Whether you're a future esthetician with big goals, a seasoned stylist ready to shift gears, or an entrepreneur building your brand from the ground up, there are scholarship and grant opportunities available now that can meet you where you are and help you glow forward.
Here are standout programs worth looking into.
AMBER GRANTS
Founded in memory of aspiring businesswoman Amber Wigdahl, Amber Grants support female entrepreneurs in a big way. The organization’s Business Category Grants award $10K per month to female entrepreneurs, and for the month of August it’s open specifically to hair- and skin-care business owners – apply here.
Even better: enter once and you’re automatically signed up for other grant opportunities: the $10K Monthly Amber Grant and the $10K Monthly Startup Grant, plus a $25K year-end grant awarded to one of the monthly winners.
BEVEL x INVEST FEST
Calling all beauty bosses and culture shifters: if you’re vending at Invest Fest 2025 in Atlanta, you’re eligible for the BEVEL $25K Vendor Marketplace Grant for Black entrepreneurs.
This grant isn’t just about the money (though, yes, that part’s great) — it’s about visibility, legacy, and getting the support you deserve.
Apply here through Aug. 11. The winner will be revealed live during the Earn Your Leisure’s Market Mondays podcast on Sept. 15.
HER RISE MICROGRANT
These monthly $1K business grants are distributed to women-owned small businesses in the U.S. with less than $1 million in gross revenue. Apply here by the last day of each month to be considered for the rotating grant program administered by Her Suite Spot.
HEY HELEN MICROGRANT
This privately funded initiative by the Visionaries Collective invests in female business owners building impact-driven, for-profit businesses in the U.S. One founder receives a $5K unrestricted cash award each grant cycle.
Eligible applicants own and operate a U.S.-based, for-profit business generating between $25K-$1M in annual revenue. Apply for this grant cycle by Aug. 29.
LIFT BEAUTY ACCELERATOR
Applications open Aug. 4 for the 2025 edition of the Lift Beauty Accelerator. The grant program is administered by Rare Beauty Brands, JCPenney, and other partners. It's open to brand founders in the U.S., U.K., and Canada from underrepresented backgrounds in the beauty industry.
Winners are selected based on the founders’ leadership and vision; business concept and product innovation; and potential for growth and scalability.
Three entries will receive a minimum of $10K in funding plus mentorship, retail opportunities, and $3K in in-kind business services. Apply here from Aug. 4 - Sept. 22.
OGLE SCHOOL GRIT & GLAMOUR SCHOLARSHIP
If you’ve got the hustle, Ogle School wants to help you bring the glam. Its Grit & Glamour Scholarship awards $4K toward tuition to one future cosmetologist or esthetician attending any of the beauty schools’ Texas or Georgia campuses.
The funds are split into two disbursements — $2K at the start of the program, and $2K at the halfway mark. Applications for the September start date are open through Aug. 25.
Applicants are asked to submit a 500-word essay, a 3–5 image portfolio, and a letter of recommendation. Download the Scholarship Starter Kit here and get additional info here for other available scholarships at Ogle School.
BEAUTY GIVES BACK
Want to support beauty scholarships and grants? Plan to attend Beauty Gives Back 2025 on Monday, Sept. 15 in Chicago. It’s a valuable, immersive all-day experience featuring top names in the industry, and ticket sales fund a great cause: the Beauty Gives Back Foundation. Get tickets here.
Meanwhile, the Beauty Gives Back grant program is open and taking applications — shoot your shot here.