ABOUT THE GRANT:

As part of its mission to advocate for equity and inclusivity in the design industries, the Female Design Council runs a biennial grant program for female designers of color. The third edition of the FDC Grant, presented by 1stDibs and NICOLEHOLLIS, awards a $20,000 cash prize in unrestricted funding to an exemplary woman of color in interior design. The winner and two finalists are selected by a prestigious jury of design world stars, and in addition to financial support, the winner receives major industry recognition and direct mentorship from a 1stDibs 50 and AD100 designer.

WINNER RECEIVES:

The winner of the Female Design Council Grant will receive $20,000 in unrestricted funding, a 12-month membership in the Female Design Council, mentorship with Nicole Hollis of NICOLEHOLLIS, and will become a member of the 1stDibs Trade 1st program, where they'll enjoy a suite of benefits, including net price discounts and exclusive marketing opportunities.

FINALISTS RECEIVE:

The two finalists will each receive a 12-month membership in the Female Design Council. 

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JURY

Camille Okhio
Senior Design Writer, Elle Décor

Nicole Hollis
Founder, NICOLEHOLLIS

Elizabeth Graziolo
Founder and Principal, Yellow House Architects

Lora Appleton
Founder, Female Design Council

Gabriella Khalil
Creative Director and Co-Founder, Palm Heights
Creative Director, WSA

Karen Silveira
Creative Director, 1stDibs

GRANT ELIGIBILITY

  • The FDC Grant is open to Black, Indigenous, Latina and Asian American Pacific Islander female-identified designers based in the United States. We are trans and non-binary inclusive.

  • Applicants must be either an independent designer (solo operator) or the founder/principal of a design studio. Studios that are co-owned are not eligible unless both founders are Black, Indigenous, Latina and/or Asian American Pacific Islander, as well as female-identified. 

  • Applicants’ practice must be interior design focused, and you must submit an interior design project to be eligible. Additional studio work can include product design, curation, landscape design, contracting, art advisory, and architecture, but the majority of your business must be interior design.

  • Applicants must have been in business for at least 3 years and must have worked on a project in the last 3 years with a budget of at least $30K.

  • Applicant businesses must be based in the USA. The grant is open to non-American citizens as long as they are domiciled in the USA and are able to receive taxable income in the USA regardless of citizenship status.

  • All applicants (or their business) must have a public Instagram, able to be tagged by sponsors.

  • Previous FDC Grant applicants (non-winners) are eligible to apply for Grant 3. Previous FDC Grant winners are not eligible.

  • Applicants do not need to be a current or past member of the Female Design Council to apply.

Questions? Email info@femaledesigncouncil.org with the subject line “FDC GRANT”.

FDC GRANT HISTORY

As part of its mission to advocate for equity and inclusivity in the design industries, the FDC launched a biennial grant program for BIPOC designers. Beyond representation and publicity, the opportunity for direct financial support of their design business is a game-changer for this historically underrecognized group in design. Grantees are selected by a jury of top industry professionals, and winners of the FDC Grant program have gone on to major media attention and career achievements.  

CYCLE 1, 2020

The first FDC Grant, developed with the support of InCollect and BZippy, awarded two winners with the funds to bring their ideas into prototyping and/or production. The grant was won by furniture designer Luam Melake and leather artisan Mia Wright-Ross. Since winning the grant, Melake is now represented by design gallery R&Co and has launched a collection with CB2, and Wright-Ross has been an Artist Fellow at the Museum of Art and Design and a faculty member at Parsons School of Design. The Grant Program also recognized five finalists, who were gifted free memberships in the FDC.

  • Lora Appleton, Founder of the Female Design Council and kinder MODERN


  • Alyse Archer-Coité, Design Researcher

  • Malene Barnett, Founder of Black Artists + Designers Guild, Artist
 

  • John Smiroldo, Founder of InCollect
 

  • Bari Ziperstein, Founder of BZIPPY, Artist

JURY

FINALISTS

Ebere Agwuncha • Aliana Grace Bailey • Sekoi Cooper • Nia Musiba • Nifemi Ogunro

WINNERS

Luam Melake

Mia Wright-Ross

CYCLE 2, 2022

The second grant cycle was developed with the support of AD100 interior designer Nicole Hollis, and was created to provide financial support to an interior design or architecture firm led by a woman of color. In addition to the monetary award, the grantee received mentorship from Nicole Hollis's team. The winner of the second FDC Grant was Little Wing Lee, founder of Studio & Projects Design Studio and the advocacy organization Black Folks in Design. Since winning the grant, Lee has received the commission for the redesign of the interiors of the National Black Theatre of Harlem and launched a collection with RBW Lighting.

  • Lora Appleton, Founder of the Female Design Council and kinder MODERN

  • Michael K. Chen, Founder of MKCA, Co-founder of Design Advocates


  • Nina Cooke John, Founder of Studio Cooke John

  • Nicole Hollis, Founder of NICOLEHOLLIS

  • Alison Levasseur, Global Interiors & Garden Editor of Architectural Digest


  • Tiana Webb Evans, Founder of ESP Group, Jamaica Art Society and Yard Concept

JURY

FINALISTS

Laura Casanas Maya • Anne Devereau • Teruko Kushi • Urvi Sharma • Cherub “Chopp” Stewart

WINNER

Little Wing Lee