Grace Bishara is a passionate advocate, survivor, and founder of the Becoming Grace Foundation. With over seven years of nonprofit leadership experience, she has dedicated her life to empowering women and children affected by domestic violence. Her vision for the foundation was inspired by a series of profound dreams and her personal journey, which revealed a calling to provide critical resources like financial aid, education, and holistic healing for survivors. Grace combines her expertise in strategizing, fundraising, and community building to create impactful programs that offer a path toward resilience and independence for those she serves.
What were your initial years of growing up like? Tell us about your life before starting your entrepreneur journey/venture/initiative.
Before starting my own nonprofit, I was a nonprofit professional for nearly eight years, working for organizations like Habitat for Humanity Central Arizona and United Food Bank. Before transitioning to my nonprofit career, I always had an entrepreneurial spirit, creating a tie-dye clothing line in high school, starting my own fitness coaching business, and becoming a hairstylist. I always enjoyed empowering others, seeing their progress and growth, and encouraging them to see their potential.
In my nonprofit career, I enjoyed identifying gaps and creating new systems to elevate outcomes. Once I realized the impact I was creating for other companies and individuals, I decided to take a leap of faith, believe in myself, and build something from scratch.
Every industry that is now a large-scale, top-notch business once started as a small idea in the minds of entrepreneurs. What was that idea or motivation that made you start your business/initiative? What motivated you within to say “YES, go for it!”?
My motivation to launch the Becoming Grace Foundation came from vivid dreams over the past four years that I could not ignore. I dreamt of helping women who were homeless, hiding women in a safe home, and saving children from human trafficking. My late father also appeared in my dreams, offering guidance and instructions.
It felt like a guided calling, a purpose I was meant to fulfill. After experiencing personal tragedies, I realized the immense value of making a difference in others’ lives. If I could save even one person from suicide, homicide, or homelessness, it would all be worth pursuing.
Tell us something about your initiative or current role. What is it about, and what impact are you trying to make?
The Becoming Grace Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering women and children affected by domestic violence. We focus on providing resources that support immediate needs and long-term healing. Our programs include financial aid to prevent homelessness, holistic workshops for mental, emotional, and physical well-being, and educational opportunities to promote independence and resilience.
Our mission is to break the cycle of abuse by offering survivors the tools to stabilize their lives and rebuild with confidence. By partnering with local nonprofits, businesses, and community members, we address systemic challenges such as financial abuse, lack of legal support, and limited access to holistic care.
Your journey and your vision are very inspiring, but are there any achievements or accomplishments you would like to mention?
We publicly launched in June 2024 and have already raised over $25,000! We’ve provided guidance and emotional support to help three women and two children escape unsafe situations, eliminating barriers like access to firearms. We’ve supported a survivor with legal aid, prevented water shut-offs to stabilize housing, and sponsored a survivor to attend a global conference to advance her entrepreneurial career.
We’ve also piloted our healing workshops, which received incredible feedback, revealing a significant gap in community services that we aim to fill.
Would you like to share with our young budding women entrepreneurs the change you would like to see in the world if given an opportunity?
As a woman entrepreneur and advocate, I envision a world where every woman feels empowered to live free from fear and inequality. Survivors of domestic violence should have access to resources for healing, thriving, and reclaiming their independence.
If given the opportunity, I would work to dismantle systemic barriers such as economic injustice and limited access to legal support. I want to see healthy family systems where men and women support each other and their dreams, fostering a world of mutual respect and opportunity.
Women are a growing force in workplaces worldwide, standing shoulder to shoulder with their male counterparts. What are your thoughts about women leadership today?
Women bring unique perspectives and empathy to leadership roles, qualities that drive collaboration and foster empowerment. I believe women leaders can break barriers, challenge outdated norms, and pave the way for others to rise.
Leadership is not just about equity but about building stronger, more resilient workplaces. By amplifying women’s voices, we create lasting change that benefits everyone. I also want to see value placed on team-building, mentoring, and creating environments that prioritize respect, mental health, and resilience.
What would you want to say to our young leaders/audience reading this?
Don’t be afraid to go beyond your job description. I rose in my roles by doing more than anyone asked of me. I looked for gaps, tried new things, and was terrified of failing but did them anyway.
Trust your intuition, give your best effort, and learn as you go. Take failure and challenges as opportunities to adjust your approach and grow.
