Meet Our February Big Idea Grant Recipients: Candace Grant & Jennifer Matthews

Some businesses exist to make money. Others exist to make a difference. And then there are the rare ones that prove you don’t have to choose. This month, we’re celebrating two women who are building exactly that kind of business — ventures rooted in purpose, powered by passion, and designed to lift entire communities as they grow.

Candace Grant Is Putting Lakota Artists on the National Stage

Walk into a national park gift shop or museum store, and you’ll find no shortage of “Native-inspired” merchandise. Mass-produced. Factory-made. Divorced from the people and traditions it claims to represent. Candace Grant looked at that reality and decided to change it. Her company, Lakota Arts and Crafts Enterprise, does something radical in today’s retail landscape: it centers the artists. Candace works directly with Oglala Lakota creators from the Pine Ridge Reservation, connecting their handmade work — jewelry, crafts, cultural pieces — to buyers at national parks, museums, and cultural retailers across the country. But this isn’t just about sales. It’s about sovereignty. It’s about ensuring that when Lakota art reaches the market, the people who made it control the narrative, earn fair compensation, and see their traditions represented with integrity. “This work matters deeply to me because it’s about more than commerce,” Candace explains. “It’s about dignity, sovereignty, and celebrating a living culture.” The Big Idea Grant arrived at a pivotal moment. Candace is using the funds to finally upgrade from manual bookkeeping to real accounting software, invest in professional packaging as her jewelry line expands into new retail channels, and — perhaps most importantly — provide an advance payment to one of her artists who landed a major national park order but needed capital to purchase materials. Every dollar goes back into the business. Every dollar keeps artists working. Follow Candace’s journey: 🌐 lakotaartsandcraftsenterprise.com 📸 @lakotaartsandcraftsenterprise 💼 LinkedIn

Jennifer Matthews Is Showing Young People What’s Possible

Here’s what Jennifer Matthews knows to be true: most young people don’t lack potential. They lack access. Access to mentors who believe in them. Access to experiences that expand their vision of what they could become. Access to someone who says, “You can do this — and here’s how.” That’s the gap DJM Community Outreach exists to fill. Through her nonprofit’s signature program, Future Pathways, Jennifer connects youth with mentors, hands-on career exposure, and practical life-skills training. The goal isn’t just college readiness or workforce preparation — though the program delivers both. The goal is transformation. Helping young people discover their purpose and build the confidence to pursue it. “Many of the youth we serve simply need access to supportive role models and opportunities that help them see what’s possible,” Jennifer says. “Our passion comes from witnessing the transformation that occurs when a young person is given encouragement, direction, and real-world experiences.” With the Big Idea Grant, Jennifer is expanding DJM’s mentorship capacity, hosting more career readiness workshops, and creating additional experiential learning opportunities. More funding means more young people served — and more futures changed. Follow Jennifer’s journey: 🌐 djmcommunityoutreach.com

What These Women Have in Common

On the surface, Candace and Jennifer are building very different things. One runs a for-profit enterprise connecting Indigenous artists to national markets. The other leads a nonprofit preparing young people for their futures. But look closer and you’ll see the same DNA: Both believe that economic opportunity is the foundation of dignity. Both understand that representation matters — whether it’s Lakota artists controlling their own narrative or young people seeing role models who look like them. Both are building something bigger than themselves. That’s what the Big Idea Grant is designed to support. Not just businesses, but missions. Not just founders, but movements.

Your Big Idea Could Be Next

Every month, we award the Big Idea Grant to women entrepreneurs ready to take their vision to the next level. Whether you’re launching, scaling, or pivoting — if you’ve got a clear idea and the passion to make it happen, we want to hear from you. 👉 Apply for the Big Idea Grant: www.yippitydoo.com/small-business-grant-optin 👉 Get your business seen in the SheBiz Directory: shebizdirectory.com Congratulations, Candace and Jennifer. We can’t wait to watch your Big Ideas