NORTH HAVEN, Conn. — Four of Connecticut’s women-owned businesses are receiving $25,000 grants from the Women’s Business Development Council (WBDC) through its new Accelerate Grant Program. The new program is designed to foster continued growth in women-owned businesses that have previously received WBDC grants. On Monday, eight finalists participated in a Pitch Night at Quinnipiac University to compete for the grants totaling $100,000. 

Accelerate is funded by Libertas Funding and is currently in its pilot phase. Eight businesses were selected from a pool of 48 eligible applicants to compete in the event. Each business presented to a panel of distinguished judges, who determined the grant recipients. While all eight finalists put together extremely compelling pitches, ultimately, the four grants were awarded to the following:

Centrality Physical Therapy & Wellness (Guilford)
Owner: Jennifer Morgan (photo)

Family Eyecare of Orange (Orange)
Owner: Dr. Natacha Louis-Charles (photo)

Leaps & Bones (Southington/South Windsor/Manchester)
Owners: Amy Kenkel & Laurie Surprenant (photo)

String Theory School of Music (New London)
Owner: Amy Leigh (photo)

The other finalists were Shivonne Mathison of Cura Home Services (Stamford), Lilian Freire of Illumina Skin Care Massage (Simsbury), Cara Powers of Shoreline Wellness Center (West Haven), and Angela Bonenfant Sinnott of The Family Brick Oven Pizza Truck (Southington).

”While four finalists received $25,000 grants,” said WBDC CEO Fran Pastore. “I want to emphasize that all 48 eligible businesses, and especially the eight finalists, should be incredibly proud of themselves — not just for their participation in this competition but for the incredible enterprises they’ve built and grown. These women are making a significant impact in their local communities and playing a vital role in strengthening Connecticut’s economy.”

The Accelerate Grant Program focuses on supporting businesses that have shown success after receiving a WBDC Equity Match Grant, Ignite Grant, or one of the four Municipal Grants. Eligible businesses, having received one of these grants at least 12 months ago, were invited to apply this past spring. Applicants were required to demonstrate significant revenue growth as a direct result of their prior WBDC grant funding.

Event Photos Here

Photo 1: All Finalists — L to R: Cara Powers, Shoreline Wellness Center; Shivonne Mathison, Cura Home Services; Kim Kenny, Shoreline Wellness Center; Amy Kenkel, Leaps and Bones; Laurie Surprenant, Leaps and Bones; Jennifer Morgan, Centrality Physical Therapy & Wellness; Lilian Freire, Illumina Skin Care/Massage; Amy Leigh, String Theory School of Music; Angela Bonenfant Sinnott, The Family Brick Oven Pizza Truck; Dr. Natacha Louis-Charles, Family Eyecare of Orange.

Photo 2: Grant Awardees —  L to R: Amy Leigh, String Theory School of Music; Jennifer Morgan, Centrality Physical Therapy & Wellness; Amy Kenkel & Laurie Surprenant, Leaps and Bones; Dr. Natacha Louis-Charles, Family Eyecare of Orange.

Photo 3: Grant Awardees with representatives from Libertas Funding.

About the Women’s Business Development Council

The Women’s Business Development Council’s (WBDC) mission is to support economic prosperity for women and strengthen communities through entrepreneurial and financial education services that create and grow sustainable jobs and businesses across Connecticut. WBDC educates, motivates, and empowers women to achieve economic independence and self-sufficiency. Since 1997, WBDC has educated and trained nearly 20,000 clients in all of Connecticut’s 169 towns—helping women to launch, sustain, and scale over 14,700 businesses, create and maintain more than 33,800 jobs in Connecticut, and access $63.7 million in capital. Since 2020, WBDC has provided more than $11 million in grants to help fuel growth in small businesses throughout Connecticut. Visit ctwbdc.org for more information.