Small Business Grants logo Everything To Know About
Small Business Grants and More

Home About Us Find/ Apply For Grants News/Blog Resources What To Know

2018-2019 Small Business Grants For Entrepreneurs

Business grant recipients Small business grants are financial awards available to entrepreneurs and business owners who typically have fewer than 500 employees. The funding can come from a government agency, a non-profit organization, or another for-profit company. Awards typically range from $500 to up to $100,000.

Eligibility varies, and can depend on your location, your income, your ethnicity, your gender, your experience in business, as well as your longevity in business. Some small business grants can even require that you participate in a competition or write an essay to demonstrate your talents or need.

Grant funding is often provided to further the growth and development of small businesses - thus the term "Small Business Grants." Other grant programs are created to assist disadvantaged minority-owned businesses - thus the term "Minority Business Grants."

Grant funding (fully or partially) essentially means that the money that an applying entrepreneur receives is not considered as a part of his or her own risk. In other words, it’s completely risk free. The amount granted does not have to be repaid. This is much different than a business loan, which does require repayment with interest.

However, they are typically stipulations that grant recipients have to follow. Grantors usually require that the funding be used as indicated on the grant application, and in some cases (especially for large grant amounts), regular reports have to be made to the grantor to show that the grantee is using the funding appropriately. Some programs, though, have no stipulations at all, and how the funds are used is entirely up to the recipient.

Here are some of the top small business grant opportunities for US-based businesses:

Amber Business Grants For Women Dare to Dream Grant Program
DOT Disadvantage Business Enterprise Program Fedex Small Business Grant Contest
Huggies Mom Inspired Grant Program Intuit "Love Our Local Business" Competition
Miller Lite Tap the Future® Business Plan Competition Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) Business Grants
National Association for the Self Employed (NASE) Growth Grants SBIR and STTR Grant Programs
Small Business Administration (SBA) Funding Programs StreetShares Foundation Veteran Small Business Award
USDA Rural Business Development Grants VetFran Business Grant Fund
Women's Business Center (WBC) Grant Program  


The Latest News About Small Business Funding and Grants:


Friday, December 14, 2018

Do Business Grants Have to be Repaid?

Grants filing folder tab

Do business grants have to be repaid? The answer: 99% of the time, no, they don’t! There are many pros to funding your small business with grants, but the main one is that you’re essentially receiving free money with some small caveats. No matter if you took out a grant to fund a motorcycle fuel system business or a rainbow bagel bakery, you won’t need to pay the grantor back (aside from the 1% of the time that you do).

Friday, December 7, 2018

8 Advantages and Disadvantages of Business Grants

Pros vs Cons

Do you have a fresh new idea? If you’re looking to start your own business, grants are one of the ways to fund your venture. Taking the first step toward becoming an entrepreneur comes with a lot of planning and financing. If you’re looking into applying, review our list of advantages and disadvantages of business grants.

Friday, November 23, 2018

Business Grants for Minority-Owned Companies

Black and minority business owners

An influx of capital, especially in the beginning months of a new business, is vital. Unfortunately, entrepreneurs in minority and underrepresented communities still encounter systematic disadvantages when it comes to access to resources and obtaining capital for their venture. As such, unbiased assistance for small businesses owners can seem impossible to find. But luckily, small business startup grants for minorities are a wonderful way to obtain money when loans aren’t an option.

Wednesday, November 21, 2018

Local and Federal Grants for Veterans

Veteran business owner

Financial advice and training are extremely beneficial for vets returning home, and grants are a huge help for veterans starting a business. Whether you want to start a fast title loan company or a Mediterranean-themed restaurant, different funding options can help veterans establish themselves in different ways. Coming back home is challenging, and starting your own business will be difficult, but financial help is available if you need it.

Thursday, November 15, 2018

Outline to a Successful Grant Proposal for Small Businesses

Man writing business outline proposal

So, you want to write a grant proposal for a small business. Maybe you’d like to finance a small business venture, such as an anatomic bike saddle company, or want to open your own clothing boutique. While grants can come from numerous sources, successful proposals all tend to follow the same basic principles. Below we’ve provided a fundamental guideline on how to write a grant proposal for a small business.

Tuesday, November 13, 2018

Find Small Business Grants for Your Company

Woman searching for business funding and grants

Starting a business is a fickle venture—at any point there are a hundred things that can go wrong, without even mentioning the difficulty most people experience in gathering funding. The financial struggles of a potential business discourage many people, but a substantial few are able to adapt to the perils of building a business. We’re here to help you overcome those initial financial struggles, and a great way to do that is by applying for small business grants. While grants available for small businesses are numerous, many of them are heavily restrictive and apply only to businesses that serve a niche market.