Remarkable Ideas Grants

2025 Great Dames Remarkable Ideas Grants

At Great Dames, we believe stories spark change. An honest, personal, and powerfully told story can shift perspectives, build community, and amplify voices that need to be heard.

The 2025 Remarkable Ideas Grants will support women-led, women-serving nonprofits that use storytelling to inspire transformation — through lived experience, healing, or social change.

Finalists share their impact through the people whose lives have been transformed. These grants go beyond funding — they elevate authentic stories that make a difference.

2025 Grant Award Package — $25,000 Value

The Great Dames Remarkable Ideas Grant Program invites women-led nonprofits to showcase bold ideas and powerful storytelling that drive real change.

Award includes:

$10,000 cash grant
$15,000+ in business services
Access to mentorship and resources from the Great Dames community

The recipient will be selected by members of the Great Dames Giving Circle. Deadline to vote: November 7.

Join Us: Nov. 18 Celebration & Grant Award Announcement

2025 Remarkable Grant Finalists:

Byrd Cancer Education and Advocacy Foundation video / website / donate

Fresh Start Scholarship Foundation video / website / donate

Global Interactions video / website / donate

The Wardrobe video / website / donate

One Village Alliance, Inc./Girls Can Do Anything video / website / donate

Please take a moment to complete the Audience Feedback Form. Our presenters value and benefit from your input.

Audience Feedback Form

Live Virtual Pitch Event

2025 Remarkable Ideas Grants

$25,000 Grant Award Package

Empowering Women & Girls—Live!

Monday, October 20, 2025 | 5:30 – 6:45 PM ET | Zoom

Join us for one of the most inspiring nights of the year! Our top finalists for the 2025 Great Dames Remarkable Ideas Grant will take the virtual stage to pitch their bold, women-led initiatives that use authentic stories to empower women and girls.

You’ll experience:

Live pitches from visionary changemakers
$25K grant competition—including $10K in funding and $15K+ in services
A chance to vote for the ideas you believe in (Circle members vote)
An evening of inspiration that proves the power of storytelling to spark transformation

This is your front-row seat to the future of women’s leadership and innovation.

Together, let’s celebrate and support the women whose stories are changing the world.

Remarkable Ideas Grant Celebration

One Night. Five Remarkable Women. Lasting Impact.

Tuesday, Nov 18, 2025 | 5:30 – 6:30 PM ET | Zoom

$25,000 Grant Award Package

Join us for an unforgettable hour of inspiration, storytelling, and celebration as we announce the recipient of the 2025 Great Dames Remarkable Ideas Grant — a $25,000 award package that fuels women-led innovation and impact.

You’ll experience:

Stories that ignite change from our five finalists — women transforming lives through their remarkable work.

The reveal of the 2025 grant recipient selected by our Giving Circle members.

A powerful community of supporters coming together to champion women and girls everywhere.

Your presence will make this moment even more meaningful — for her, for them, and for all of us.

Together, we’ll honor the women whose work is changing the world.

RSVP: Your Ticket is Free

Donate: Support Remarkable Women

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We believe in the power of story to transform lives.
If your work is making a difference—one authentic story at a time—we want to hear from you.

Together, we amplify voices that create change.

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Prior Remarkable Winners

2024 Great Dames Remarkable Ideas Grant Competition

Congratulations to our 2024 Remarkable Ideas Winner, LaVante’ Dorsey, True to You Mental Health Initiative. And kudos to all of our 2024 remarkable finalists who are doing vital work to empower women and girls in our communities. Please support them.

2024 Finalist Pitch Videos/Websites:

AHHAH ( Arts Holding Hands and Hearts) video / website / donate

Girls Can Do Anything video / website / donate

Her Wallet Media video / website / donate

Safe Haven Healing video / website / donate

True to You Mental Health Initiative video / website / donate

Unite For Her video / website / donate

2024 Semi-Finalist Pitch Videos/Websites:

Leah’s Dream video / website / donate

World Academy for the Future of Women video / website

These remarkable women leaders pitched their ideas for empowering women and girls. Innovators worldwide participated in our competition, and six finalists were selected by our judges to pitch. Giving Circle members selected the winner to receive a grand prize package that included a $10,000 cash award, access to a business mentor, and a comprehensive portfolio of business services. The total value of the grand prize package exceeded $25,000.

Our 2024 Remarkable Ideas winner, LaVante’ Dorsey, True to You Mental Health Initiative, was announced at our 15th Anniversary Celebration Events on Oct. 15 & Nov. 14.

Want to support remarkable women innovators?

JOIN the Giving Circle

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2023 Great Dames Remarkable Ideas Grant Award

Body Empowerment Project Leaders

Body Empowerment Project video / website

The Great Dames community was thrilled to announce the winner of our 2023 Remarkable Ideas Pitch Competition. Body Empowerment Project, a nonprofit that empowers youth to find body acceptance and self-worth, was awarded our premier grant. The winning pitch offered a well-researched presentation of their efforts to help prevent eating disorders in adolescents, specifically in populations lacking access to treatment and preventive care. The award included a $5,000 grant, a business mentor, business services portfolio, and a strategic partnership with Great Dames.

Two other nonprofits, The Wardrobe and Unite for Her, were given finalist awards that included a business mentor, services, and a seed grant.

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2021 Remarkable Ideas Virtual Pitch Competition features Women with BIG Ideas for Reimagining the Future

2021 Competition Finalists’ Pitch Videos:

Up Cycle Design, Sierra RyanWallick, the 2021 Remarkable Winner! Read here.

Imagine Me Healthy, Chesha Hodge

Dear Katie: Survivor Stories Podcast, Kelsey Styles

Quality Communication Training, That Scales, Rachel Cossar

Redefining the Superwoman, Nicolle Surratte

Please share your feedback: Audience Evaluation of Pitch Videos

Theme: Reimagining our Future with Your Remarkable Ideas

Winner will receive a package, including $1,000 in cash, a business mentor, and a portfolio of valuable business services. Judges will select 5 finalists among the pitch videos submitted. The Great Dames Circle community will select the WINNER!

2020 Remarkable Ideas Pitch Competition features Women with BIG Ideas for Reimagining their Communities

Ten remarkable young women pitched their innovative ideas to the Great Dames community and each deserved recognition and support. Giftie Umo was declared the winner for her project that is dedicated to giving women in Africa a voice. Giftie, a Nigerian-born Delawarean, founded Girls Leading Africa to empower girls and young mothers who face gender inequity. Giftie remarked "I was tired of the invisible scars women and girls carry with them. I believe there is no better time to amplify their voices." Giftie was awarded a $1,000 grant and will be assigned a business mentor to support her efforts. We invite you to review all eight pitches and offer your feedback and support!

Remarkable Ideas Survey Link