raising capital. The company also is aware of a range of contributing factors such as women being left out of financial conversations at an early age—leaving them less prepared to start their own businesses.
“The goal of #DOVEInstaGrants is to offer women a sense of community and support with a platform to express their smart business ideas – whether they’re just getting started or are more established. Mars Chocolate has seen remarkable progress through our work with CARE in West Africa, and we’re excited to help ignite creativity and conversation here in the U.S. by helping women build their financial confidence.”
Female entrepreneurs will vie for three $10,000 grants from DOVE Chocolate “InstaGrants”. The competition asks women owners to submit a :30 second business “pitch” video in-feed on Instagram with #DOVEInstaGrants #Contest @DoveChocolate in the caption.
Submissions may also be made through InstaGrants.DoveChocolate.com and should include their business’ social handle or LinkedIn page, if applicable, as well as to Follow @DoveChocolate. The deadline to submit a pitch is November 19, 2021,
The judges are seeking pitches about an innovative business or business idea, giving special bonus points for those that are female-first and have sustainable business models.
To get the word out about this grant opportunity, DOVE Chocolate is partnering with two highly successful women entrepreneurs, Tori Dunlap (@Herfirst100k) and Carmen Perez (@makerealcents). Both have a social presence that they use to help women gain financial health and confidence. They are encouraging their women owned business followers to enter the competition that will be judged by them and DOVE Brand Director Leslie Philipsen.
“As part of a company that actively supports women, as seen through Mars’ Full Potential Platform, and as a long-term partner of CARE, #DOVEInstaGrants embodies our mission to help support and elevate women in business,” said Leslie Philipsen, Brand Director, DOVE Chocolate.
In the announcement of the competition DOVE Chocolate presented key statistics about the financial challenges women face:
- 61% of millennial women’s financial decisions are made by the men in their life (UBS, 2020),
- 60% have never negotiated their salary, but instead have quit their job instead (NBC News, 2020)
- 79% of U.S. women feel weighed down by money concerns, compared to 67% last fall (NBC News, 2021), and
- 58% of U.S. women say they do not currently have another woman in their life to talk about finances with (Stash, 2021
Female entrepreneurs face an un-level playing field that favors their male counterparts. Grant programs for female small business owners is just one way to help women in business gain gender parity.
By establishing the DOVE® Chocolate’s Pitch Competition, the company is putting a light on the financial challenges women face, as well as helping to foster a community where women entrepreneurs can be inspired, gain advice and counsel from fellow women business owners.
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