20 Black Female Salon Owners and Hairstylists Will Receive $10,000 Grants

COVID-19 has hit a lot of businesses hard, especially salons. Temporary closures have made it so that many salon owners can no longer afford to keep employees on staff or even pay rent, thus forcing them to close permanently in the midst of a pandemic. Those that were lucky enough to survive the economic fallout of the virus long enough to reopen, are now trying to follow new safety protocols to ensure that they can continue taking clients.

Many of the salons that are open are being asked to operate their facilities by appointment only with only a certain about of clients allowed in. So even if they are functioning, they’re unable to do so in a way that maximizes their profit. When you add in the fact that many people are still scared to risk their health for a haircut (plus the costs of cleaning supplies, masks, disinfectants, and gloves), the blow is especially brutal.

While all salon owners are experiencing hard times, the ones who happen to be Black women are particularly vulnerable at this time. Black businesses have always received less financial support and continue to face an uphill battle reaching the same level of success as their non-Black counterparts.

Enter in, Gold Series by Pantene and Royal Oils by Head & Shoulders (both under the Procter & Gamble umbrella), two brands that have come together to create a new initiative to help support Black female salon owners and stylists in the hopes of keeping their salons operating during this uncertain time. 

The two brands have partnered with the program Salon Give Back to give away $200,000 to Black women salon owners and stylists. They will choose 20 Black female salon owners and stylists to each receive $10,000 in order to keep them afloat.

“Royal Oils and Gold Series are committed to helping salons reopen and rebuild after the pandemic and remain dedicated to elevating and supporting Black women through entrepreneurship,” the brands said in a statement.

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If you are a Black woman whose salon has been effected by COVID-19, you can apply for the grant here. The deadline for the application is July 12 and winners will be announced on July 15. Good luck, and we wish all salon owners and stylists a speedy recovery from the effects of the pandemic.

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Originally Appeared on Allure