“Women’s small business grants” is a popular search term on the web. But there is relatively little information regarding actual grants in the stories. It’s rare to find a link to a specialized grant for women-led businesses.
If you’re looking for business grants or other free money to help you start or grow your firm, you’re not alone. Grants are available from both the public and commercial sectors, although most of the money goes to non-profit groups, and most of these programs do not give female candidates priority treatment.
Incentives exist for women who run for-profit businesses, though. This guide includes details on real grants for female entrepreneurs to utilize for running their businesses. If you’re looking for information on the internet, this should save you a lot of time. It was tough to find any awards for women-owned businesses that were both real and valuable.
For 2021, check out these grants for women-owned small businesses.
Amber Grant
A small amount of money is awarded in the Amber Grant. But even with this point, it is easy to qualify for and apply for this grant. A women-owned business receives $10,000 a month from the Amber Grant, named for a young woman who died before realizing her entrepreneurial dreams. An additional $25,000 is awarded at the end of the year to one of the monthly qualifiers.
Cartier Women’s Initiative
Among the largest and most prestigious scholarships for women-owned enterprises, the Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards entail plenty of competition.
For women-owned businesses, Cartier offers two types of grants. These are the Cartier Women’s Initiative Regional Awards and the Cartier Women’s Initiative Finalists Awards (2nd and 3rd place enterprises from each zone). Each of the two runners-up will receive a grant of $30,000, while the winner will earn a $100,000 prize.
Program of Tory Burch Foundation Fellows
Each spring, up to 50 women-owned companies are selected to receive a $5,000 grant for business education through the Women’s Business Grant Competition. They will also get a Tory Burch Fellowship for one year and a five-day trip to New York City over the summer.
In addition to the workshop and networking opportunities, the trip also includes a Pitch Day event where finalists will pitch their ideas to industry leaders (pending CDC travel and event guidelines during COVID). Notably, the $5,000 prize can only be used for business-related educational pursuits.
Girlboss Foundation
Female entrepreneurs who are pursuing creative companies are supported by the Girlboss Foundation, formed in 2014. Specific to women working in art, fashion, design, and music, these semi-annual scholarships are awarded on a biannual basis. In addition to digital media exposure, the awardee receives $15,000 every six months to be used for a creative project within the next twelve months. Individuals are the only recipients of Girlboss Foundation funding; a business as a whole is not eligible.
Female entrepreneurs have access to a job market through the Girlboss Professional Network, and the Girlboss Rally is an annual event to which grant recipients are given two free seats.
Fast Pitch Competition Network of Women Founders
Non-profit organization Network of Women Founders provides financial assistance and coaching to female entrepreneurs in the United States and abroad. When it comes to funding an innovative business, WFN is a fantastic opportunity. An annual Competition Fast Pitch selects five finalists to get free grant and money services. After two voting rounds, the top five female founders are selected by the judges. Their company plans are then presented to the judges in a “Shark Tank”-style chance competition to win over $30,000 in prize and $50,000 in Career Services.
37 Angels
Since investors who assist you will have a stake in your firm, angel financing isn’t a gift in the classic sense. Entrepreneurs that need mentoring and industry knowledge in order to expand, as well as the funds to do so, may find angel investment to be a great alternative. Founded in New York City, angel investment organization 37 Angels aspires to eliminate the gender gap in angel investing. Women and men can apply for funding (albeit the portfolio of the group prefers female founders).
Apply online, and if you’re selected as a finalist, propose your idea to a group of investors in New York City. Your pitch should be reviewed within four weeks, and most angel investors receive $50,000 to $100,000 in beginning funding as well as expert advice on how to expand their business.
Halstead Grant
An annual prize, the Halstead Grant is given to emerging metal jewelers. If you’re a woman in the jeweler business, you’ll want to check out this grant. Most (but not all) of the prior grantees were female. $1,000 in Halstead merchandise and $7,500 in startup funding are included in the $7,500 award. As part of your application, you must provide a jeweler collection.
Women in Technology
A global network of female entrepreneurs, investors, and allies working to improve diversity and funding in the technology sector, Women Who Tech is the largest network of women-led enterprises, investors, and allies. Women-led tech startups receive equity-free capital throughout the year. Each grant period has a specific focus. There will be a first award period in 2021, and the theme will be Emerging Technologies. This year’s top prize is $15,000, with $5,000 going to the runner-up.
What about the Business Challenge of InnovateHer women?
As part of the Small Business Administration’s Office of Women’s Business Ownership, the InnovateHer Challenge offered women across the country the opportunity to compete for grants. This program has been running since 2015 and has granted federal grants to three finalists each year. Among the 2016 winners, the winner of first place won $40,000, second place received $20,000, and third place received $10,000.
