The average American hospitality professional still struggles to make a living wage. We believe wine education is a powerful way to change those prospects.
Our Mission
We are dedicated to assisting underserved communities across the country with scholarships to further their professional wine education with the goal of raising their earning power and increasing diversity in the wine industry.
“Taking classes and getting certified had always been part of my goals but I would only have been able to afford one class per year. Receiving the scholarship really put those goals behind me and two years into the fast lane for me to concentrate on the next steps: moving to wine country [Sonoma] and climbing the industry ladder. My certifications also gave me more power in my ability to negotiate my salary.”
Kyle T. Ritchie, 2017 GWEF Scholarship Winner
The Glancy Wine Education Foundation was established in 2020 to assist wine and hospitality professionals in furthering their career goals, even as many lost their jobs during the Pandemic.
As of 2025 we now offer scholarships to students nationally via relationships with three of America’s top wine-education programs.
Over the past 4 years, the foundation has awarded more than 200 scholarships totalling more than $300,000 primarily to minority and underserved professionals working in wine and hospitality. Nearly 33% of our scholarship recipients report having received a job promotion as a direct result of the wine education that they undertook using the scholarship(s) we provided to them.
Scholarships are available year-round, and are awarded monthly by the Board of Directors based on an evaluation of financial hardship, economic need, work experience, educational and career goals. These awards can be used for courses at the San Francisco Wine School, The American Wine School, or the International Wine Center.
“In an industry (and a world) that tends to be painfully quiet about the topic of class privilege, Glancy Wine Education Foundation is working to bridge the opportunity gap and provide career enrichment for those who might not otherwise receive it. With their support, I've pursued coursework that's kept me grounded on my path as a wine entrepreneur and writer. ”
Amy Bess Cook, 2022 GWEF Scholarship Winner
