Visa She’s Next Grant Program

Overview

Visa’s She’s Next Grant Program, delivered in partnership with IFundWomen, awards $10,000 grants and one year of coaching to Black women-owned small businesses across the United States. The initiative addresses persistent funding gaps by combining unrestricted capital with mentorship, networking, and marketing exposure. Grantees join a national cohort of founders who receive personalized business coaching, media amplification, and access to Visa’s corporate ecosystem. The program seeks entrepreneurs poised for growth who can articulate a compelling vision, demonstrate community impact, and show disciplined financial management.

Opportunity Snapshot

Eligibility Checklist

Applicants must be Black women who own at least 51% of a U.S.-registered business operating for two or more years. The program welcomes for-profit ventures across industries, with a focus on scalable companies that can benefit from strategic coaching. Provide documentation such as business registration, EIN, and proof of ownership. Businesses should demonstrate revenue traction and a clear plan for allocating grant funds. Prior winners may not be eligible in subsequent cycles, so review the latest program rules on IFundWomen.

Crafting a Persuasive Application

The application includes narrative responses about your business, financial performance, and growth strategy. Start with a compelling origin story that connects your lived experience to the market need you address. Outline your product or service, target audience, and competitive differentiation. Provide revenue figures, customer acquisition metrics, and operational milestones. Detail how the $10,000 grant will unlock specific growth initiatives—expanding inventory, investing in marketing, upgrading technology, or hiring talent. Emphasize how coaching will help you execute those plans.

Showcasing Financial Discipline

Visa and IFundWomen look for businesses with sound financial practices. Prepare profit and loss statements, balance sheets, and cash flow projections. Highlight key performance indicators such as gross margin, customer lifetime value, and monthly recurring revenue if applicable. Discuss funding history, including bootstrapping, loans, or crowdfunding. Address challenges candidly—supply chain disruptions, pandemic recovery—and explain how you mitigated them. Financial transparency builds confidence in your leadership.

Community Impact and Brand Storytelling

She’s Next celebrates founders who uplift their communities. Describe how your business creates jobs, empowers marginalized groups, or delivers essential products and services. Share testimonials from customers, employees, or partners. If you reinvest profits into community programs, detail those initiatives. Align your story with Visa’s commitment to inclusive economic growth. A resonant brand narrative can differentiate your application in a competitive pool.

Leveraging IFundWomen Coaching

Winners receive a year of coaching and educational resources from IFundWomen. Identify the competencies you wish to strengthen—fundraising, sales funnels, digital marketing, operations, or leadership. Explain how coaching will accelerate these priorities and how you will implement learnings. Plan to participate in webinars, office hours, and peer mastermind sessions. Demonstrating coachability signals that you will maximize the program’s non-financial value.

Marketing and Media Readiness

Selected founders gain media exposure through Visa campaigns and press coverage. Audit your digital presence—website, social media, branding—to ensure it reflects professionalism and inclusivity. Prepare media assets such as high-resolution photos, logos, and pitch decks. Develop key messages about your mission, impact, and growth plans. A polished public profile helps Visa amplify your story effectively.

Timeline and Submission Tips

Applications typically open in December with a February deadline. Set a project plan that includes drafting essays, compiling financial documents, and recording a short video pitch if required. Request letters of recommendation or endorsements early. Review submission guidelines for file formats and length limits. Submit before the deadline to avoid technical issues and allow time to verify confirmation emails. Track communications from IFundWomen for finalist notifications and interview scheduling.

Post-Award Stewardship

Grantees must complete periodic surveys and share progress updates. Outline how you will monitor outcomes—revenue growth, jobs created, customers served—and report them to Visa and IFundWomen. Stay engaged with the alumni network to exchange resources and referrals. Use grant funds as proposed and document expenditures. Demonstrating accountability enhances your reputation and positions you for future partnerships or funding opportunities.

Scaling Beyond the Grant

Articulate a long-term growth strategy that extends beyond the one-year program. Identify upcoming milestones such as launching new product lines, entering additional markets, or securing larger contracts. Discuss capital plans—equity investment, lines of credit, or government grants—and how the She’s Next experience will strengthen your case. By presenting a vision for sustained impact, you signal that Visa’s investment will generate lasting returns.

Preparing a Video Pitch

Some cohorts require a short video pitch. Outline your script to cover your mission, customer problem, traction, and use of funds. Film in a quiet setting with natural lighting, and add captions for accessibility. Incorporate product demonstrations, customer testimonials, or behind-the-scenes footage that reflects your brand personality. Keep the tone energetic yet authentic; Visa seeks founders who can inspire audiences while communicating business fundamentals clearly.

Strengthening Your Digital Infrastructure

Visa’s coaching frequently emphasizes digital sales channels and secure payment systems. Before applying, audit your e-commerce platform, point-of-sale tools, and cybersecurity practices. Ensure your website is mobile-friendly, supports multiple payment methods, and complies with privacy regulations. Document analytics dashboards that track conversion rates and customer retention. Demonstrating a strong digital foundation signals that grant funds will scale efficiently.

Building Partnerships with Financial Institutions

Leverage the She’s Next platform to deepen relationships with banks, credit unions, and community development financial institutions. Prepare a financing roadmap that outlines when you will seek credit lines, equipment loans, or merchant services. Bring questions about underwriting, credit-building, and export financing to coaching sessions. Visa’s network can open doors to bankers who understand the challenges facing Black women founders; showing that you are ready to engage makes you a compelling candidate.

Sustaining Impact After the Program

Plan how you will continue the momentum once the coaching year concludes. Establish advisory boards, join mastermind groups, or enroll in accelerator alumni programs to maintain accountability. Set three-year targets for revenue, team size, and community impact, and revisit them quarterly. Share success stories with Visa and IFundWomen to access spotlight opportunities, and offer to mentor future cohorts. Demonstrating a long-term stewardship mindset underscores that the grant will produce lasting returns.

Tracking Metrics for Reporting

Create a dashboard that captures monthly revenue, customer retention, marketing conversion, and community impact metrics. Update it throughout the coaching year so you can respond quickly to Visa’s surveys and success story requests. Having organized data also prepares you for future grant applications, investor conversations, and press interviews. Consistent measurement demonstrates operational maturity and reinforces that Visa’s investment is generating measurable outcomes.