Hey Helen Grant

The Hey Helen Grant is a privately funded initiative administered by Visionaries, an organization focused on supporting entrepreneurs and mission driven businesses. The grant is named in honor of Helen Roberts, whose legacy of belief in individuals and grassroots support for entrepreneurial ambition inspired the creation of this funding opportunity. The program is designed to provide direct financial support to women entrepreneurs in the United States who are building for profit businesses with a strong sense of purpose and impact. Visionaries positions this grant as both a financial catalyst and a recognition platform for founders who demonstrate commitment, resilience, and alignment with values such as integrity and innovation. The primary objective of the Hey Helen Grant is to provide unrestricted financial capital to early stage or growing businesses that may benefit from flexible funding. Each cycle awards a single recipient a ten thousand dollar cash grant that can be used across a wide range of business needs. Allowable uses include operations, marketing, hiring, infrastructure, or general growth activities. There are no stated restrictions on how funds must be spent, making this a highly flexible funding source compared to traditional grants that often impose strict cost categories. There is no cost share or matching requirement associated with this program. Eligibility is clearly defined and targeted. Applicants must identify as women and own one hundred percent of the applying business. The business must be legally registered in the United States, operate as a for profit entity, and generate less than one million dollars in annual revenue. Applicants must be at least eighteen years old and maintain a United States based business bank account capable of receiving ACH transfers. Nonbinary individuals who were assigned female at birth or who align with the mission of supporting women entrepreneurs are also eligible. Nonprofit organizations are explicitly excluded from eligibility, and applicants must be actively operating businesses rather than ideas or pre launch ventures. The application process consists of a straightforward submission through an online form. Applicants must provide basic contact information and respond to a combination of short questions about their business as well as three longer narrative responses. There is a fifteen dollar administrative fee required to submit an application. After submission, applications are reviewed internally by the Visionaries team. Evaluation criteria include clarity of the business concept, alignment with the grant’s mission and values, and demonstrated potential for impact and growth. There is no mention of external review panels or scoring rubrics beyond these qualitative factors. The timeline for the current cycle indicates that applications are open and will close on August 30, 2026 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. Following the close of applications, the review process takes place, and the selected recipient is expected to be notified by mid October. Funds are distributed shortly after selection via ACH transfer. The program notes that after this round, grants will transition to a monthly award cycle, indicating a recurring funding structure moving forward. In addition to the financial award, recipients benefit from visibility and promotional support. This includes features on Visionaries platforms and potential opportunities for press exposure. Past recipients have included founders working in areas such as mental health and education, demonstrating the program’s openness to a wide range of industries. While no formal performance period is defined, the grant is intended to support the next phase of business growth over approximately six months. No specific reporting requirements or post award obligations are detailed in the available information.

Focus on clearly articulating your business mission and impact and demonstrate alignment with values and growth potential