Applications for up to $2,000 are reviewed on a quarterly basis. Submissions are viable for a year; if an applicant is not initially selected, they may still receive funding if additional money is available.
Eligibility
Applicant
This grant is open to handmade, craft supply, and vintage Etsy sellers in the United States and its territories who:
Have experienced hardship due to a natural disaster as declared by the Federal Emergency Management Agency
The Rural Business Development Grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture provides assistance to rural areas and small towns for economic development and job creation. Funds are available for two types of projects – Opportunity Grants and Enterprise Grants.
There is no maximum request amount, but smaller requests will receive priority consideration. Awards are typically between $10,000 and $500,000. There is no cost share requirement.
Final applications are due February 28, 2025 at 4:30 p.m. local time. Applications are submitted through state offices which may have additional requirements and an earlier deadline.
Eligibility
Applicant
This grant opportunity is open to:
Nonprofit entities
Public bodies
Government entities
Federally recognized Native American tribes
Community
Only rural areas are eligible to benefit from this grant. The USDA defines a rural area as any area other than:
A city or town that has a population of greater than 50,000 inhabitants
The urbanized area contiguous and adjacent to such a city or town, as defined by the U.S. Bureau of the Census using the latest decennial census of the United States.
Opportunity grant applicants must also demonstrate a reasonable expectation for economic development as a result of the project.
Allowable Expenses
Enterprise Grants
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Enterprise grant funds may be used for activities such as:
Rural business incubators
Distance learning for job training
Leadership and entrepreneurship training
Long-term strategic business planning
Feasibility studies and business plans
Training and technical assistance (i.e. business counseling, market research, technical reports)
Capital improvements – land acquisition and development, construction, equipment
Revolving loan funds
Pollution control and abatement
Opportunity Grants
Opportunity grant funds may be used for:
Rural business incubators
Leadership and entrepreneurship training
Long-term strategic business planning
Feasibility studies and business plans
Evaluation
Applications will be evaluated on
Evidence of local business job creation
Economic need in the area
Applicant experience with similar projects
Consistency with local economic development priorities
Percentage of non-federal funding already committed
Application Requirements
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All applications must contain:
Evidence of Legal Authority and Good Standing (i.e. organization bylaws, Articles of Incorporation, letter from Secretary of State)
Financial statements for three most recent years
Documentation of non-federal funds committed to the project
Letters of Commitment from the business to receive assistance
Participants may join the program through one of 50 In-Country Tracks which are conducted in the local language and time zone, a Regional Track in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, or a Global Track conducted in English. Applications are due by December 20, 2024 and the program will start in February 2025.
Eligibility
Businesses of all sizes are encouraged to participate in the Accelerator. To be eligible, they must be:
Engaged with a Global Compact Country Network or willing to join
Willing to identify human rights risks and impacts within their business operations
Committed to developing an Action Plan to address the human rights risks identified
Able to appoint two representatives to attend sessions and participate in events
Able to appoint an executive-level representative to provide support and participate in high-level events
Committed to completing the program and incorporating what they learn into their strategies and operations
Establish an ongoing human rights due diligence process that conforms with international standards
Prepare their organization for evolving human rights due diligence legislation
Report and communicate on their human rights due diligence outcomes, including through the Communication on Progress, the annual public disclosure requirement for all UN Global Compact participants
Connect human rights and the human rights due diligence process with social sustainability initiatives
The U.S. Small Business Administration works with local lenders and Certified Development Companies to provide loans to small business owners across the United States.
The SBA offers a Lender Match service, as well as three loan types: 7(a) Loans, 504 Loans, and Microloans. There are no deadlines and available funding varies by loan type.
Eligibility
Regardless of the type of loan, all applicants must be:
An officially registered for-profit business
Operating in the United States or its territories
Creditworthy
Unable to obtain similar financing from non-government sources
SBA will match you with a lender and allow you to compare your options with Lender Match. You simply answer a few questions about your business and they will give you a list of interested lenders.
Lenders will typically expect applicants to have:
A business plan
Specifics on how much funding will be needed and how it will be used
Collateral
Financial projections
Credit history
7(a) Loans
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The majority of SBA loans are through the 7(a) program. The maximum loan amount is $5 million, but it is only open to business that are already in operation.
Loan funds may be used for:
Purchasing, refinancing, or redeveloping property
Purchasing furniture, fixtures, and supplies
Purchasing and installing machinery and equipment
Short and long-term working capital
Refinancing business debt
504 Loans
504 Loans are long-term, fixed rate loans available through Certified Development Companies. The maximum 504 loan amount is $5.5 million and it is only open to businesses with a tangible net worth of less than $15 million and an average net income of less than $5 million.
Loan funds may be used for:
Purchasing or redeveloping existing buildings or land
Building new facilities
Purchasing long-term machinery and equipment with a remaining useful life of at least 10 years
Improving streets, utilities, parking lots, and landscaping
504 loan funds may not be used for:
Working capital or inventory
Consolidating, repaying, or refinancing debt
Speculation or investment in rental real estate
Financing AI-related working capital, intellectual property, or consulting services soft costs
Microloans
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Microloans are $50,000 or less for start up and expansion costs for small businesses and certain not-for-profit childcare centers. Microloans are available through intermediary lenders and may be used for:
Inventory
Machinery
Equipment
Supplies
Furniture
Fixtures
Working capital
Microloan funds may not be used to pay existing debts or purchase real estate.
The Wish Local Empowerment Program provides funding to Black-owned businesses in the United States. Applications for $500 – $2,000 are accepted on a continual basis.
Wish Local membership is not required to apply, but grantees will be required to join this free platform.
Eligibility
This grant is open to Black business owners in the U.S. who:
Are 18 or older
Have a physical, brick and mortar shop in the U.S.
Have 20 or fewer employees
Have an average annual revenue of less than $1 million
Allowable Expenses
Wish Local does not restrict the use of grant funds, but suggests it be used for:
The Hello Tomorrow Global Challenge is an early stage deep tech startup competition. Applicants may submit in one of 11 track for the chance to win the €100,000 Grand Prize or €25,000 Second Prize. An additional €25,000 will be awarded to one Emerging Pioneer and customized prizes will be given in the different tracks in cooperation with corporate partners.
Applications are due by September 22, 2024. Eight hundred Deep Tech Pioneers will be announced on October 30 and have until November 15 to update their applications before finalist selection.
Eligibility
This challenge is open to startups that:
Are in early stage development, including before incorporation
Have developed/are developing new technology, a scientific discovery, or a complex engineering process
Have a proof of concept, prototype, solid scientific validation for their product, or are developing one
Have a team of at least 2 people
Are not a subsidiary or offshoot of another, existing company
Expect their product to be economically viable within 15 years
Have the potential to significantly impact their industry, society, or the environment in general
Tracks
https://builtin.com/robotics/microrobotics
Applicants may submit in any of the 11 tracks.
Aerospace
Advanced Computing & Electronics
Industry & Machines
Sustainable Construction & Infrastructure
Energy
Environment & Biodiversity
Food & Agriculture
Industrial Biotech & New Materials
Digital Health & Medical Devices
Medical Biotech & Pharmaceuticals
Award
All 800 Deep Tech Pioneers will be invited to attend Investor Day in Paris on March 12, 2025 where they’ll be able to meet with over 300 venture capitalists and corporate venture capitalists.
Seven finalists per track plus an additional seven finalists for the Emerging Pioneers Prize will pitch their idea during the Global Summit in Paris on March 13 and 14, 2025. The Grand Prize, Second Place, and Emerging Pioneer Prize as well as the corporate prizes will be chosen from these presentations.
Awards of $10,000 and a LegalZoom product valued at up to $500 will be given to 150 small businesses. A LegalZoom product valued at up to $500 will also be given to 3,000 entrepreneurs whose business hasn’t launched. Applications are due by September 13, 2024.
Eligibility
Small Businesses
The award for small businesses is open to for-profit entities that:
Are based in the United States
Have been in business for at least 3 months
Have an annual revenue of less than $1 million
Have an active business bank account
Can provide their most recent business tax return OR
If they’ve been in operation for less than 12 months, can provide their (1) Articles of Incorporation, (2) Sole proprietorship formation, (3) Fictitious name statement or DBA, (4) EIN registration, (5) City, state, or federal business license, (6) Relevant professional license
Entrepreneurs
The award for entrepreneurs is open to for-profit entities that:
Are based in the United States
Have been in business for fewer than 3 months or can provide a summary of their business idea
Ineligible Industries
Businesses in the following industries are ineligible:
Adult entertainment
Tobacco shops, stands, and wholesalers
Firearms and ammunition sellers, gun clubs, and shooting ranges
Marijuana or cannabis related industries
Massage parlors, saunas, or hot tub facilities
Gambling facilities, including racetracks
Real estate investment companies, house flippers, hotels, or real estate rental businesses
Banking and financial institutions
Merchant services and payment companies
Lending businesses and small business loan brokers
In its fifth year, Queer to Stay will make donations to at least 25 businesses in the United States who specifically serve the LGBTQ+ community. Applications are due by August 31, 2024 at 11:59 PM.
Eligibility
This funding opportunity is open to for profit businesses in the U.S. that cater to the LGBTQ+ community and can describe how the pandemic has and continues to impact them.
Special consideration will be given to businesses that are owned by queer people of color, queer women, and transgender or nonbinary individuals.
Applications for the 4th annual competition are due by June 6, 2024. The award does not come with a monetary prize, but does have numerous benefits to help build your startup.
Eligibility
This competition is open to for-profit and nonprofit organizations from anywhere in the world who meet the following criteria:
Operating in the Gastronomy Tourism Sector
Using innovative methods in comparison to similar businesses
Focusing on social needs such as employability and gender equity
Ability to enact localized social change
A tested product or service
The potential to scale up the business in the short to medium term
Ability to quickly implement collaborative development of products or services
A committed team with the knowledge to achieve their goals
New Technologies – Startups developing and promoting a product or service with a high technological component
Local Impact – Startups developing and promoting a project with a high degree of transformation and social improvement
Sustainability and Waste Management – Startups developing and promoting a project with a focus on sustainability and/or food waste generated by tourists
They may also apply for one of four types of product or service:
In 2024, Progressive will award 20 grants of $50,000 each to small businesses in need of a commercial vehicle through their Progressive Driving Small Business Forward Grant. Grantees will also be invited to attend a 12-week virtual Boost Camp coaching program.
Applications are due through Hello Alice by June 14, 2024 at 6:00 PM ET. Applicants are not required to be Progressive customers.
Eligibility
Applicant
Applicants must be:
Legal residents of the United States
18 years old or older (19 in Alabama and Nebraska)
The leading executive of a business that meets the below criteria
Business
Eligible businesses must:
Be an established, for-profit business in the United States or the District of Columbia
Have ten or fewer employees
Have less than $5 million in gross annual revenue
Have a demonstrated need for a commercial vehicle
Have a clear plan for how a vehicle will help the business grow
Sole proprietorships and part-time businesses are eligible.
Vehicle
A commercial vehicle is any car, truck, van, bus, or other automobile that is used for business purposes, such as:
Delivery of products and goods
Travel to perform on-site services
Transportation of materials or inventory
Transporting people
Ineligible vehicles include:
Those used solely for commuting
Those used for a rideshare service such as Uber or Lyft, or third-party food delivery such as UberEats, DoorDash, PostMates, Grubhub, Instacart, etc.
Heavy trucks with Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) over 26,000 lbs. and vehicles designed principally for use off public roads (e.g. bulldozers, farm machinery, forklifts, etc.)
Evaluation Criteria
All applications will be reviewed based on:
Demonstrated need for funds to purchase a commercial vehicle (40%)
Clear plan for growth as a result of this vehicle purchase (40%)
Demonstrated commitment to customers and community (20%)
