Sip & Empower Foundation

Your brand. Your next chapter.

A $2,500 grant for a beverage brand with a vision.

Wine. Spirits. Nonalcoholic beverages. One opportunity to move forward.

Apply for the $2,500 Grant

Applications close December 31, 2026.

Pour Into Possibility

Building a beverage brand takes courage, creativity, and resources. Sip & Empower Foundation will award one $2,500 cash grant to a qualified U.S.-based wine, spirits, or nonalcoholic beverage brand. Tell us your story and show how this funding would help you take your next step.

Who can apply

U.S.-based brands may apply regardless of the founder’s race or gender. Applicants must be authorized to represent the business, provide verifiable business registration and applicable licensing information, and submit a clear plan for using $2,500.

Participation requirement: The three finalists must attend and pour at the April 3, 2027 fundraiser at Wilder Mansion, 211 South Prospect Avenue, Elmhurst, Illinois. Finalists are responsible for their own travel, lodging, staffing, tasting product, shipping, transportation, and other participation expenses, and must meet applicable event requirements.

How it works

1. Apply by December 31: Share your business information, founder story, budget, photos, and two-minute video.
2. Qualify: The Foundation checks applications against the published requirements.
3. Let the community decide: Qualified brands receive profiles for one public voting round. The three highest verified vote totals advance as finalists; the highest total determines the $2,500 recipient, subject to final qualification and event participation.
4. Celebrate April 3: Meet the finalists and discover the winner at In the Spirit of Empowerment.

Voting is planned for January 8–February 28, 2027, with finalists notified by March 5. There is no second round or vote reset. Voting will offer one verified free vote per person daily plus one additional vote per $1 donated. Competing brands may not use their own or business funds to purchase votes for themselves. A public leaderboard is planned. Complete voting rules, verification, tie-breaking, and any leaderboard cutoff will be published before voting opens. Voting is not open yet.

What to prepare

• Business and contact details, website, social links, registration and applicable licensing information.
• Your founder story, business opportunity, community impact, and an itemized $2,500 spending plan with a measurable six-month goal.
• A short public biography, logo, product photo, and optional founder photo.
• A downloadable link to your two-minute founder video.

A video that tells your story

Introduce yourself and your brand, explain what makes it distinctive, and tell us how $2,500 would help your business and community.

Specs: Up to two minutes; vertical 9:16; 1080 × 1920 pixels; MP4 preferred; 30 fps. Use clear audio and good lighting. No music or watermarks. Keep essential text away from the edges. Provide an original downloadable file link the Foundation can access.

The application includes media permission, information accuracy, relationship disclosure, and finalist expense acknowledgments. Do not submit Social Security numbers, banking details, or personal tax documents with your application.

Start Your Application

Questions? info@clinkfestival.com

Sip & Empower Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Your support advances education, trade development, and opportunities for beverage and hospitality entrepreneurs.