Paris Hilton's non-profit awards grants to women entrepreneurs affected by wildfires
In honor of Women’s History Month, Paris Hilton’s nonprofit 11:11 Media Impact has partnered with GoFundMe.Org to award eleven $25,000 grants through the Pasadena Women’s Business Center, to help small businesses affected by the Eaton Fire. Applications for the grants are open to any for-profit business that has been in operation since at least December 1, 2024, and which has been affected by Altadena’s Eaton fire – whether via physical damage, lost revenue, or other negative impacts.
In announcing the grants, Hilton said, “Supporting women entrepreneurs is deeply personal to me, as is helping those impacted by my community’s devastating wildfires. I’m so proud to support the Pasadena Women’s Business Center and help resilient female business owners recover and rebuild.” Hilton also announced the Grants on Instagram to her 26.8 million followers.
I’m so proud to support the Pasadena Women’s Business Center and help resilient female business owners recover and rebuild.
Paris Hilton
Candidates can apply, and learn more about the relief grants, through the Pasadena Women’s Business Center’s website, https://www.pasadenawbc.org/la-wildfire-relief-grant. Applications will be open through 5PM PT, March 31, 2025. Finalists will be selected for a video interview, and the winners will be chosen by select criteria determined by the Pasadena Women’s Business Center and 11:11 Media Impact. In addition to the $25,000 grant, winners will also receive a year of 1:1 business advising.
Founded in October, 2024, and hosted by Pasadena City College, the Pasadena Women’s Business Center is one of 21 centers that make up the California Women’s Business Centers Network (WBCs). Dedicated to helping entrepreneurs launch and grow small businesses, the WBCs offer no-cost one-on-one financial advising, workshops on a variety of business-related topics, and connections to fellow entrepreneurs.
In the wake of the devastating Eaton Fire, the Center’s Director Lizzy Okoro Davidson says much of the Center’s attention lately has been guiding entrepreneurs left reeling from the disaster. “I would say 50% of the new clients we see have been impacted by the fire,” she says, “We've seen people who lost their home-based business, [others who] have lost their home but not their business so they are hyper-focused on trying to rebuild their personal life. We've seen a client who lost their storage unit and all of their inventory. One client lost her staff because her employees lost their homes and couldn't return to work.”
The newly announced grants should give a boost to those served by the Center, as they forge a path toward recovery. Nancy Swift, Chair of the California Women’s Business Centers Network, said: “I am thrilled to have an entrepreneur like Paris Hilton, and GoFundMe.Org, partner with the Pasadena Women’s Business Center for this amazing opportunity. I have no doubt that the small businesses in the community affected by the Altadena Fire will rebuild, stronger than ever, and I am grateful that they’ll have the Pasadena WBC to help light the way.”
In its latest Impact Report, the California Women’s Business Centers Network tallied 14,000 California businesses that they have served, with a remarkable return on their investment: a 21% increase in jobs created and retained (26,761 total), a 36% rise in gross sales revenue ($525 million), and $785.5 million reinvested into local economies. For every $1 of funding received, the WBC Network generated an impressive $79 in local economic benefits.
For more information on the California Women’s Business Center Network, visit californiawbc.org.
About California Women's Business Centers Network: The California WBC Network continues to be at the forefront of fostering an inclusive business environment where women entrepreneurs thrive. In their mission to create opportunities for growth and success for the talented and innovative entrepreneurs of California, the Network works closely with both legislative leaders and the communities they serve. Visit californiawbc.org.