This Baltimore woman was ready to give up on her dreams. A $2,000 no-strings-attached grant changed everything. – Baltimore Sun

Dominiece Clifton had reached her breaking level.

The 34-year-old was working three part-time jobs, elevating two younger ladies along with her entrepreneur husband, making an attempt to be a devoted spouse and dealing to get her new Baltimore-based enterprise off the bottom.

Bored with spreading herself skinny and questioning if she’d be capable of make her subsequent mortgage cost, Clifton was able to stop her goals and return to working a conventional 9-5 job. Then she acquired the decision that modified her life: She’d received a no-strings-attached grant for $2,000 a month for one 12 months.

“I used to be spending loads of time serving to different individuals construct their goals,” Clifton mentioned. “However the grant has made it so I might be current as a result of the fundamentals are coated, and it has allowed me to spend money on issues for this system. I haven’t felt this a lot peace in so lengthy.”

Jamye Wooten, founding father of CLLCTIVLY, a Baltimore-based establishment that mobilizes sources for Black-led organizations and companies, was approached by a neighborhood donor final June who needed to supply $600 to a girl in want. The 2 labored collectively and got here up with the thought to assist a “changemaker” — or a girl entrepreneur making a distinction — so the “We Received Your Again” marketing campaign was born. Wooten launched a fundraiser to assist increase the quantity to be $2,000 a month.

The grant is especially significant to Wooten as a result of his sister, Sherri, was an entrepreneur who owned two pizza retailers in West Baltimore, and his dad dropped out of college in eighth grade to supply for his household. Wooten misplaced his sister to most cancers six years in the past and his dad 20 years in the past.

Crucial a part of the grant, Wooten mentioned, is that there are not any strings connected. Which means if Clifton wants to make use of the cash for her automobile cost or baby care as an alternative of her new enterprise, she will try this.

“You’re investing in the entire individual as an alternative of simply the enterprise,” Wooten mentioned. “I do know what that grind can do to you. So to have the ability to know we’re supporting people means greater than something.”

Clifton launched in April 2020 as a well being and wellness coach for girls. Because the coronavirus pandemic raged on, she seen that everybody was seemingly wired and never geared up to deal with it. She determined to pivot final August from well being and wellness to emphasize administration with the aim of constructing the instruments accessible to everybody.

Since profitable the grant in December, Clifton mentioned she has been capable of deal with rising Transfer and Nonetheless. The Baltimore resident mentioned she was capable of deal with getting her yoga certification and plans to begin her meditation coaching subsequent then breath work. The grant cash additionally allowed her to purchase sufficient gear, like yoga mats, to serve about 30 individuals.

Though Clifton mentioned her enterprise is “nonetheless a piece in progress,” she is already working with PIVOT, a non-profit that helps ladies who had been beforehand incarcerated, and the Baltimore Design Faculty to host classes for college kids and households.

“We curate cell wellness areas devoted to emphasize administration and trauma restoration, utilizing practices devoted to motion and stillness,” Clifton mentioned.

One other perk of profitable We Received Your Again was a yearlong membership, valued at $1,500, to The WELL, an organization created by Nakeia Drummond to assist Black businesswomen and entrepreneurs.

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Drummond, who’s identified Clifton since final 12 months when she joined the early entrepreneur program by means of The WELL, mentioned she couldn’t consider anybody who was extra deserving for the grant.

“Her work will profit so many different individuals,” Drummond mentioned. “She is authentically herself and a breath of recent air.”

Clifton has large goals for her enterprise.

Throughout the subsequent 5 to 10 years, Clifton says she needs to be a family title throughout the nation with a workforce of wellness instructors in each state and main metropolis.

However till then, she goes to take a seat again and take a deep breath, having fun with the trip of rising her enterprise and being an instance to her daughters.

“You begin a enterprise to supply a greater life on your children, however then you definately query every little thing since you really feel like they deserve higher,” she mentioned. “However I wish to present them that they’ll stay a limitless life — no matter you do, you don’t must be boxed in by society.”

This text is a part of our Newsmaker series, which profiles notable individuals within the Baltimore area who’re having an affect in our numerous communities. When you’d wish to counsel somebody who must be profiled, please ship their title and a brief description of what they’re doing to make a distinction to: Range, Fairness, and Inclusion Editor Kamau Excessive at khigh@baltsun.com.