Our Grantee programme supports a variety of projects aimed at a diverse range of communities & individuals at the earlier stages of their careers, delivered by 30 organisations located in 15 countries, ranging in size and scope from grassroots non-profits to globally renowned research institutions.
Our Grantees
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California, USA
The 280 Project is a grassroots non-profit organisation led by Black and Brown wine professionals based in San Francisco, California. Through their work, they seek to lift up underrepresented communities through education and wine production.
The Gérard Basset Foundation provides support for the 280 Project’s Apprenticeship Program, which provides 6-7 months of paid viticultural and vinicultural training, teaching “everything from the vine up” to apprentices from underrepresented communities, with a view of enabling them to find permanent employment in the wine industry. The Program is conducted in partnership with Steve Matthiason and UC Davis.
In 2022, our funding supported 5 apprentices undertaking the 280 Project’s Apprenticeship Program. 4 of the 5 apprentices went on to successfully complete the course, all of whom are now either employed within the wine industry or who are undertaking further viticulture/enology studies.
In 2023, our funding supported a further 5 apprentices undertaking the 280 Project’s Apprenticeship Program.
In 2024, the Gérard Basset Foundation has pledged support for a new cohort of apprentices.
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Ghana
The Africa Wine Academy aims to provide wine education through WSET Courses in Ghana.
The Gérard Basset Foundation has pledged funding for a long-term project to support 200 students undertaking WSET Level 1 and Level 2 courses through the Africa Wine Academy, with the aim of developing a community of educated wine lovers who will be able to enhance Ghana’s role in the wine industry.
In 2023, the Africa Wine Academy welcomed its first cohort of 13 students to undertake WSET Level 1, all of whom went on to pass the course with flying colours!
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Oregon, USA
The Asociación Hispana de la Industria del Vino en Oregon y Comunidad (AHIVOY) provides education and professional development opportunities to Latinex vineyard stewards in the Oregonian win industry, with the aim of helping them establish flourishing careers in the wine sector.
The Gérard Basset Foundation has pledged to support a number of bursaries for Latinex vineyard stewards undertaking AHIVOY’s Wine Industry Training Program, a 17-week course covering vineyard management, viticultural studies, wine making, bottling and grape & wine production, taught by Business & Viticultural Studies professors at local colleges and guest lecturers from the local wine industry.
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South Africa
The Association de la Sommellerie Internationale (ASI) Is the preeminent global advocate for the needs of the modern sommelier, and has worked for over 50 years to raise the bar for restaurant service professionals internationally.
In 2023, the Gérard Basset Foundation and the ASI collaborated with the Sommeliers Academy, a wine service and sommelier training school in Cape Town, to jointly fund a scholarship aimed at training a wine professional from an historically marginalised community to the level of an international sommelier.
The scholarship was awarded in early 2023 to Sharrol Mukendi-Klass, who has since gone on to successfully complete the South African Sommelier Association’s Junior Sommelier Course; has successfully completed the ASI Certification 2; and is currently undertaking the WSET Level 3 in Wine award; as well as undertaking a study trip to the classic wine regions of France in the summer.
In 2024, the Gérard Basset Foundation and the ASI are jointly funding another collaboration with the Sommeliers Academy, which will fund a part-time, 6-month training programme for 30 aspiring sommeliers in Zimbabwe. The candidates will be trained in 2 locations (Harare and Victoria Falls), and will undertake local sommelier certifications. Candidates will be selected by the Sommeliers Academy in partnership with the Sommelier Association of Zimbabwe, and much of the training will be delivered by Tawanda Marume, Best Sommelier of Zimbabwe 2020.
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UK
Be Inclusive Hospitality is a non-profit organisation which seeks to build a professional community of People of Colour in the UK Hospitality, Food and Drinks industries, with the goal of accelerating race equity within these sectors.
The Gérard Basset Foundation has supported Be Inclusive Hospitality’s ‘Club Thrive’, a members’ club for People of Colour working in the hospitality, food and drinks industries to access networking, scholarships for industry certifications and educational events delivered by pertinent industry speakers.
In 2022, its first year, Club Thrive had 58 active members; hosted 6 sell-out events that welcomed 150 attendees, with talks delivered by 13 pertinent industry panellists; and awarded 33 food, wine and spirits certification scholarships, all of which include mentorship for winners provided by industry professionals.
In 2023, Club Thrive had 76 active members, and awarded a further 18 food, wine and spirits certification scholarships.
In 2024, the Gérard Basset Foundation has pledged funding to continue supporting Club Thrive’s educational programme, including an intensive 1-week course on winemaking and vinegrowing at Plumpton College.
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France
The Bordeaux Mentor Week is a not-for-profit 5-day education and mentorship programme created by Jane Anson and Chinedu Rita Rosa. It conveys knowledge and creates access while increasing diversity and inclusivity by opening up the Bordeaux Wine Industry to deserving scholars from underrepresented communities.
The Gérard Basset Foundation has supported the Bordeaux Mentor Week from its inception in 2022.
In 2022, Jane and Chinedu welcomed 7 scholars from 6 countries in 3 different continents, all of whom went on the successfully complete the programme.
In 2023, Jane and Chinedu again welcomed a further 7 scholars, from 6 countries in 3 different continents, and for the second year running all 7 scholars successfully completed the programme.
In 2024, the Gérard Basset Foundation has pledged support for the 3rd edition of the Bordeaux Mentor Week.
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Brazil
Celebrare is licensed provider of wine and spirits education, offering Wine Scholar Guild and International Sommelier Guild courses alongside their own in-house programmes.
In 2023, the Gérard Basset Foundation and Celebrare jointly funded 20 wine education bursaries for students from historically marginalised communities in Brazil. Each bursary recipient undertook 3 courses: Celebrare’s in-house ‘Oenophile’s Journey’ programme; the WSET Level 2 in Wines Award; and the International Sommelier Guild’s Intermediate Wine Certificate. Of the 20 students, all of them successfully passed the Oenophile’s Journey and the Intermediate Wine Certificate, while 18 of the students successfully completed the WSET Level 2.
In 2024, The Gérard Basset Foundation and Celebrare will jointly fund a further 20 scholarships, offering students the Oenophile’s Journey and the Intermediate Wine Certificate.
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South Africa
Creation Wines is one of South Africa’s leading wineries, based in the Hemel-en-Aarde region of Walker Bay, South Africa.
In 2023, The Gérard Basset Foundation has provided funding towards a programme to upskill individuals from underrepresented communities working as part of the Creation Wines Tasting Room and Kitchen Teams. The training programme included the South African Sommelier Association’s (SASA) Introduction to Wine Course; The WSET Level 2 in Wines Award; and courses focused upon Winemaking Leadership, Diversity and Inclusion and Alcohol Awareness.
In total, 77 individuals have benefitted from the courses offered by the training programme, scoring a 100% pass rate among those team members who undertook the WSET Level 2 in Wines.
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UK
Curious Vines is a community that seeks to create a relaxed and safe environment for women in the wine industry to support and nurture each other, as well as providing mentorship and study workshops to equip female wine professionals for a wide range of wine qualifications, including the WSET, CMS and MW certifications.
In 2023, the Gérard Basset Foundation’s funding supported Curious Vines’ MW and MS Support Programmes, which collectively supported 13 candidates preparing for these certifications, as well as supporting the training they offered for female sommeliers preparing for the UK Sommelier of the Year Competition - one of whom, Agnieszka Swiecka, went on to be crowned 2023’s UK Sommelier of the Year.
In 2024, the Gérard Basset Foundation has pledged funding towards Curious Vines’ DipWSET and CMS Advanced Sommelier Support Programmes, as well as continuing support for Curious Vines’ training program for candidates for the UK Sommelier of the Year Competition.
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Mexico and Dominican Republic
EduVino Paso a Paso is a wine school based in Mexico, offering International Sommelier Guild certifications in both Latin America.
The Gérard Basset Foundation has pledged funding towards up to 15 bursaries for students from minority backgrounds to undertake wine education and ISG courses through EduVino. Initially, these bursaries will be offered in Mexico, before being expanded to the Dominican Republic.
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USA and South Africa
The Hue Society is a community-based organisation, with chapters across the USA and now in South Africa, whose aim is to create access and provide resources for People of Colour and Indigenous Communities in the wine sector.
The Gérard Basset Foundation has, since 2022 and continuing today, provided funding to the Hue Society’s varied mentorship and educational programmes, including masterclass tasting delivered for members by industry leading professionals; bursaries for WSET Level 1 and 2 in Wine Certifications; and funding for members to undertake courses focused on specific sections of the wine industry, such as wine journalism.
Since beginning to support the Hue Society in 2022, more than 100 of their members have benefitted from initiatives supported by Gérard Basset Foundation funding.
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Portugal
Humanwinety aims to provide accessible and tailored wine education that incorporates B-Learning methods, covering such topics as Enology, Tasting, Sommellerie and Oenotourism, as well as advocating within the wine industry for minority communities - in particular people with physical and intellectual disabilities, refugees and ethnic minorities.
The Gérard Basset Foundation supported the founding of Humanwinety in 2022, and in 2023 has pledged funding to pay the course fees for the first 65 students to undertake Humanwinety’s bespoke educational programmes.
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Global
The International Sommelier Guild (ISG) is a respected provider of certified sommelier qualifications globally, delivering courses from entry- to degree-level. Their courses are multi-disciplinary, taught by a range of outstanding instructors, and are delivered in a wide variety of languages.
The Gérard Basset Foundation has funded bursaries which offer ISG courses at all levels to students from Black, Ethnic and Indigenous communities, students who are impacted by sexual discrimination in their country/region, students with disabilities, and students coming from lower socio-economic backgrounds.
In 2022, the ISG offered 24 Gérard Basset Foundation bursaries to students based in 13 countries, funding courses from Intermediate Wine Certificates for those building their foundational to the Sommelier Diploma Programme for those who are further progressed in their careers. Two of our beneficiaries of this bursary programme from 2022, Subhadip Dey and Tusar Mukhopadhyay, have gone on to put the skills which they have learned doing these courses into practice by founding Sunburst Vin, a new wine educator based in India and another of our amazing Grantees.
In 2023, the ISG offered 5 Gérard Basset Foundation bursaries to students based in Europe, Africa and North America, offering each student the chance to undertake a long-term programme of study including the Intermediate Wine Certificate, Advanced Wine Certificate and Sommelier Diploma Programme, opening new avenues for them to build their skills and advance their careers. These students are scheduled to take their final Diploma exams in Summer of 2024, and we wish them all the best of luck!
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South Africa
The International Wine Education Centre (IWEC) is the largest provider of WSET courses in Africa, and the only approved provider of the WSET Diploma in Africa and the Middle-East.
The Gérard Basset Foundation has pledged funding to support 14 bursaries offered by the IWEC for WSET courses: 12 WSET Level 3 bursaries, and 2 DipWSET bursaries. These bursaries are open to students from underrpresented and historically excluded communities in South Africa, with the view of opening up new career opportunities for them and increasing representation in the wine industry.
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France
KEDGE Wine School is a part of the KEDGE Business School, focused upon teaching and nurturing future professionals of the wine world into competent, adaptable and responsible industry players.
In 2022, the Gérard Basset Foundation provided funding for two projects.
1) An introductory sommelier programme, taught over 5 days for 10 aspiring wine professionals. All 10 candidates successfully completed the course, with 1 of them going on to become a full-time member of the KEDGE Wine School team.
2) A scholarship for KEDGE’s MSc in Hospitality Management (jointly delivered alongside EHL Hospitality Business School). The Scholarship was awarded to Natalia Lombardocervera, who has successfully completed the study modules of her programme and is now undertaking a full-time internship at PSC Hospitality’s consulting branch.
In 2023, our funding went towards two further sommellerie programmes. The first was a 2-week expanded introductory sommelier programme, which 12 students successfully completed; and the second was a 6-week programme, going into greater depth than the introductory course and which 10 students successfully completed.
In 2024, the Gérard Basset Foundation has pledged funding for another 6-week programme, to begin in March and benefit 10 students.
In all cases, these programmes have been offered to candidates coming from difficult socio-economic backgrounds, and incorporate teaching from leading French hospitality professionals with a wide range and depth of experience.
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Canada
Okanagan College Foundation supports the work of Okanagan College, one of British Columbia’s foremost providers of higher education.
The Gérard Basset Foundation has provided funding to support Okanagan College’s new ‘Indigenous Gateway to Beverage’ Program, an 8-week course which will welcome students coming from the Okanagan Valley’s Indigenous communities to learn about the wine and viticulture industries, including aspects such as the fermentation process, warehousing and distribution, and the business skills required to thrive in the wine industry, such as pricing and marketing. Teaching will incorporate cultural activities and land based learning as much as possible. The course is running from January - March 2024.
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South Africa
The Pebbles Project enables children from farming communities in the Cape region of South Africa to access education, health care, nutrition and social work services and programmes.
In 2023, the Gérard Basset Foundation’s funding supported the Pebbles Project’s Early Adulthood Programme. This focused on young adults aged 15-25 years old who are not in formal schooling, and provides them with guidance, skill training and information needed to enable them to gain employment and generate their own income.
Our funding enabled 29 young adults to undertake a range of courses related to the hospitality and wine industries, including in general housekeeping, waiter training, barista training and the WSET Level 1 Award in Wines.
In 2024, we have pledged to support another set of hospitality and wine related course as a part of Pebbles’ Early Adulthood Programme, expanded to include the WSET Level 2 Award in Wine and with the aim of benefitting 40 - 80 young adults.
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South Africa
The Pinotage Youth Development Academy (PYDA) is a non-profit school providing education, life skills, vocational training and personal development for 18-25 year olds from under-resourced communities.
The Gérard Basset Foundation provided funding in 2022 and 2023 for two cohorts of 50 students to undertake PYDA’s Wine & Marketing Programme, as well as contributing funds to PYDA’s ongoing Alumni Development Programmes for those students working in the wine industry.
The 2022 cohort boasted a 94% retention rate, with 47 of the 50 students successfully graduating. This retention rate increased to 96% in 2023, with 48 of the 50 students successfully graduating the course. In both of these cohorts, more than 65% of students were women.
In 2024, our funding will go towards supporting another cohort of 50 students, and will also continue our support of PYDA’s Alumni Development programme.
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USA
The Roots Fund is a non-profit organisation created to empower BIPOC communities in the wine sector, through scholarships, mentorship and career opportunities focused upon wine education.
In 2022 and 2023, the Gérard Basset Foundation provided funding towards supporting the Roots Fund’s various wine education initiatives, including their scholarships for BIPOC wine professionals to undertake internationally recognised wine certifications such as the WSET Levels 1 & 2, The CMS Certified Sommelier course, and the Wine Scholar Guild: Champagne Master award; and the Roots Fund’s Enrichment Trips, taking students to visit vineyards and meet key players in Lodi and South Africa.
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India
Sunburst Vin is a new wine school, based in West Bengal, set up by passionate wine industry professionals with the aim of making a positive impact on the Indian Wine and Beverage sector through education.
In 2024, the Gérard Basset Foundation has pledged funding towards Sunburst Vin’s ‘Celebrating Unity in Diversity Through Wines & Spirits Education’ project, which will enable 64 Indian students to undertake courses including a Beginner’s Course in Wine & Spirits; a CMS Introductory Sommelier Preparatory Course; and a Preparatory Course for the WSET Level 2 Award in Wines.
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Israel
Terra Uma is a non-profit organisation, founded by military veterans, which aims to help veterans dealing with PTSD and other trauma through an innovative recovery method built around winemaking.
Participants on the course learn about viticulture and winemaking, before producing a series of 300 wine bottles, which incorporate a label designed by the participant and telling their story of recovery through creation. Volunteer enologists and psychotherapists accompany the participants throughout the entire process.
In 2023, the Gérard Basset Foundation’s funding supported Terra Uma’s first full cohort of 12 participants as they embarked upon the programme. All 12 veterans successfully completed the course, collectively producing 4,500 bottles of wine, in 14 different series.
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Australia
The University of Adelaide is a leading public research institution in Australia, offering the country’s oldest Oenology & Viticulture Program, ranked among the top 5 of these programs internationally.
The Gérard Basset Foundation has provided funding to support an ongoing research project into the Indigenous fermentation practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) peoples, with the goal of examining how these fermentation practices may be commercialised in a sustainable way to bring direct benefit to ATSI communities.
Another goal of the research project has been to engage ATSI students within the research. This goal faced some difficulties, due to barriers and problems with access for ATSI students into higher education.
With this in mind, our funding was used by the University of Adelaide to create an outreach programme for ATSI students to learn more about higher education options in Oenology and Viticulture, as well as opening up new avenues for them to access higher education more generally. In collaboration with the Tjindu Foundation, 15 Aboriginal students were welcomed to the University of Adelaide’s Waite campus, where they were able to have tours of the University’s vineyards, winery and teaching spaces, as well as meeting the Deputy Head of School (Learning & Teaching) to learn more about admissions and to gain her advice.
The trip was highly successful and very useful to the students involved, and both the University and the Tjindu Foundation wish to make it an annual fixture, with the goal of welcoming 60 Aboriginal students per year to the campus.
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USA
The UC Davis Department of Viticulture & Enology is a world renowned provider of higher education in the fields of viticulture and enology, conducting leading research in these fields.
The Gérard Basset Foundation has pledged funding to support US Davis ‘Diversity of Wine Academy - Outreach Program’, which will enable 25 students from BIPOC, underrepresented or underserved Californian communities studying grape growing and/or winemaking in community college to undertake an intensive outreach day at UC Davis’ campus. The day will incorporate hands-on educational trips, both in the vineyard and the winery, as well as lectures delivered by members of the UC Davis faculty, all with the aim of removing barriers and increasing access for BIPOC, underrepresented and underserved communities to higher education and careers in viticulture and enology.
Learn more about UC Davis Department of Viticulture and Enology
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UK
Unity Works is a charitable organisation that works to create employment and training opportunities to enable people living with learning disabilities to learn new skills, access the world of work and gain greater independence.
The Gérard Basset Foundation has pledged funding to support 8-10 trainees to undertake work experience and practical training in Unity Works’ network of social enterprise cafés. The trainees will have multiple options for learning new skills, including front of house, food preparation and hygiene, good general practice and employability skills, and the possibility to undertake an NVQ qualification in Catering & Hospitality.
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Canada
Vinequity is a Canadian non-profit organisation supporting BIPOC, LGBTQ+ and people living with disabilities to thrive within the wine industry, opening doors for them to grow and access education and employment.
The Gérard Basset Foundation has pledged funding to support Vinequity’s ‘Increasing Diversity in Wine Production Project’, through which 15 BIPOC students will be able to undertake classroom education alongside skills training and field visits to vineyards and wineries in Ontario. These opportunities will allow them to develop their skill and knowledge of vini/vitculture and wine production, with a view to opening up new educational and professional paths to them within the industry.
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Greece
The Wine & Spirits Professional Centre (W&SPC) is a provider of wine and beverage education based in Athens, offering courses such as the WSET, Wine Scholar Guild and additional training in spirits, sake, coffee, cocoa and tea.
In 2023, the Gérard Basset Foundation provided funding to support ‘Now I can Too’, a programme through which 25 Greek single mothers were able to study with the W&SPC and undertake the WSET Level 1 in Wines, WSET Level 1 in Spirits, and an introductory Barista course. The programme aimed to equip participants with skills and knowledge to allow them to gain employment in the tourism sector, which can be flexible to their duties as single mothers, as well as combating the stigma which they often face in Greek society. W&SPC has also provided mentorship and careers advice to the participants in the course to help them gain employment upon completing the programme.
An initial cohort of 15 single mothers undertook the course in the first half of 2023, while a second cohort of 10 completed the programme between October and December 2023. Of the initial cohort, all successfully passed the Barista module, while more than half passed the Wine and Spirits certifications. Those single mothers who did not pass are currently preparing for resits, with the view of successfully gaining their qualifications.
In 2024, the Gérard Basset Foundation has pledged funding to support another cohort of 25 single mothers undertaking ‘Now I can Too’.
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USA
Based in New York City, Wine Empowered are a non-profit offering tuition-free wine education to women and minority communities, delivered by industry professionals including Masters of Wine and Master Sommeliers.
The education offered by Wine Empowered is rigorous, with students required to maintain regular in-person attendance and undertake weekly quizzes, as well as a mid-term exam, to ensure that they are keeping pace with the curriculum.
In 2023, the Gérard Basset Foundation’s funding supported an initial cohort of 12 students undertaking Wine Empowered’s program, of whom 6 successfully completed the course and graduated from the program.
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USA
Wine on Wheels is an NYC based non-profit that works to bring together sommeliers, wine lovers and hospitality professionals to help people living with disabilities realise their full potential.
In 2022, the Gérard Basset Foundation pledged funding to support Wine on Wheels’ SOLERA Project, an interdisciplinary program designed to enhance the quality of life of people living with disabilities and to equip them with skills and knowledge to work in the hospitality industry. Teaching is offered by some of New York’s most renowned professionals in the fields of wine and gastronomy. The SOLERA Project launched in summer 2023 and ran throughout July and August, after taking extra precautions to ensure the safety of participants due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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USA
The Women of the Vine & Spirits Foundation (WOTVS Foundation) is the non-profit arm of Women of the Vine & Spirits, offering scholarships aimed at helping women advance their careers in the food, wine, spirits, beer and hospitality industries. Since 2017, WOTVS Foundation has awarded more than $780,000 in funding through 308 different scholarships.
In 2023, the Gérard Basset Foundation contributed funding to create additional WSET Diploma bursaries, which enabled WOTVS Foundation to award 4 of these scholarships to deserving winners, whereas previously they had been able to award only 1 WSET Diploma scholarship per annum.
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Australia
The Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET) is the world’s largest provider of respected Wine and Spirits education and certifications.
In collaboration with the National Indigenous Culinary Institute (NICI), a non-profit which offers aspiring ATSI chefs the chance to be trained and mentored by some of Australia’s leading chefs, the WSET in Australia has developed a programme to offer these apprentice ATSI chefs the chance to increase their knowledge of wine by undertaking WSET courses: initially at Level 1 and Level 2, with those who wish to do so being offered the chance to progress to WSET Level 3.
In 2022, the Gérard Basset Foundation pledged funding to support this joint WSET and NICI initiative. Progress has been slower than expected, due to extended lockdowns in certain Australian states caused by the then ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and difficulties in recruiting ATSI students. So far, 3 students have successfully signed up for and completed the programme. Funding has been rolled over into 2024, and outreach has been expanded to include in person presentations and discussions at Indigenous restaurants, with the aim of engaging new students from ATSI communities.