Feb 20, 2014

EILEEN FISHER Announces The 2013 Winners of The Business Grant Program for Women Entrepreneurs

The EILEEN FISHER Business Grant Program announces its recipients for the ninth annual grant cycle. Awarded to innovative companies that are socially-conscious and committed to sustainability, the EILEEN FISHER Business Grant Program for Women Entrepreneurs was launched in 2004 to support wholly women-owned businesses that strive to create a positive social impact and embody the business philosophy of EILEEN FISHER.

This year’s six recipients include two social enterprises, greenGoat and Southwest Creations. Based out of Somerville, Massachusetts, greenGoat was founded by Amy Bauman to keep architectural salvage out of the landfill by redistributing materials to people and companies and to teach building professionals how to boost building efficiency through conserving resources and managing waste streams. Southwest Creations Collaborative is a manufacturing facility created to empower women by providing them with financially stable jobs and helping them become leaders in their families and communities.

Other grantees include Alabama Chanin, a clothing company that creates intricately sewn, one-of-a-kind cotton garments through a network of homeworkers; Good Nature Brewing, a female-run brewery and taproom in Hamilton, New York that focuses on using local suppliers; Melissa Joy Manning, a NYC-based fine jewelry designer committed to using ethically sourced and recycled materials; and Merrily Made, a Connecticut design studio run by Merrie Buchsbaum, a polymer artist who creates unique products such as a line of pens made with materials straight from her own garden.

First launched on the twentieth anniversary of EILEEN FISHER—a company started by the namesake designer with only $350 in savings—the EILEEN FISHER Business Grant Program for Women Entrepreneurs celebrates innovative and passionate women leading companies that foster environmental and economic health in their communities. The six recipients will receive grants of $25,000 each and also attend a two-day conference in New York City where they will meet with past beneficiaries and EILEEN FISHER teams.

About EILEEN FISHER:

With over 60 stores throughout the country, EILEEN FISHER has been creating effortlessly chic clothes for women nationwide for the past 30 years. Designed with pure shapes and fine fabrics, EILEEN FISHER offers sophistication, comfort, and style that lasts. As a socially conscious company, the brand also supports global initiatives that empower women and girls, and serves as a pioneer in eco-friendly fashion. For more information, please visit eileenfisher.com