Black Girl Ventures BGV Pitch Program
Black Girl Ventures Foundation
$5,000 + audience crowdfund
Researched for this program: 5 rejection traps · 3 required documentsWhat decides this award ↓
Live pitch funding for Black and Brown women founders
Black Girl Ventures hosts a live crowdfunded pitch competition for Black and Brown women founders. Selected cohort members pitch for 3 minutes to a Champions Panel and live audience, who vote with real dollars via the Raisify platform. BGV provides $5,000 in matching funds to every selected alumni founder, plus covers all travel and lodging for the six finalists. The program offers $30,000+ in total prizes, coaching, and community access.
- Funding type
- Award
- Level
- Foundation
- Amount range
- $5,000 – $30,000
- Realistic amount
- $5,000 matching funds guaranteed for cohort members; top finalists raise additional audience-voted dollars. Total raise depends on audience voting. BGV covers travel and lodging for six finalists.
- Deadline
- BGV Pitch applications are closed; no new application window is posted
- Status
- between-intakes
- States
- Nationwide
- Payment model
- lump sum
Who qualifies
- Self-identifies as an under-resourced woman founder (Black and Brown women prioritized)
- Revenue-generating business — must be generating revenue at time of application
- Business is 51% or more owned by under-resourced women founder(s)
- Business is 'in good standing' (no specific legal/registration requirement stated beyond this)
- US-based business
- Selection is limited enrollment — application does not guarantee admission to the cohort
Hard requirements
- Demographic eligibility: women-owned
- Women ownership required
- Minimum $1 annual revenue
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- Any business expense — award funds are unrestricted prizes
- Working capital
- Product development
- Team expansion
- Marketing and growth
Ineligible expenses
- Personal expenses unrelated to business
How to apply
-
1
Attend the Interest Call (optional but recommended)
BGV hosts a live Q&A session for prospective applicants before the application deadline. For the 2026 cycle, this was May 7, 2026. Attending helps clarify eligibility and strengthens your application.
~1 hrs
-
2
Submit application through Submittable
Complete the application at blackgirlventures.submittable.com. Provide business information, founder background, revenue evidence, and your pitch concept. Applications close May 15, 2026 for the current cycle.
~2 hrs
-
3
Notification and cohort selection
Selected alumni are notified by May 18, 2026. BGV selects a limited cohort. Not all applicants are admitted — this is a competitive selection.
-
4
Prepare and deliver live pitch
Cohort members prepare a 3-minute pitch plus 3-minute Q&A for the Champions Panel. The live event is held in a city location (BGV covers travel and lodging for the six finalists). Audience votes with dollars via the Raisify platform in real time.
~10 hrs
The $5K matching from BGV is guaranteed for every selected cohort member — not just the top finalists. The crowdfunding element means your network matters: founders who pre-mobilize supporters to vote with dollars on pitch day outperform those who rely solely on the live audience.
Deadline & timing
The 2026 cycle has a May 7, 2026 Interest Call (open Q&A for prospective applicants) and a May 15, 2026 application deadline. Selected alumni are announced May 18, 2026. BGV runs annual competition cycles — the next cycle is expected to open in spring 2027.
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