Southern Black Girls And Women's Consortium

What Southern Black Girls And Women's Consortium does

Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Selma, Alabama, Southern Black Girls and Women’s Consortium is a nonprofit collective led by four anchor institutions that funds Black girls, young women, gender-expansive youth ages 12-24, and Black women-led organizations across 13 Southern states. Its core programs include the Black Girls Dream Fund, Black Girls Defense Fund, Environment and Climate Justice Fund, Innovation Fund, #BlackGirlJoyChallenge, Dream Investment Program, Youth Ambassadors, Wisdom Council, and annual events such as the Joy & Justice Tour and Black Girls Dream Conference. Since 2017, the organization reports more than $11.4 million awarded to 250+ organizations and 1,000+ girls.

Programs operate primarily as grantmaking, leadership, and capacity-building mechanisms rather than software. Awards include $550 #BlackGirlJoyChallenge grants, $1,000-$5,000 in Dream Investment support, and organizational grants generally ranging from $5,000 to $20,000. Technology is limited: the Joy Network is hosted on Mighty Network, the organization has no public app or partner-facing API, and its operating model is described as philanthropic rather than technology-focused.

Funding comes from charitable contributions, foundations, and corporate partners rather than product or service sales. Distribution combines online grant applications, direct awards to vetted nonprofits, participatory selection through youth and intergenerational councils, community networks, and event-led outreach. Annual revenue and operating budgets are not publicly disclosed, making cumulative grant deployment, the $25 million SHE GOT NEXT campaign, program breadth, and headcount the available scale indicators.

Name

Southern Black Girls And Women's Consortium

Legal name

Southern Black Girls and Women's Consortium

Website

https://southernblackgirls.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Southern Black Girls and Women’s Consortium is a Selma-based nonprofit that funds Black girls, young women, and Black women-led organizations across 13 Southern states through grants, entrepreneurship support, leadership programs, and community events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Philanthropic Grantmaking Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Human Rights Organizations (813311), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Social Justice & Human Rights Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Gender Equality & Women’s Empowerment (BPAGABAF), Racial & Ethnic Justice Organizations (BPAGAFAC)

Keywords

• Philanthropic grantmaking
• Community grant programs
• Youth leadership development
• Maternal health advocacy
• Community organizing events

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Others, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Donations and Grants: The organization operates as a philanthropic collective, raising and distributing funds from donors, foundations, and corporate partners to Black women-led organizations and girls across the South. Revenue comes from charitable contributions rather than product/service sales.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Southern Black Girls and Women's Consortium is a nonprofit philanthropic collective that operates as a multi-program grantmaking organization. It raises and distributes funds from donors, foundations, and corporate partners to Black women-led organizations and individual Black girls across 13 Southern states. Its portfolio includes grant programs (Black Girls Dream Fund, Black Girls Defense Fund, Innovation Fund, Environment and Climate Justice Fund), micro-grants to individuals (#BlackGirlJoyChallenge), entrepreneurial seed investments (Dream Investment Program), and signature community events including the annual Joy & Justice Tour and Black Girls Dream Conference.

Product overview

Southern Black Girls and Women's Consortium is a nonprofit philanthropic collective that operates as a multi-program grant-making organization rather than a traditional tech product. The organization offers grant programs (Black Girls Dream Fund, Black Girls Defense Fund, Environment and Climate Justice Fund, Innovation Fund), youth empowerment initiatives (#BlackGirlJoyChallenge, Dream Investment Program), signature events (Joy & Justice Tour, Black Girls Dream Conference, Dream Bus Tour), and community building programs (Youth Ambassadors, Wisdom Council, Sage Circle, Joy Network). The portfolio is unified by the mission to channel resources to organizations centering Black girls and women across 13 Southern states, addressing the less than 1% of philanthropic investment this demographic receives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• #BlackGirlJoyChallenge: Micro-grant program awarding $550 grants to young changemakers ages 13-24 for spreading joy in their communities
• Black Girls Dream Fund
• Innovation Fund
• Black Girls Defense Fund
• Environment and Climate Justice Fund
• Joy and Justice Tour
• Black Girls Dream Conference
• Dream Investment Program
• SHE GOT NEXT Campaign

Products and services

• Black Girls Dream Fund Grant program designed to support the dreams of Black girls and women by funding organizations that care for girls, spanning education, community development, entrepreneurship, health, travel, cultural exposure, and wellness and safety.
• Black Girls and Women Defense Fund Discretionary fund providing family and legal support for Black girls and women in need. Supports grassroots and community-based organizations addressing justice, gender-based violence, carceral systems, and restorative justice practices.
• Environment and Climate Justice Fund Grant initiative supporting underfunded Black women and girl-led organizations in the South advancing environmental and climate justice through mitigation, resilience, and policy change.
• Innovation Fund Fund allowing Black women and girls the space to dream, experiment, and innovate. Provides startup funding for small businesses led by Black girls and women as well as funding for new ideas.
• #BlackGirlJoyChallenge Micro-grant program welcoming girls, young women, and gender-expansive youth ages 13-24 who can describe their ideas for spreading JOY with their friends, families, and communities. Awards $550 grants to 100 winners annually.
• Dream Investment Program 16-week education program supporting 20-25 Black girls and Black women entrepreneurs with financial investment, business mentorship, and entrepreneurial training and education. Young entrepreneurs receive $1,000; early-stage entrepreneurs receive $5,000.
• Joy & Justice Tour Annual nine-city mobilization bringing resources, healing, and joy to Black girls, women, and femme-identifying youth across the South. Features nine activation zones: Arts & Culture, Beauty, Economic Empowerment, Health & Wellness, STEM, Advocacy & Justice, Education & HBCU, Sports, and Nutrition.
• Black Girls Dream Conference Annual two-day conference gathering Black girls, femme-identifying youth, and women from southern states. Features interactive workshops, panel discussions, networking opportunities, and the She Got NEXT programming.
• Joy Is Our Journey Dream Bus Tour
• Youth Ambassadors Year-long leadership development program that prepares youth leaders to match issues in their schools and communities to policies impacting Black girls, promote the #BlackGirlJoy Challenge, and review and select award winners.

Quantifiable outcome

• $11.4 million+ awarded to 250+ organizations and 1,000+ girls since 2017
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Roc NationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership with Jay-Z's Roc Nation amplifies organizational visibility and provides strategic support for Southern Black Girls' mission to empower Black girls and women in the South.
• Comic Relief US / Red Nose DaycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Strategic partnership with Comic Relief US and its Red Nose Day initiative enables Southern Black Girls to expand its reach and impact through dedicated funding and programmatic support.
• BlackBelt Community FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017One of four anchor institutions forming Southern Black Girls and Women's Consortium; focuses on Alabama's Black Belt region with highest percentage of African Americans in the state.
• Appalachian Community FundcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017One of four anchor institutions; funds grassroots social change in Central Appalachia (East Tennessee, Eastern Kentucky, Southwest Virginia, West Virginia); granted over $6.5 million to 300+ organizations since 1987.
• Fund for Southern CommunitiescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017One of four anchor institutions; supports organizations in Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina; awarded over $7 million to groups around the nation and internationally since 1981.
• TruthSpeaks Innovation FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Founded by LaTosha Brown; one of four anchor institutions; provides critical business and organizational infrastructure support to Black girls and women across the global south.
• Dove / CROWN CoalitionmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerDove served as 'Creating Joy' sponsor for the 2025 Black Girls Dream Conference in Atlanta. CROWN Coalition partnership supports advocacy for hair discrimination issues affecting Black women and girls.
• Kindred Futures (formerly Atlanta Wealth Building Initiative)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloped the Dream Investment Program in partnership with Kindred Futures, providing financial investment, business mentorship, and entrepreneurial training to Black girls and women entrepreneurs.
• GirlTrekmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGirlTrek partners with Southern Black Girls for Sunrise Walks at Joy & Justice Tour stops, promoting health and community healing through walking activism.
• Ludacris FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLudacris Foundation sponsored TechTunes workshop at 2025 Black Girls Dream Conference, bridging technology and music production for young creatives.
• MicrosoftminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMicrosoft presented AI 101 workshop at 2025 Black Girls Dream Conference, introducing artificial intelligence fundamentals to attendees.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• The Loveland Foundation: Focused on mental health support for Black women and girls through therapy and grantmaking. Directly comparable grantmaking model targeting the same beneficiary population, with similar commitment to community-driven resource distribution.
• Black Voters Matter Fund: Co-founded by Southern Black Girls' founder LaTosha Brown. Operates in the same Southern geography, similarly anchor-institution-driven, and shares donor networks, media infrastructure, and political-jurisdiction expertise with SBGWC.
• Black Women's Health Imperative: National organization dedicated to advancing health and wellness for Black women and girls via advocacy, research, and grantmaking. Comparable mission on Black women's well-being, similar advocacy + grantmaking model, broader national scope.
• Girls Inc. National nonprofit inspiring all girls to be 'strong, smart, and bold' through direct service and advocacy. Comparable youth development programming, scholarship/grant-style investments, and similar outcome-tracking frameworks, though with a broader demographic lens.
• National Black Women's Justice Institute: Dedicated to reducing racial and gender disparities in the criminal-legal system affecting Black women and girls. Highly comparable mission overlap with the Black Girls Defense Fund and the organization's justice reform grants.
• Black Mamas Matter Alliance: National alliance advancing Black maternal health through research, policy, and community grantmaking. Directly comparable grantmaking model and mission focus on the maternal mortality crisis SBGWC cites as a core beneficiary pain point.
• The Black Futures Lab: Black-led organization building Black political power through voter engagement and community-based organizing. Closely associated with Black Voters Matter network and shares SBGWC's regional anchor-institution model and Southern geography.
• Appalachian Community Fund: One of SBGWC's four anchor institutions, itself a grantmaker supporting grassroots social justice in Central Appalachia. Directly comparable participatory grantmaking model and overlapping beneficiary base in Tennessee, Virginia, Kentucky, and West Virginia.

Broad incumbents

• Ms. Foundation for Women: One of the oldest U.S. women's foundations funding grassroots organizations led by and for women and girls of color. Comparable participatory grantmaking approach and funding vehicle structure, though with broader national scope and larger endowment.
• NoVo Foundation: Major private foundation with substantial commitments to advancing girls and women of color. Comparable funder role in the ecosystem and overlap in grantmaking priorities, but operates at significantly larger scale and from a global rather than regional lens.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/blackgirlsdream
• Facebookfacebook.com/southernblackgirls
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/southern-black-girls-and-women-s-consortium
• Instagraminstagram.com/southernblackgirls

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Southern Black Girls And Women's Consortium