Mentorship Program

The BA envisions a craft brewing industry that provides unmatched opportunities for learning, professional development, employment, entrepreneurship, belonging, and empowerment to everyone regardless of identities, experiences, or perspectives.

The program seeks to increase the diversity of the workforce, leadership, and ownership of small and independent breweries by providing structured mentoring and advocacy to those experiencing barriers to access or advancement in the industry.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Mini-Grants

Due to budget reductions, the Brewers Association’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Mini-Grants program has been put on hiatus for 2024. If you would like to be notified when the program is reinstated, sign-up using the form below. All inquiries related to this program can be directed to J Jackson-Beckham.

The BA is proud to fund grants in support of local and regional events, media production projects, and educational and training initiatives that thoughtfully and intentionally promote and foster a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive craft beer community. The BA Philanthropy and Outreach Subcommittee invites proposals from individuals and organizations who are developing virtual, in-person, or hybrid events, media projects, and educational and training initiatives that will be developed and/or executed in 2023.

About the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Mini-Grants

• Funding Priorities
• Past Grant Awards

2022 Grant Awards – Events

2022 Grant Awards – Media, Education and Training

2021 Grant Awards

2020 Grant Awards

2019 Grant Awards

Craft Brewers Conference^® (CBC^®) Travel Grants

The Craft Brewers Conference (CBC) is the nation’s premiere opportunity for craft brewing industry professionals to learn, connect with peers, and engage in personal and organizational development. The BA is proud to fund travel grants to expand access to this one-of-a-kind experience. The CBC Travel Grants program supports the goals to bring new voices to the CBC speaker line-up and to enable more individuals in a wide variety of professional roles to attend the conference. Grants cover eligible travel expenses up to $1,500.

Eligibility

The Philanthropy and Outreach Subcommittee and DEI Education Subcommittee of the BA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee invites applications from individuals employed by a BA member brewery-in-planning or brewery who produces less than 15,000 bbls. Examples of eligible brewery types are:

• Contract Brand/Alternating Proprietorship
• Microbrewery
• Taproom
• Brewpub

Selection of Grant Awards

A limited number of grants will be competitively awarded based on criteria established by the DEI Committee. Preference will be given to eligible applicants who have had a seminar proposal accepted for the CBC, first-time attendees, and those who have experienced cultural or situational barriers to attending the conference.

Eligible Travel Expenses

CBC Travel Grants do not cover the cost of registration for the general conference, preconference workshops, or Brew Expo America. Travel grant awardees must provide proof of registration to remain eligible for grant awards.

• Lodging – Lodging expenses will be pre-paid. A hotel room for grantees will be reserved at a partnering hotel near the conference location. Applicants in need of accessible lodging accommodations may indicate this on the application form.
• Commercial airline tickets, passenger train tickets, or bus tickets – All travel fares will be reimbursed after travel has been completed.*
• Car rentals, taxis, ride share services (Lyft or Uber), and public transportation fare – All ground transportation expenses will be reimbursed after travel has been completed.*
• Parking fees – All ground expenses will be reimbursed after travel has been completed.*

* Valid receipts for all reimbursable expenses must be submitted within 30 days of completing travel.

How to Apply

1. Prepare your application materials.
   • If you have submitted a proposal to present a seminar or panel at the Craft Brewers Conference, please have the name of your seminar or panel handy.
   • The travel grant application requires that you submit a personal statement that responds to the questions: 1) How will this opportunity impact your career development in the craft brewing industry? 2) How will your participation in this opportunity impact the craft brewing industry locally, regionally, or more broadly? 3) What barriers have you experienced that have limited your opportunities for professional growth? The personal statement can be submitted in writing (up to 500 words) or as a brief video recording (up to three minutes).
2. Ensure that you have been added to your brewery’s BA membership employee roster so that you can access the application using your BA username and password. To be added to your brewery’s roster, contact your BA membership administrator or email the BA membership team directly (info@brewersassocation.org) for assistance.
3. Login to the BA website by clicking “Account” at the upper righthand side of your browser.
4. Follow the link to the CBC Travel Grant Application below to complete the application.

Thrive

THRIVE is a BA initiative that takes a proactive and holistic approach to addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), human resources (HR), and physical and mental wellness in the craft brewing community. THRIVE recognizes that DEI, human resources, and wellness are intimately related components of the workplace experience that are productively enriched when developed together. Through THRIVE, the BA seeks to establish “thriving human beings” alongside safety, quality, and sustainably as cornerstones of a healthy, responsible, and profitable craft brewing industry.

THRIVE Pre-Conference Workshop at the Craft Brewers Conference^®

The THRIVE Pre-Conference Workshop is a day-long experience that provides a deep dive into diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), human resources (HR), and wellness topics tailored for craft brewers and beer businesses of all sizes. Featuring guest speakers, educational seminars, hands-on workshops, and networking opportunities, the workshop is a place to develop people-focused practices that elevate small businesses.

Community

CBC Community Engagement Project

Each year, the Craft Brewers Conference® (CBC®) brings more than 10,000 attendees to cities across the United States. The BA is committed to ensuring that the craft brewing community is a force for good in the cities we visit by spearheading a Community Engagement Project in conjunction with the Craft Brewers Conference. These projects provide an opportunity for the craft brewing community to engage and learn from the communities we visit while coming together to meet urgent needs in local populations.

Holding Ourselves to a Higher Standard

The BA is committed to supporting a craft brewing industry where safe, responsible, and ethical business practices are the norm. The BA member Code of Conduct, Marketing & Advertising Code, and Event Codes of Conduct help members of our community to hold each other to a rigorous standard of professional comportment.

• Member Code of Conduct
  • Purpose: Members of the BA share a commitment to respect the law, promote and consume beer responsibly, and eliminate discrimination, harassment, and bias of all types. The Code of Conduct is a tool that members of the BA may use to hold each other accountable for unacceptable behavior and business practices.
  • How to Activate: Any active professional division BA member can file a complaint against another member or members by using the complaint process.
• Marketing and Advertising Code
  • Purpose: Beer advertising developed for radio, television, internet, print, beer labels and other branded materials should portray beer in a socially responsible and respectful way. The Brewers Association Marketing and Advertising Code ensures that craft beer marketing and advertising is representative of the values, ideals, and integrity of a diverse and responsible beer culture and free of any damaging, derogatory, or discriminatory messages or imagery.
  • How to Activate: Any active professional division Brewers Association member who believes that specific advertising and marketing material is inconsistent with one or more guidelines of the Brewers Association Code should first contact the brewer directly regarding their concern. A voting brewery who does not receive a response or is dissatisfied with a brewer’s response to a complaint may file a complaint by using the complaint process.
• Event Codes of Conduct
  • Purpose: All attendees of Brewers Association events agree to conduct themselves in a safe, responsible, respectful, and inclusive manner. The event codes of conduct for the Craft Brewers Conference, the Great American Beer Festival, and Homebrew Con are used by Brewers Association staff and event security to respond to incidents of misconduct onsite.
  • How to Activate: Any attendee of a Brewers Association event may report incidents of misconduct to a Brewers Association staff member, volunteer, or security personnel onsite. Alternately, attendees may report misconduct anonymously by using the #NotMe mobile app.

Resources

Research studies increasingly show that diversity and inclusion (or DEI) can help increase a business’ bottom line, drive innovation, attract more talent, attract more customers, and create more opportunities for growth.

The BA diversity best practices resources provide expert guidance to those businesses who wish to invest in diversity and inclusion, but may not know where to start. View these resources and other helpful articles in the Resource Hub.

The BA’s Equity and Inclusion Partner, Dr. J Jackson-Beckham, works with the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee to create these resources and provide expert guidance.

Craft Brewers Guide to Cultural Observances

Craft Brewers Guide to Cultural Observances

May 25, 2022

The Craft Brewers Guide to Cultural Observances fosters greater cultural competency and respect in the craft brewing community.Read More

Link to author biography

Written By DEI Education Subcommittee , Brewers Association

Brewers Association

The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Education Subcommittee works to promote and facilitate education about DEI best practices and improve cultural competency among Brewers Association members and the broader craft brewing community.

See DEI Education Subcommittee’s Articles

Diversity Best Practices

Diversity Best Practices

January 9, 2019

The diversity best practices resources provide expert guidance to those who want to invest in diversity and inclusion, but may not know where to start.Read More

Find More DEI Resources