Glancy Wine Education Foundation Releases 2026 Impact Report, Marking Six Years of Progress in Diversifying the Wine Industry

303 scholarships and more than $405,000 distributed since 2020; new data spotlights opportunities to engage Black, Hispanic/Latino, AAPI, and other underrepresented communities in wine

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — May 2026 — The Glancy Wine Education Foundation (GWEF), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to advancing diversity in the wine industry through scholarships for underserved professionals, today released its 2026 Impact Report. The report details the Foundation's cumulative work since its 2020 founding and introduces newly compiled data on the demographic communities GWEF serves.   

Since inception, GWEF has awarded 303 scholarships and distributed more than $405,000 in grants directly to its wine school partners which include the founding San Francisco Wine School, the International Wine Center in New York and the American Wine School in the Midwest. The Foundation operates with a 9% overhead — less than half the average for U.S. nonprofits — thanks to an all-volunteer board of industry leaders. GWEF holds a Four-Star rating from Charity Navigator and a Platinum Seal of Transparency from Candid.

Key Findings from the 2026 Impact Report

• Recipient demographics: 61% of GWEF scholarship recipients identify as non-Caucasian, 55.7% are female, 42.8% male, and 2% non-binary.

• Career outcomes: 67% of recipients have received a promotion following certification, and more than one-third are currently working full-time in the wine and hospitality industries.

• Earnings impact: Industry data shows that professional wine certification can yield 50–300% salary increases over a career, with sommeliers progressing from $45–60K at entry level to as much as $190K at the Master Sommelier level.

• Operational efficiency: Funds flow directly to wine school partners — no administrative layers between donors and scholarship recipients. The average GWEF scholarship is $1,477.

The Industry Gap GWEF Is Working to Close

While Black, Indigenous, and People of Color make up 40% of the U.S. population, and more than half of Americans under 18 identify as a racial or ethnic minority, the wine industry remains markedly less diverse. Fewer than 1% of U.S. wineries are Black-owned (out of more than 11,000 total), fewer than 1% of winery owners or head winemakers are people of color, and roughly 2% of Black Americans hold leadership roles in wine, according to research from the Association of African American Vintners and Pronghorn Research. Hispanic/Latino professionals — who represent 18.7% of the U.S. population — hold just 4% of Fortune 500 executive officer roles, with comparable underrepresentation across wine. Only 14% of California bonded wineries have women as lead winemakers.

New Data: The AAPI Opportunity in Wine

The 2026 report introduces newly gathered insights on the Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) wine consumer, developed in partnership with the Asian Wine Association of America (AWAA). AAPI Americans represent 6.3% of the U.S. population but currently account for only 5% of wine consumption, even as roughly 50% of the AAPI population sits within the Millennial and Gen-X cohorts, with 39% drinking wine weekly, nearly on par with other demographics. Yet only 4% of wine industry executives identify as Asian, even as Asian markets are the fastest-growing demographic for WSET Global certification worldwide.

A Message from the Foundation President

“The world of wine is a celebration of diversity, and yet the industry itself has been slow to reflect that truth,” said Ana Keller, GWEF Foundation President. “At a moment when wine is competing harder than ever for the attention of younger, more diverse consumers, the case for inclusion has never been more urgent. The professionals who understand those communities, who come from them, are exactly who this industry needs.”

Keller added: “Since 2020, we have funded more than 303 scholarships, and none of it happens without people who believe that those who will shape this industry's future deserve a real chance to get there. Every donation, at any level, goes directly to a scholarship and to someone whose career, and whose life, will be changed by it.”

In the Words of Recipients

“GWEF made it possible for me to receive the wine training and education I needed to become a Sommelier in a Michelin-starred restaurant,” said Lily Yu, 2020 GWEF scholarship recipient and Private Event Sommelier, formerly of the sommelier team at The Modern in New York City.

“Thanks to GWEF's assistance and what I learned in the WSET 3, I took over as head sommelier and was soon promoted to Wine Director. I also am a winemaker now,” said Oceano Ordonez, 2021, 2023 and 2024 GWEF scholarship recipient, Wine Director at Donato Enoteca, and GWEF Emeritus Board Member.

“GWEF has been a transformative experience that has profoundly impacted my personal and professional growth. Through GWEF I have gained networking opportunities resulting in great relationships and collaborations within the wine industry,” said Cristian Medina, 2022 and 2024 GWEF scholarship recipient and Sommelier at Shelby's in Atherton, California.

How to Support the Mission

GWEF welcomes contributions at every level — every dollar donated goes directly to scholarship funding. Corporate sponsorship tiers and named scholarship opportunities are also available, including scholarships established in honor or memory of industry colleagues. Wine schools, industry organizations, and nonprofit partners interested in collaboration are also encouraged to connect.

The full 2026 Impact Report is here.  To donate, sponsor, or partner, visit www.glancywineeducationfoundation.org.

About the Glancy Wine Education Foundation

The Glancy Wine Education Foundation is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization established in 2020 and based in San Francisco, partnering nationally with three schools, the San Francisco Wine School, the International Wine Center and the American Wine School. GWEF is dedicated to assisting underserved communities with scholarships to further their professional wine education, with the goal of raising their earning power and increasing diversity in the wine industry. The Foundation holds a Four-Star Charity Navigator rating and Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency. Federal Tax ID #85-2516009. Learn more at www.glancywineeducationfoundation.org or follow @glancywineeducationfoundation on Instagram.

Media Contact:

Kimberly Charles | Charles Communications Associates

kimberly@glancywineeducationfoundation.org 415-701-WINE (9463)