SCHOLARSHIPS & BUSINESS GRANTS
The core mission of Les Dames d’Escoffier is supporting and advancing women in all aspects of the food, beverage and hospitality industries.
Les Dames d'Escoffier Nashville fulfills our mission by creating a strong community of women who champion one another through friendship, collaboration, and the sharing of knowledge—while also providing tangible, philanthropic support through our annual grants and scholarships.
These scholarships and grants are offered to women who are employed in or pursuing careers that fall within the above stated core mission and its related fields. This may include, but may not be limited to: agriculture/viticulture, food and beverage production (brewers, distillers, winemakers), chefs, educators, journalists, caterers, restaurateurs, hoteliers, wine, spirits & beer professionals, as well as purveyors of all related goods and services.
Les Dames Nashville in numbers
Annual grants, scholarships and awards
Grants
Our grants are focused on female-owned businesses within our core mission, who need help to grow and/or advance their business.
Operating a business requires resilience, adaptability, and the ability to navigate unforeseen challenges. Women in the fields of food, beverage, hospitality, and agriculture often encounter unexpected expenses—from essential repairs to technology upgrades—that are critical to sustaining and growing their enterprises. MORE
Education Scholarships
Our scholarships are focused on education - whether you need financial help obtaining a certification or degree or a continuing educational course or conference. Scholarship funds may also be used to cover school supplies such as textbooks, materials, travel or lodging related to your course. MORE
Kathleen Cotter Career Grant
This monetary award goes to a female entrepreneur who is working to support and enrich the local farming community through food production or a related business. MORE
Tallu Schuyler Quinn Legacy of Hope Award
This monetary award continues Tallu’s legacy: supporting women committed to changing lives through food, community, sustainability, farming and hospitality. It is awarded in the name of the recipient to the nonprofit they support. MORE
LDEI Disaster Relief Grant
These cash micro-grants are designed to assist women in the fields of food, fine beverage, hospitality and farming whose livelihoods have been adversely impacted by natural disasters, such as tornados, ice storms, flooding, fires, pandemics, or other crises. MORE