LOCAL GRANTS

• ExportMD Program - Maryland companies that receive an ExportMD Award are eligible for up to $5,000 in reimbursement for expenses associated with an international marketing project. Apps due first of each month - https://commerce.maryland.gov/fund/programs-for-businesses/exportmd-program

• Maryland Economic Adjustment Fund - This is an evolving loan fund, which supports small businesses that don’t qualify for traditional loans or financing. This specific program will grant priority to businesses in Baltimore City and rural regions across the state. - https://commerce.maryland.gov/fund/programs-for-businesses/meaf

Corporate Business Grants

• Roddenberry Catalyst Fund - The Catalyst Fund is offering grants to Nonprofits & Social Enterprises to fund ideas or early-stage projects that have a high potential for large-scale impact and sustainable change.  You can be a seasoned social entrepreneur or a first-time changemaker. Eligible candidates for the Catalyst Fund may be individuals, teams of individuals, non-profit organizations, or social enterprises.  Grants for up to $15,000.  https://roddenberryfoundation.org/our-work/catalyst-fund/

• Techstars Accelerators - Techstars accelerators have one goal: to help entrepreneurs succeed. During each three-month program, they surround companies with the best mentors and an unrivaled network of corporate partners, investors, and alumni.  Companies can receive $20K for 6% of company.  Various locations and due dates - https://www.techstars.com/accelerators/

• FedEx’s Small Business Grant: The winner of this competition gets a $25,000 grant, while 2nd place gets $15,000, and the eight 3rd place winners get $7,500. To enter, you’ll need to deliver your elevator pitch, as well as how your business makes a difference to your community or the environment. Finally, you need to demonstrate that there’s an actual need for the grant money.

• Lending Tree: Lending Tree primarily offers different types of loans, but also periodically runs small business grant contests. They judge businesses based on how passionate the founders are, and if growing their business will result in a better community.

• National Association of the Self-Employed (NASE): If you are self-employed, you may be eligible for the monthly $4,000 grant that NASE awards. There’s not too many requirements to meet other than being a NASE member. This is not free, and probably not worth the cost if you’re only interested in trying to win the grant.

• Fundera’s - The Zach Grant: Fundera is another business that helps businesses and individuals find loans. They offer this $2,500 grant once per year. Unlike most grants, this one requires a video submission answering the question “why did you start your own business?”, which is judged on 3 factors:

1. Quality
2. Originality
3. Creativity

• Idea Cafe’s Small Business Grants: Idea Cafe is a news and resource site for small business owners and entrepreneurs. They offer $1,000 grants to winners, and it’s one of the few grants that you don’t even need an established business already to enter. Winners are decided by votes from the community.

• Walmart Foundation Grants: Walmart offers grants specifically for nonprofits. The grants are not a fixed amount, but fall into 2 ranges.

The “community grant program” is for local nonprofits, and is between $250 and $5,000.
The “national giving program” is for national nonprofits, and awards grants for $250,000 and above.
The grants are awarded to nonprofits that focus on opportunities, sustainability, or communities. Basically, any social-oriented business.

• Wells Fargo Community Giving Grants: These grants offered by Wells Fargo are specifically for educational institutions and nonprofits. Businesses can apply year-round, and there is no fixed amount for the grant. Wells Fargo gives away millions in grants every year.

• AT&T Aspire: Currently, AT&T are not accepting applications for their Aspire grants, so you’ll need to monitor this page. The grants are intended for small businesses that are focused on improving education, especially for high schools.

OPPORTUNITIES ONLY WITHIN THE UNITED STATES

• Amazon's Black Business Accelerator - Dedicated to helping build sustainable equity and growth for Black entrepreneurs by enabling their success as sellers. Grow your business with access to financial support, strategic business guidance and mentorship, and marketing and promotional support. - https://sell.amazon.com/programs/black-business-accelerator

• Freed Fellowship - Every month, one $500 grant is awarded to an underrepresented founder in the US to invest in their existing business. No strings attached. No equity required. Grant recipients are also eligible to receive an additional end-of-year grant of $2,500. https://www.freedfellowship.com/grant1

• Juntos Crecemos Hispanic Digital & Delivery Program (PepsiCo) - PepsiCo is inviting Latina entrepreneurs who work in food service to apply for eight weeks of personalized expert consultation, including best practices across operations, technology, marketing and digital presence. https://pepsicojuntoscrecemos.com/jefaowned/

• New York FinTech Innovation Lab - Open to any US-based company that is early- and growth-stage technology with innovative solutions for financial institutions and insurance companies or Non-fintech, growth-stage companies interested in serving financial services and insurance clients. https://www.f6s.com/fintech-innovation-lab-nyc-2023/apply

• Square Black Equity Grant program - This program will provide Black-led platform partners with both financial support as well as increased exposure and visibility. Company must have been founded by or have a current CEO who identifies as Black/African American. Company must be US based and its platform must be publicly launched and have at least 5 customers.    Funding up to $15,000 - https://squareup.com/us/en/campaign/black-equity-grant-program

• Start Small Think Big is a nonprofit that helps small businesses with high potential and limited access to the resources needed to create thriving businesses. They partner with small business owners, providing personalized business support and building connections with local communities.  They focus on NY and CA markets.  If you are interested in being considered as a client for free services, you can fill out this form https://partner.startsmallthinkbig.org/bofainstitute (for English) or https://partner.startsmallthinkbig.org/bofainstitute-esp (for Spanish)  They also offer free webinars to any participant regardless of location.  See this link for their upcoming events: https://www.startsmallthinkbig.org/events-for-small-businesses

• Truist NonProfit Grant - The Truist Foundation supports nonprofits with grants that target leadership development, economic mobility, thriving communities and educational equity. Quarterly deadlines - https://www.truist.com/purpose/truist-foundation/grant-application

• Wish Local Empowerment Program - You must be a Black-owned business with a brick-and-mortar shop within the United States and less than 20 employees. If selected for the program, you must join Wish Local (which is free). Grants for up to $2000 - https://www.wish.com/local/empowerment

• Zen Business - For a limited time, Zen Business is giving every mom in America the ability to start an LLC for free. - https://www.zenbusiness.com/moms/

Women Business Owner Opportunities

• The Amber Grants: Each month, one small business owned by a woman wins a $1,000 Amber Grant. You will need to get votes to win, so it helps to have a strong social network. At the end of the year, the 12 grant winners have a chance to win the annual $10,000 Amber Grant.

• The InnovateHer Challenge: This is a grant that is funded by the SBA for women entrepreneurs that runs every year. There are 3 winners, with first place receiving $40,000, second winning $20,000, and third being granted $10,000. It’s a fairly prestigious grant that comes with a lot of publicity for the winners’ businesses as well. To win, you first need to win a local InnovateHer challenge to qualify for the national competition. Any type of business is eligible to compete, but businesses that are geared towards women and their social problems typically do best.

• The Eileen Fisher Community Partnerships Grant: These grants are given every quarter (3 months), and can be up to $2,500. To be eligible, you must be running a local nonprofit that has some sort of community-oriented goal. There is a variety of eligibility conditions beyond that, including having a clear need for the money, and having some sort of relationship with Eileen Fisher (any of their stores or partners).

• Cartier Women’s Initiative Award: These grants are prestigious awards that can make a huge difference for any small business. There are 21 finalists, 3 from each of the main 7 regions of the Earth. All 21 finalists get personalized coaching, training, networking opportunities, and media visibility. That alone is worth a lot of money. Additionally, all 21 finalists are given a grant. The top 7 get a grant of $100,000, plus personalized business mentoring. The other 14 still get a $30,000 grant.

• Open Meadows Foundation Grant Program: The Open Meadows Foundation offers grants up to $2,000 to small businesses that are focused on enriching their communities, and have a clear need for the grant money. It’s one of the few grants that gives priority to very small and startup businesses.

• Tory Burch Foundation Fellowship: The Tory Burch Foundation offers a fellowship program to selected business owners, which includes a grant. The fellowship program involved a 3 day workshop, which provides networking opportunities with successful entrepreneurs. You’ll also get yearlong support from the foundation. Finally, each fellow is awarded a $10,000 grant.

Opportunities Specifically For Women of Color

• HerRise Micro-Grant - Each month a $500 micro-grant will be awarded to a for-profit small business owned by women of color. Past recipients used grants for computers, equipment, marketing materials, software purchase, website creation and more.  Learn more Here