Bookmark These Grants If You’re a Female Creator or Business Owner
Knowing how to do a lot with a little is an evergreen skill. Whether you’re a scrappy new business owner or an influencer who wants to cut back on costs, consolidating your finances is never a bad idea. When done strategically and consistently, the payoff usually makes it all worthwhile. The only thing better than that is free money (and advice). Though the venture capital industry has a lot of work to do when it comes to supporting women and minority founders, grant opportunities are growing.
Here’s a list of grants to keep on your radar, some of which were created in response to the pandemic, which has been particularly hard for small business owners. (Be sure to note application deadlines. While some may have just recently passed, you’ll at least want to bookmark some of these so you can apply in future rounds.)
Tory Burch Fellows Program + Grant
The Tory Burch Foundation’s Fellows Program gives 50 women entrepreneurs a $5,000 grant, plus virtual resources and workshops, as well as a networking platform for connecting with other founders. The foundation is also running a capital program that grants female business owners access to affordable business loans, as well as free small business webinars that cover everything from marketing to finance.
Awesome Foundation Grant
Since its inception, The Awesome Foundation has funded almost 5,000 businesses with $1000 grants awarded on a monthly basis. Fill out a simple form and keep your fingers crossed.
Target Takeoff Accelerators Program
Ever dream of having your consumer brand on Target shelves? Apply for this five-week program, where you’ll work with virtual mentors, be a part of skill-building sessions, and meet with executives, all from the comfort of your own home. No, you’re not getting a check, but all of this combined with the opportunity to pitch your brand directly to Target can’t be left out.
moment creator grants
Grab your camera and apply to create a themed photo series. Winners get a cash prize and professional camera gear.
Super Patron arts grant
Jack Conte, the co-founder of the crowdfunding platform Patreon, launched this fund last year which awards $50K to a single creator. The only rules are that you “submit something you’ve made (song, podcast, piece of writing, comic, etc.) that shows us who you are and what you do” and make sure it’s three minutes or less.
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The Do You Fund
DigitalUndivided’s Do You Fund provides micro-grants to Black and Latinx women entrepreneurs.
TikTok Creator Fund
TikTok launched a $1 billion Creator Fund to support those who depend on the video platform for any level of income. Note the caveats before applying, which include follower count and age.
NYFA Awards and Grants
New York residents who specialize in the arts should peruse this list of funding opportunities offered by the New York Foundation for the Arts.
The Fund for Change
If you’re a community organizer, this one helps startups and 501(c)(3) organizations in Maryland, though other national applicants are also considered.
Access Ventures
Grants, capital, and loans are all part of Access Ventures’ work for creators, small business owners, and entrepreneurs.
NEA Grants
The National Endowment for the Arts accepts grant applications for anything that “celebrates America’s creativity and/or cultural heritage” and invites “a dialogue that fosters a mutual respect for the diverse beliefs and values of all persons and groups.”
Sustainable Arts Foundation
This annual award supports creators with children through unrestricted cash awards, half of which are made to applicants of color.
Walter Grant Award
We Need Diverse Books’ Walter Grant Award provides financial support to diverse, unpublished writers focused on children’s content.
Asian Women Giving Circle
The women behind this organization pool resources to support projects led by Asian-American women artists and community groups.
First Nations Development Institute Grants
This site is regularly updated with new funding opportunities for projects that support Native Americans.
Nellie Mae Education Foundation
Six grant funds mostly focused on community building and amplifying voices of color are highlighted in this foundation.
grants.gov
Register for an account with this federal database to search and apply for federal business grants in your state.
Black Girl Ventures
The virtual BGC community includes webinars, virtual pitch practice, business referrals and funding opportunities.
IFundWomen
In addition to its renowned coaching services and workshops, IFundWomen also provides several grant opportunities for women-owned businesses. IFundWomen of Color was created specifically for assisting early-stage entrepreneurs.
Hello Alice
Hello Alice is a free database for entrepreneurs at every stage who are looking for grants and other money opps.
The Amber Grant
The Amber Grant has been in existence since 1998 and every month, awards $10,000 to a small business owner who is automatically eligible for a year-end grant of $25K.
SoGal Black Founder Startup Grant
SoGal teamed up with a group of successful beauty brands and retailers (Winky Lux, bluemercury, and more) to provide several $5K and $10K grants to Black and/or nonbinary entrepreneurs.
Sephora Accelerate
In addition to two all-expenses-paid trips to program events (including one for demoing your product), a “business boot camp” and mentorship opportunities, the Sephora Accelerate program also rewards beauty brand founders with a grant and possible additional funding.
grants.gov
Register for an account with this federal database to search and apply for federal business grants in your state.
NASE Growth Grants
The National Association for the Self-Employed Organization offers grants for up to $4,000 to monthly and annual members. Note: members must be in good standing for three consecutive months. Annual members can apply immediately and monthly members can apply after 90 days.
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Black Girl Ventures
The virtual BGC community includes webinars, virtual pitch practice, business referrals and funding opportunities.
USDA Rural Business Enterprise Grant Program
For those who live in rural communities, this program provides funding of varying amounts to small business owners with fewer than 50 workers and less than $1 million in gross revenue.
FedEx Small Business Grant Contest
FedEx’s annual small business contest awards money to a number of U.S.-based small businesses to help scale their profits.
MDBA Grants
The Minority Business Development Agency runs a series of grant competitions exclusively for minority business owners.
NBMBAA® Scale-Up Pitch Challenge
The National Black MBA Association hosts a pitch competition for its members annually with the goal of connecting winners to potential investors. Oh, and there are also cash prizes.
SBA Veteran-Owned Businesses Resources
If you’re a military veteran who owns a small business, this website is a notable resource for training programs and funding opportunities.
SBA Program for Investment in Micro-Entrepreneurs (PRIME)
The U.S. Small Business Association’s PRIME Program provides several loans and grants in varying amounts to small business owners.
P5 Pitch Competition
Once a year, the P5 Pitch Competition calls for female and underrepresented founders to pitch their idea to a panel of investor judges and win $15K, which they can use however they please to grow their business.
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