Great Dames announces Great Ideas grant recipient
Great Dames announced that Fresh Start Scholarship Foundation (FSSF) has been selected as the 2025 Remarkable Ideas Grant Recipient.
FSSF was chosen from a field of five women-led nonprofit finalists for its vision to use education, mentorship, and storytelling to transform the lives of Delaware women.
The 2025 recipient was selected by members of the Great Dames Giving Circle, who fund the grant and play a vital role in championing and investing in women-led innovation.
The award package includes $10,000 in cash and more than $15,000 in business services, along with access to a seasoned business mentor and a strategic partnership with Great Dames to help amplify grant's impact.
“Fresh Start Scholarship Foundation opens doors that many women once thought were closed,” said Sharon Kelly Hake, president of Great Dames Inc. “When we invest in a woman’s education and support network, the impact reaches her children, her family, her workplace, and her community. I know I speak for the entire Great Dames community when I say we’re incredibly proud to stand with Fresh Start as it continues to help more Delaware women move forward with confidence and opportunity.”
Fresh Start Scholarship Foundation’s mission is to empower Delaware women through education and mentorship, providing scholarships and one-on-one support to women returning to school to complete their degrees and build more secure futures for themselves and their families.
During the Remarkable Ideas Live Pitch Night on October 20, finalists presented their deas to a live virtual audience, culminating in the November 18 Celebration where the Great Dames Giving Circle announced Fresh Start Scholarship Foundation as this year’s recipient.
In addition to Fresh Start Scholarship Foundation, founded by Mary Maloney, the 2025 finalists included:
Byrd Cancer Education and Advocacy Foundation – Nia Imani Bailey, founder
Global Interactions/World Academy for the Future of Women – Jerrie Ueberle, founder
The Wardrobe – Sheri Cole, executive director
One Village Alliance/Girls Can Do Anything – Chandra Pitts, founder
Fresh Start Scholarship Foundation empowers Delaware women through education and mentorship.
The organization provides scholarships and one-on-one mentoring to women who are returning to college later in life, helping them overcome financial and personal barriers..
Great Dames Inc. is a women’s leadership and social impact organization.