Boundless Futures Foundation Announces Second Round of EmpowHer and Her Village Grant Recipients, Elevating Female Entrepreneurs and Nonprofit Organizations Across the Nation

$120,000 EmpowHer and Her Village Grants Awarded 

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich., May 7, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Boundless Futures Foundation, a private foundation founded by Soon and McKeel Hagerty, announces its second round of EmpowHer Grants to five female founders for a total of $90,000. Ellie Kebler of Archie’s Dog Co., Veronica Apecena of Joyful Jarra, Kristen Dudley of Mother Butter, Cindy Covery of PureWild Co., and Meg Soultz and Dr. Savahanna Wagner of Rescue in Color will all receive grants to elevate their businesses. The Foundation has also awarded a $30,000 Her Village Grant to the Women’s Impact Alliance, a nonprofit organization, to support their work. 

Boundless Futures Foundation empowers individuals and nonprofits by offering financial backing and leadership resources to support emerging female entrepreneurs. These entrepreneurs focus on businesses that tackle pressing social issues or incorporate impactful elements into their business models. “As we selected our second-round grantees, we were again truly inspired by each of the hundreds of female entrepreneurs who applied for our Boundless Futures Foundation grants. It is extraordinary to see the important work being carried out by entrepreneurs across the country,” said Soon Hagerty. “We are honored to invest in these individuals and nonprofit organizations who continue to create businesses that are making a positive impact not only in their communities, but society at large.”

Making a Boundless Impact 

Boundless Futures Foundation’s grant recipients are carefully selected business-owners and like-minded nonprofit organizations. This round of grantees includes:

Ellie Kebler launched Archie’s Dog Co. in response to her golden retriever’s health problems. Boundless Futures Foundation has awarded $20,000 to support Archie’s Dog Co.’s mission of promoting pet wellness through treats made with USDA-approved, human-grade ingredients, and their commitment to donating a portion of revenue to the Cherryland Humane Society. Based in Traverse City, Michigan, Archie’s Dog Co. partners with Grand Traverse Industries, an IDD employer, for packaging. 

Veronica Apecena’s mobile shop and refillery, Joyful Jarra, promotes environmental sustainability while providing package-free personal and home care goods. With a grant of $10,000 from Boundless Futures Foundation, Joyful Jarra will continue to foster sustainability and inclusive employment opportunities in Atlanta, Georgia.

Kristen Dudley’s Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, venture, Mother Butter, offers nut-free, seed-based butters in plastic-free packaging. With a $15,000 grant from Boundless Futures Foundation, Mother Butter will sustain its mission of providing accessible and nurturing zero-waste products that use regionally sourced ingredients, and offer community, online resources and support for other parent-owned small businesses.

Cindy Covery’s PureWild Co, inspired by life in California’s Ojai Valley, produces beverages that incorporate wild, sustainably sourced marine collagen and other organic, wellness-focused ingredients. With a $20,000 grant from Boundless Futures Foundation, Native-owned PureWild Co. will continue to create products and partnerships that support cancer recovery and healthful beverage options. 

Dr. Savahanna Wagner and Officer Meg Soultz of Plymouth, Minnesota combined their knowledge of public and school safety, and emergency medicine to create Rescue in Color, an innovative color-coded approach to bleeding control kits. With their $25,000 grant from Boundless Futures Foundation, Rescue in Color will expand the reach of their accessible, effective tool for safeguarding lives. 

The Women’s Impact Alliance is a California-based organization that supports the world’s female leaders in social and environmental change through global networks and leadership development coaching. Boundless Futures Foundation grants The Women’s Impact Alliance $30,000 to aid in scholarships for female entrepreneurs to participate in their coaching program. 

Paving the Way for Transformative Impact
Having seen first-hand the power of what a female business leader can do to make an impact on her family, community, and society at large, Soon and McKeel Hagerty empower the recipients of their grants with resources they need to sustain and grow. Boundless Futures Foundation aims to help level the playing field for female entrepreneurs, who currently only receive about 2% of total start-up venture capital dollars in the US.¹ The Foundation supports female entrepreneurs and like-minded non-profit organizations through their three pillars:

• Empower: EmpowHer Grants of up to $25,000 are awarded to female entrepreneurs who are at least 22 years old and are in the early stages of starting a business that addresses a social issue or has a purpose-driven concept embedded in its business model.
• Embrace: An Advisory Circle of seasoned female entrepreneurs offers resources including leadership development, skills-building assistance, mentorship, and networking opportunities to support grantees. Their goal is to foster the development of the Foundation’s grant recipients, ensuring greater strategic-growth thinking, future financial sustainability, and peer-to-peer networking.
• Elevate: Her Village Grants are awarded to nonprofits that pave the way for female entrepreneurs. Her Village Grants of up to $30,000 are awarded to eligible 501(c)(3) organizations.

Learn more about past grantees and Boundless Futures Foundation, apply for funding, or obtain other resources by visiting boundlessfutures.org.

About Boundless Futures Foundation
Founded in September 2023 by Soon and McKeel Hagerty, Boundless Futures Foundation provides financial support and leadership resources to aspiring female entrepreneurs 22 years of age and older so they can have a boundless impact in society. The Foundation empowers women entrepreneurs in the United States by providing grant funding to individuals in the early stages of starting a business that solves a social issue and to mission-aligned nonprofits. The Foundation also provides access for individual grantees to an Advisory Circle, a supportive network during their entrepreneurial journey. For more information, visit boundlessfutures.org and follow Boundless Futures on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

SOURCE Boundless Futures Foundation