Grants for Women
Funding for women advancing research, engineering, agriculture, manufacturing, and regional bioindustrial development.
Women drive the majority of consumer demand and lead many of the most effective research, community, and agricultural initiatives. The Foundation allocates dedicated funding for women-led research, pilot projects, early-stage manufacturing, and regional bioindustrial work. This program strengthens the teams shaping the next industrial era.
Eligibility
Funding supports women leading work in:
University Research
Materials science, environmental engineering, processing innovation, agronomy, supply chain studies.
Engineering & Technical Fields
Product design, composite testing, equipment development, industrial design.
Agriculture & Land Stewardship
Farmers, ranchers, regenerative agriculture practitioners, soil teams.
Manufacturing & Processing
Startup founders, pilot-line operators, equipment technicians, small-batch manufacturers.
Community Leadership
Women organizing regional coalitions, local development groups, cooperatives, or rural initiatives.
Project Categories
Research Grants
University-led work aligned with materials, agronomy, processing, engineering standards, or DBX development.
Pilot Projects
Small-scale processing, prototype runs, equipment evaluations, regional demonstration projects.
Startup & Maker Support
Small grants for testing ideas, early prototypes, and product development through the Bioindustrial Studio.
Acreage & Transition Grants
Support for women farmers adopting fiber rotations, regenerative practices, or pilot acreage.
Community & Regional Projects
Projects led by women building local coalitions, workforce pathways, or rural development initiatives.
How the Grants Are Funded
Foundation Allocation
Dedicated grant pool set aside annually for women-led projects.
Community Micro-Backing
Women-led initiatives frequently attract strong community backing — families, alumni, and local businesses contributing small amounts.
Micro-backers receive proportional long-tail royalties when projects reach commercial deployment.
Matched Grants
Some projects receive matched support through state, federal, or philanthropic programs.
Industrial Participation (AFG + Partners)
AFG provides equipment alignment, testing access, prototype support, and project evaluation.
Support for University Teams
Paid Student Roles
Women students receive full-time research compensation through the Accelerator model.
10-Year Student Royalty
If a student’s project enters industry, they receive a long-tail royalty for ten years.
Faculty Royalty Shares
Women faculty leading research participate in long-tail royalty structures tied to deployment outcomes.
Qualification for Industrial Deployment
Women-led research and pilot work aligns with DBX — the Domestic Biofiber Index:
grade definitions
procurement standards
verification
FEOC compliance
industrial qualification
insurance modeling inputs
Projects reaching DBX thresholds move directly into American Fiber Group’s processing and procurement pathways.
Submit a Project Overview
Applications include:
project description
expected outcomes
team members
budget needs
region or hub alignment
DBX relevance (if known)
timeline
support needed (research, pilot, equipment, acreage, community)
Funding for all Foundation programs draws from the same coordinated model: Foundation grants, community micro-backing, matched grants when available, and industrial participation through American Fiber Group. DBX alignment ensures that successful work can enter procurement pathways, deployment pilots, and regional industrial systems.
