Paris Hilton launches recovery fund for women business owners after disasters

The pop culture star and entrepreneur is donating $350,000 to kick-start the Back in Business Recovery Fund.

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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Paris Hilton, the pop culture star, advocate and entrepreneur, launched an initiative on Monday to support female small-business owners impacted by disasters. The new Back in Business Recovery Fund aims to raise at least $1 million by the end of March, with Hilton donating $350,000 to kick-start the effort. The fund will provide grants of up to $25,000 to help women-owned businesses recover from disasters, with a focus on rebuilding, replacing equipment, and supporting payroll.

Why it matters

Women-owned businesses are often the heart of local communities, but they also face disproportionate challenges in accessing capital and resources, especially after disasters. Hilton's new initiative aims to support these resilient entrepreneurs and help preserve the soul of communities by keeping small businesses afloat.

The details

The Back in Business Recovery Fund will be a partnership between Hilton's social impact organization 11:11 Media Impact and GoFundMe.org, the philanthropic arm of the fundraising platform. GoFundMe.org will contribute $100,000 to the fund's launch. The grants will be distributed through local women's business centers across the U.S. to quickly identify and support impacted women entrepreneurs. This model was previously used successfully by Hilton and her partners to deploy over $1 million in grants to 50 women-owned small businesses after the 2025 Los Angeles fires.

  • Hilton launched the initiative on Monday, March 9, 2026.
  • The goal is to raise at least $1 million by the end of March 2026.

The players

Paris Hilton

A pop culture star, advocate and entrepreneur who is donating $350,000 to kick-start the Back in Business Recovery Fund.

GoFundMe.org

The philanthropic arm of the fundraising platform GoFundMe, which is contributing $100,000 to the fund's launch.

11:11 Media Impact

Hilton's social impact organization, which is partnering on the Back in Business Recovery Fund.

Renata Ortega

The owner of Orla Floral Studio, a grantee of Hilton's previous disaster relief efforts in Los Angeles who was able to rebuild her business and hire new staff thanks to the support.

Rebecca Grone

The director of 11:11 Media Impact, Hilton's social impact organization.

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What they’re saying

“Women-owned businesses are really the heart of so many of these communities. I want to be able to lift up and support them, shine a light on them and really make a difference in their lives.”

— Paris Hilton (The Associated Press)

“Nothing prepares you for that amount of loss. I didn't think I was going to be able to get back on my feet because it took me years to be able to come up with the inventory I had.”

— Renata Ortega, Owner, Orla Floral Studio (The Associated Press)

“You have to keep going and you have keep pushing and fighting forward, because if somebody like Paris Hilton notices your story and thinks you're important, then you have to believe in yourself and also think that you're important.”

— Renata Ortega, Owner, Orla Floral Studio (The Associated Press)

What’s next

Several of the LA grantees, including Renata Ortega, will join Paris Hilton on Monday afternoon to ring the New York Stock Exchange closing bell, marking International Women's Day.

The takeaway

Paris Hilton's new Back in Business Recovery Fund aims to support women-owned small businesses impacted by disasters, providing critical funding and resources to help these resilient entrepreneurs rebuild and thrive. By partnering with local women's business centers, the fund can quickly identify and assist affected businesses, preserving the heart and soul of communities.