⏰ Estimated read time: 20 minutes
Business grants offer free money that can help Black women grow or even launch a business. Although that may sound appealing, small-business grant contests tend to have short application windows and significant competition for relatively small amounts of funding, so it’s important to tap other resources, too.
To help you get started, we’ve rounded up a variety of business grants open to Black women. Some are open to other entrepreneurs, too. If a program is currently closed to applications, take note of the requirements and sign up to be notified when it reopens. You’ll also find organizations that help Black women business owners win government contracts, pitch investors or find other funding opportunities.
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We’ll start with a brief questionnaire to better understand the unique needs of your business.
Once we uncover your personalized matches, our team will consult you on the process moving forward.
1. HerRise Microgrant
The HerRise Microgrant program awards $1,000 per month to a women-owned business, including those owned by women of color.The grant is a program of the Yva Jourdan Foundation, the nonprofit arm of HerSuiteSpot. Applications close on the last day of each month. To qualify, your business must be at least 51% owned by a woman and have less than $1 million in gross revenue.
2. Wish Local Empowerment Program Grant
The Wish Local Empowerment Program offers grants between $500 and $2,000 to Black business owners. In order to be eligible, applicants must own a brick-and-mortar storefront in the U.S., be over the age of 18, have 20 or fewer employees and have an average annual revenue of less than $1 million. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
3. Galaxy Grant
Galaxy of Stars is a grant program run by Hidden Star, a nonprofit that helps women and minority entrepreneurs. Grants are open to women and people of color who run or are planning to start a business and who are U.S. residents. Winners can currently receive a $1,500 grant. The organization has not yet announced an application deadline for 2025.
4. The Amber Grant Foundation
The Amber Grant Foundation awards three monthly grants of $10,000 to female entrepreneurs. If you’re awarded one of the $10,000 monthly grants, you will also be in the running to win one of Amber Grant Foundation’s yearly $25,000 grants.
To apply, you’ll fill out a short form on the Amber Grant website, where you’ll tell the organization about your business idea and how you would spend your grant funds. Note that you’ll have to pay a $15 application fee.
5. The Freed Fellowship
Each month, a small-business owner is awarded a $500 microgrant and a free 60-minute business coaching session from the Freed Fellowship. Monthly winners will also be eligible for a year-end $2,500 grant.
💡 Nerdy insight
If you need more than grant funding can offer, SBA microloans are available in amounts of up to $50,000. These loans are issued by nonprofit and community lenders and are designed for traditionally underserved businesses.
Many microlenders offer training and other resources, which can be valuable to business owners. They may also be easier to qualify for than other types of financing if you’re a new or very small business.
6. NASE Growth Grants
Founded in 1981, the National Association for the Self-Employed, (NASE) is dedicated to supporting entrepreneurs and microbusinesses. Its grant program awards NASE members up to $4,000 to finance a particular need, whether that’s buying equipment, hiring staff, launching a marketing plan or making another approved purchase.
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis throughout the year, and the organization awards one grant per month. To apply for an NASE Growth Grant, you’ll need to get a monthly NASE membership and remain in good standing with the organization for at least three months. If you join on an annual basis, however, you’ll be able to apply immediately.
7. YippityDoo Big Idea Grant
YippityDoo, a support organization for women business owners, awards a $1,000 business grant on a monthly basis. To qualify for this grant, you need to be a woman-owned business located in the U.S. In addition to the grant money, this program also provides a one-year membership to the company’s wealth mindset coaching group. Applications are accepted through the YippityDoo website on a rolling basis; you will have to pay a $15 fee to apply.
8. Santander’s Cultivate Small Business
Santander’s Cultivate Small Business program awards funding to early-stage entrepreneurs in the food industry, focusing on women-, immigrant- and BIPOC-owned businesses in low-to-moderate income neighborhoods. Through the program, business owners participate in a 12-week virtual education curriculum and receive up to $13,000 in capital grants.
To qualify, you must be operating in the food industry and have at least one year in business. The program operates in two cohorts. The spring cohort is available for businesses in New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut. Applications are open until Jan. 30, 2025.
9. Breva Thrive Grant
The Breva Thrive Grant offers $5,000 to small-business owners on a quarterly basis. To qualify for this grant, your business must demonstrate its impact on its community, such as creating new jobs, innovating new products or making products and services more accessible. You should have at least one year in business and be producing revenue (a minimum of $35,000 in annual revenue is preferred). The company also prefers businesses that are directly impacting underrepresented communities. Applications for the first quarter are open now through Jan. 31, 2025.
10. Veteran Woman Grant
Open to Texas female small-business owners who are also veterans, the Veteran Woman Grant awards five $5,000 grants annually. A business must be at least 51% veteran-owned to be eligible. Applications for the 2025 cycle will run from Jan. 21, 2025 through Feb. 21, 2025.
11. National Black Business Pitch
The National Black Business Pitch competition awards grants up to $10,000 to three businesses. To be eligible, your business must be Black-owned and U.S. based. Applications for the next cycle will open in February 2025.
12. Feed the Soul’s Restaurant Business Development Program
This grant program provides funding to food businesses that are at least 51% owned by someone who identifies as marginalized, including people of color, senior citizens, LGBTQ+ individuals and those who were previously incarcerated. Entrepreneurs receive a financial stipend based on the demands of their business, as well as six months of consultations and educational training services. Applications for the next cycle open on Feb. 1, 2025 and run through April 15, 2025.
13. Verizon Small Business Digital Ready Grant
Businesses that are active users of Verizon's Small Business Digital Ready program are eligible for this grant. Verizon says that 51% of businesses using the Small Business Digital Ready platform are women-owned and 62% are Black- or Hispanic-owned. Winners receive $10,000 grants. Application information for 2025 has not yet been announced.
14. Glossier Grant Program
The Glossier Grant program awards funding to Black-owned beauty brands. In 2024, four businesses received $50,000 grants, and one previous winner received a $100,000 Alumni Award. Application information is not yet available for the 2025 cycle.
15. She's Connected by AT&T
Launched in 2020, the She's Connected by AT&T grant awards $50,000 to one grand prize winner. To be eligible, your business must be woman-owned, have no more than 50 employees and be registered in the U.S. Information for the 2025 cycle has not yet been announced.
16. Brown Girl Jane x Shea Moisture Grant
Originally launched in 2020, this grant is a collaboration between Brown Girl Jane, a plant-based beauty brand and Shea Moisture. It awards grants between $10,000 and $25,000, and is open to Black- and women-owned beauty businesses that have been in operation for at least one year. Applications for the next cycle have not yet been announced.
17. The Fifteen Percent Pledge Achievement Award
This program, in which Fifteen Percent Pledge partners with Shop with Google, offers grant funding to three Black-owned businesses. The winner receives $200,000 (plus mentorship and pro-bono consulting services) the runner-up receives $35,000 and the third place finalist receives $15,000.
To qualify, you must be a member of the Fifteen Percent Pledge Business Equity Community and at least 50% Black-owned. You must also be an ecommerce business with a minimum annual revenue of $100,000, have between two and 15 employees and have a presence on Google Shopping. Winners from the most recent cycle will be announced in February 2025.
18. Sephora Beauty Grant
The Sephora Beauty Grant is another funding program offered by Fifteen Percent Pledge — in partnership with Sephora. This program awards one Black business owner in the beauty industry with a grant of $100,000.
To qualify, you must be a member of the Fifteen Percent Pledge’s Business Equity Community and at least 50% Black-owned. You must sell a product in the categories of beauty, haircare, makeup, skincare, fragrance or bath and body. You must also have at least one year in business and annual revenue of $100,000 or more. The winner from the most recent cycle will be announced in February 2025.
19. Comcast RISE Investment Fund
The Comcast RISE grant targets different cities with each funding cycle. In each new city, the program awards $5,000 grants. To apply, you must have been in business for at least three years and have 100 or fewer employees. This grant program was originally open exclusively to people of color and women, but has since expanded to all small-business owners.
Information for the 2025 application cycle has not yet been announced. But in 2024, the program serviced businesses located in the following areas: Atlanta, GA; Houston, TX; Jacksonville, FL; Richmond, VA and Southern Colorado.
20. NAACP Backing the B.A.R grant
A partnership between the NAACP and Bacardi, the Backing the B.A.R. grant is open to Black entrepreneurs who own restaurants, bars, nightclubs, lounges or liquor stores. In 2024, 10 businesses received $10,000 grants. Application information has not yet been announced for the 2025 cycle.
21. Invest in Progress Grant
A partnership between the Boss Network and Hello Alice, the Invest in Progress Grant is open to Black women entrepreneurs. In addition to one year of mentorship, recipients will be awarded a $10,000 grant. Application information has not yet been announced for 2025.
22. Black History Makers Grant
Now in its fifth year, the Black History Makers program from Citi Trends awards $5,000 grants to 10 Black entrepreneurs. Application information for 2025 will be available mid-January.
23. The Transform Business Grant
The Transform Business Grant is open to business owners from systemically oppressed backgrounds. BIPOC individuals, individuals with disabilities, queer, trans and nonbinary individuals, as well as formerly incarcerated individuals are all eligible to apply. Each grantee receives a $1,000 microgrant. Application information for 2025 has not yet been announced.
24. Kitty Fund Grant Program
The Kitty Fund is open to business owners who are mothers. To be eligible to apply, your business must have been in operation for at least one year, must employ between two and 100 people and must generate no more than $5 million in revenue. Information for the 2025 application cycle has not yet been announced.
25. NAACP Powershift Entrepreneur Grant
A collaboration between the NAACP, the Shark Group and Medium Rare, the NAACP Powership Entrepreneur Grant awards $25,000 to select Black-owned businesses annually. Winners will also receive mentorship and free resources. Dates for the 2025 grant cycle have not been announced yet.
26. Enthuse Foundation Women Founder's Pitch Competition
The Enthuse Foundation's annual pitch competition awards $15,000 to one grand-prize winner, while the runner-up will get a $10,000 grant. To be eligible, your business must be at least 51% woman-owned; in the food, beverage or consumer package goods industry and your company's lifetime revenue may not exceed $750,000. Applications for the 2025 round have not yet been announced.
27. National Black MBA Association Scale-Up Pitch Challenge
Founded in 2017, the Scale-Up Pitch Challenge, presented by the National Black MBA Association, invites 10 finalists to compete in a pitch challenge each year. One grand-prize winner will be awarded $50,000 in non-dilutive funding, the second-place winner will receive $10,000 and the third-place winner will get $7,500. One business owner will receive the People's Choice $1,000 award.
To be eligible, businesses must have at least one Black founder who has "equal stake" in the company and one member of the pitch challenge team must belong to the National Black MBA Association. Annual membership costs $200 per year. Application timing for the 2025 cycle has not yet been announced.
28. DigitalUndivided's Breakthrough Program
Sponsored by JPMorgan Chase's Advancing Black Pathways, DigitalUndivided's Breakthrough Program is open to Black and/or Latina women. To be eligible, you must be at least 18 years old, your business must have been registered for at least one year and generate a minimum of $50,000 in annual revenue. Selected winners will receive a $5,000 grant, a business mentor and access to DigitalUndivided's community of Black and Latina women entrepreneurs. Application information for 2025 has not yet been announced.
29. Amazon Small Business Grants
This annual grant program from Amazon awards a $25,000 grant to one small-business owner and $20,000 grants to four finalists. Additionally 10 semi-finalists receive $15,000 grants. To be eligible, you must be an Amazon Business customer, with no more than $1 million in annual revenue. Application information has not yet been announced for 2025.
30. Texas Rural Woman Grant
The Texas Rural Woman Grant is run by the Texas Woman's University's Center for Women Entrepreneurs. To be eligible, your business must be at least 51% woman-owned and located in a rural area in Texas. Last year, 10 businesses received grants of $5,000. The application window for this year will run from May 20, 2025 through June 20, 2025.
31. StartHER Grant
Another grant from the Texas Woman's University's Center for Women Entrepreneurs, the StartHER Grant program awards $5,000 grants to 10 Texas-based women business owners. Applications for this year's cycle will run from Aug. 26, 2025 through Sept. 26, 2025.
32. Power Forward Small Business Grant
A collaboration between VistaPrint, the Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation and the NAACP, the Power Forward Small Business Grant awards $25,000 grants to Black-owned small businesses in the New England area. To be eligible, your business must employ between two and 25 people (including the owner), and be located in Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont or select parts of Connecticut. Application information for the 2025 cycle has not yet been announced.
33. EBay Up & Running Grant
Black female entrepreneurs who sell on eBay may be eligible for this grant program. In 2024, 50 businesses received $10,000 grants. Last year, you must have been an eBay seller since at least Dec. 1, 2023 to be eligible. Previous grant winners cannot apply again. Information for the 2025 cycle has not yet been announced.
34. NAACP & Leslie's Inc. Certification Boost Grant
Food businesses that are at least 51% owned by a person of color and/or a woman and/or a person with a disability may be eligible to apply for this grant program, which is a partnership between NAACP and Leslie's Inc. Your business must be headquartered in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia or Texas. Applications for the 2025 cycle have not yet been announced..
35. Cartier Women's Initiative's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award
The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award from Cartier Women's Initiative is open to entrepreneurs whose business focuses on closing access and opportunity gaps for underserved communities. To be eligible, your business must be a for-profit operation that was incorporated between one and six years ago and has not raised more than $2 million in dilutive funding. First-place winners receive $100,000 grants, second-place winners get $60,000 grants and third-place winners get $30,000 grants. Information for 2025 has not yet been announced.
36. The Black Ambition Prize
The Black Ambition Prize is open to Black and Hispanic individuals in the process of creating early-stage ventures in one of the following categories: consumer products and services; health care; media and entertainment; technology; and AI. One grand prize winner is awarded $1,000,000, and 15 additional teams win between $15,000 and $250,000. Applications for the 2025 cycle have not yet been announced.
37. The Coramino Fund
The Coramino Fund is an annual grant program open to Black and Latinx business owners. Fifty small businesses receive grants up to $10,000. To be eligible, your business must have been in operation for five years or fewer, and must employ no more than 30 people. Information for the 2025 cycle has not yet been announced.
38. Heinz Black Kitchen Initiative
The Heinz Black Kitchen Initiative awards grants to Black-owned businesses operating in the food industry. Last year, 45 businesses were issued grants of $20,000. Information for the 2025 cycle has not yet been announced.
39. Famous Amos Ingredients for Success Entrepreneurs Initiative
A partnership between Famous Amos and the U.S. Black Chambers, this annual grant program awards three Black-owned businesses a total of $150,000 in funding. To qualify, your business must be at least 90% Black-owned and in operation for five years or less. Application information for 2025 has not yet been announced.
40. Queer to Stay
Queer to Stay is an annual grant program administered by the Human Rights Campaign and the television network Showtime. This program provides capital to LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs, focusing on people of color, women and the transgender community. In 2024, 30 businesses received grant funding. Information for 2025 has not yet been announced, but applications usually open in the spring.
41. Jobber Grants
These grants are open to home service-related businesses. Fifteen home service professionals receive $10,000 grants through this program. Information has not yet been announced for the 2025 cycle, but you can sign up on the Jobber website to receive program updates.
42. Progressive Driving Small Business Forward Grant
A collaboration between Progressive and Hello Alice, the Progressive Driving Small Business Forward Grant awards $50,000 to 20 businesses that have a demonstrated need for a commercial vehicle. To be eligible, your business must employ 10 or fewer people and have annual revenues below $5 million. Application information has not yet been announced for 2025.
IFundWomen
IFundWomen, or IFW, helps female and female-identifying founders of any race or ethnicity find capital through crowdfunding and assists with coaching, networking and grant opportunities. The organization's grants hub aggregates grant opportunities for women with up-to-date application deadlines.
Amazon Black Business Accelerator
Black business owners with an Amazon Professional Seller account can sign up for the Black Business Accelerator program. Businesses will receive a $500 credit toward startup and operational costs for their Amazon Seller account; advertising credits; and a $1,000 Buy with Prime credit to offer shoppers fast, free shipping. Free business education, coaching and onboarding support are also offered.
Minority Business Development Agency
The Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) is a federal agency that supports the establishment and growth of minority-owned businesses in the U.S. Much like the U.S. Small Business Administration, or SBA, the MBDA has locations across the country where minority entrepreneurs can seek financial assistance and business consulting.
Grants.gov
Grants.gov is a portal where federal agencies offering grant programs — specifically for minority-owned businesses and otherwise — post information about their offerings, including eligibility requirements, funding amounts and application deadlines. You can look for a grant according to several search criteria, including your industry and the sponsoring federal agency.
SBA 8(a) Business Development Program
The SBA 8(a) Business Development Program is an assistance program that aids “economically and socially disadvantaged business owners” in securing government contracts.
Each year, the federal government aims to dedicate 5% of its annual contracting budget to small businesses that are owned and operated by underrepresented entrepreneurs via the SBA 8(a) federal contracting program. The Business Development Program provides entrepreneurs the support they need to win those contracts, including receiving one-on-one advising.
Female Founders Fund
If you’re a tech entrepreneur seeking early-stage funding opportunities, consider pitching the Female Founders Fund. The FFF invests in business-to-business, consumer, fintech and health care businesses that have at least one female founding member, and it primarily focuses on investing in seed-stage businesses. The fund averages six to eight investments per year, with investments ranging from $500,000 to $750,000.
BGV Emerging Leaders Fellowship
The Black Girl Ventures Emerging Leaders Fellowship program is open to underrepresented women small-business owners who live in Austin, Texas, Chicago or Los Angeles. Program participants receive $5,000 stipends and participate in a 12-week virtual development program. In 2025, there will be two cohorts; the first will run February through April and the second will run July through September.
Sephora Accelerate
This annual incubator program is for beauty industry founders who are people of color. Selected participants will gain skills to help them build and run a successful beauty business. Information for the next cycle is not yet available.
Women’s Business Centers
Nationwide, there are more than 100 SBA Women’s Business Centers. Though most don’t make grants, they can help women business owners with coaching, classes and finding capital.
Business grants aren’t the right fit for every company. With their short application windows, relatively small funding amounts and competitive judging processes, grants can be limiting.
Consider these other funding options for your business, too:
- Crowdfunding: Some businesses are able to raise money from customers and supporters — whether they know them or not. There are a variety of crowdfunding campaigns, from donation-based support to investments that you promise to pay back as your business grows, so you can choose one that’s right for you.
- Peer-to-peer business loans: Funding for P2P loans can come from crowdfunding platforms like Kiva as well as well-established institutional investors. In general, though, they can be easier to qualify for than bank loans for new or small businesses.
- Business lines of credit: A line of credit may be a good choice if you need six figures in financing or more. These loans operate similar to credit cards: You borrow what you need to spend, pay your debt down over time, then borrow again up to your limit. Lines of credit may require you to have anywhere from three months to a year or more to qualify.
A version of this article originally appeared on Fundera, a subsidiary of NerdWallet.