Business Grants for Women - Get the Help You Need to Launch Your Business
Female entrepreneurs often face more hurdles in getting funding than their male counterparts, so we’ve gathered 10 resources for acquiring women-owned business grants.
Major gender disparities exist when securing business financing and investments, with women at a disadvantage. In 2020, women-led startups received just 2.8% of venture capital funding. And if we look at how Black and Hispanic female founders fared that same year, that percentage drops to .43%—less than half a percent.
The numbers are pretty grim when it comes to grant funding, too. One recent study revealed first-time male lead investigators receive more grant money than their female counterparts—$41,000 more, to be exact.
Because it can be such an uphill battle for female entrepreneurs to receive financial support, many foundations have begun designating funding specifically for women starting their businesses—and in some cases, for women of color. This way, more people have access to building business credit and uncovering the resources to help start your business.
Whether your goal is to start a sole proprietorship or LLC, or eventually grow into a S corporation or C corporation, our guide below rounds up 10 of the many resources that provide small business grants for women to get you started. Regardless if you have bad credit, check out these platforms and contests for the chance to secure financing for your own female-run business endeavors.
Business Grants for Women—Get the Help You Need to Launch Your Business
Before investing in small business financial planners, let’s take a moment to review the monetary resources available to you right now. In addition to providing a list of foundations that offer women-owned business grants, we’ve also included databases and resources that offer funding, networking, and career-building tools.
While other grant opportunities are open to both men and women, the following funds are reserved for female entrepreneurs.
GrantsforWomen.org
GrantsforWomen.org is a great place to start your hunt for female-owned business grants, as it features an entire online database with funding opportunities for women. The platform includes various organizations and foundations offering grants associated with a wide range of industries and niches, so there’s a good chance you’ll find something up your alley.
Visit GrantsforWomen.org to begin exploring available grants. Because each grant is different, follow the guidelines only apply if you qualify.
IFundWomen
IFundWomen is another online funding platform that provides grants for women starting businesses. When you add your business to their Universal Grant Application Database, you’ll receive notifications when your business criteria match specific sponsor grants. In addition to its grant opportunities, it also features resources for crowdfunding and coaching.
To join their pool of applicants, apply to the Universal Grant Application Database
The Girlboss Foundation Grant
The Girlboss Foundation provides a bi-annual $15,000 grant for female entrepreneurs in arts, fashion, design, and music businesses. This grant helps women in creative fields who are just getting their businesses off the ground. Along with providing financial assistance, their grants offer networking opportunities, exposure to the Girlboss platform, and career-building tools.
For more information, join the Girlboss newsletter for updates on the next round of grant submissions.
WomensNet’s Amber Grant
WomensNet founded the Amber Grant in honor of 19-year-old Amber Wigdahl, who passed away before having the chance to fulfill her career aspirations. Every month, this foundation gives away at least $30,000 in grants for women-owned businesses, including “Business Category Grants,” “Marketing Grants,” “Non-Profit Grants,” and more.
Simply fill out this form with information about yourself and your business to apply.
SoGal Startup Grant
According to SoGal Startup, Black female entrepreneurs receive less than .5% of all venture capital funding. In light of this, the foundation’s mission is to offer financial backing for Black women and Black nonbinary entrepreneurs in a series of $5,000 and $10,000 Black founder startup grants.
If you identify as a Black woman or binary entrepreneur, follow this link to apply through their website.
Ms. Foundation for Women
As the nation's oldest women's foundation, Ms. Foundation for Women is geared toward funding women-run groups that focus on advancing women and girls of color, specifically in economic justice, safety, and women's health. The foundation awards recipients financial support, networking, and skill-building tools and opportunities.
For more information on available grants and how to apply, visit their website.
37 Angels
This organization comprises female angel investors who invest in male- and female-run businesses but specifically focus on supporting women entrepreneurs. The community of investors helps connect women-led businesses with top accelerators and resources like workshops, educational tools, and networking opportunities.
To get started, visit the Angel 37 website.
Mastercard's Fearless Strivers Grant Contest
The credit card company Mastercard has partnered with Fearless Fund, a VC fund run by people of color, to develop the Fearless Striver Grant Contest for Black female-owned businesses. Winners of the contest receive a $20,000 grant, mentorship, and access to digital tools and resources, such as a cyber security protection suite.
If your business is at least 51% Black woman-owned and revenue-generating, apply here to enter the contest.
Sage Invest in Progress Grant
The Sage Invest in Progress grant is another partnership in which the software program company Sage teamed up with The BOSS Network to award 25 Black women entrepreneurs each $10,000 in funding to support their businesses. The grant also includes business training courses and access to the BOSS Network online community and Sage software.
Visit the Boss Impact Fund website for more information on the grant application process.
State-Specific Grants
Depending on where you live, there may be local opportunities for receiving grants for female business owners, too. For example, California has a list of resources dedicated to funding minority and women-owned businesses. Meanwhile, in Texas, Texas Woman’s University has its own StartHER Grant, which awards 25 female-run businesses in Texas a total of $125,000 in grants. Research your state to see if it offers local grants for women in business.
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