As part of the Year of Small Business movement, the Small Business Growth Fund grant program addresses small business owners’ #1 need: access to capital. Each recipient will receive a $5,000 grant, provided by Mastercard, to accelerate their growth and help make 2022 the year of their small business.
The latest on federal relief for small businesses
As federal relief programs wind down, we break down the current programs still available for small businesses impacted by the pandemic.
COVID-19 Loans & Grants
As developments continue to unfold in response to the spread of COVID-19, we know many small businesses have questions about implications in the workplace and funding options to help bolster their businesses during this difficult time. We are compiling relevant tips and resources and information on new funding opportunities and policy developments that we are sharing on our website and through online presentations. We will be posting daily updates to this page with useful information about the ways small businesses can prepare for the impact of COVID-19 on their business and community.
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National Resources
Hello Alice, Mastercard
Small Business Growth Fund - Round 2
Audience: Small Business Owners
IFundWomen
IFundWomen Entrepreneur of the Year 2022
FundWomen Entrepreneur of the Year is IFundWomen's biggest annual funding program that rewards and celebrates extraordinary women entrepreneurs who have proven product-market fit, driven growth, and demonstrated a meaningful impact through their businesses.
Audience: Small Business Owners
eBay, Hello Alice
Up and Running grants
The eBay Up & Running Grants program will award 50 eBay business sellers with grant packages of $10,000, including cash, eBay education and coaching, and more.
To be eligible, applicants must be:
- an existing eBay seller with an active listing in the past 6 months and with an “above standard” or “top rated” performance level
- OR a new eBay seller who joined the platform between June 1, 2021 and February 28, 2022.
Audience: Small Business Owners
Comcast
Comcast RISE
Representation, Investment, Strength and Empowerment. These are the cornerstones of Comcast RISE, a multi-year commitment to provide marketing, creative, media, and technology services to small businesses owned by people of color. If your business qualifies, you’ll have the opportunity to receive marketing consultations, media placements, commercial creative production services, or technology services from Effectv and Comcast Business.
Audience: Small Business Owners
U.S. Department of the Treasury
State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds
The Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds provide a substantial infusion of resources to help turn the tide on the pandemic, address its economic fallout, and lay the foundation for a strong and equitable recovery.
Audience: Small Business Owners
Verizon
Verizon Small Business Digital Ready grant
The newly-launched Verizon Small Business Digital Ready program provides you a personalized curriculum including learning modules, expert coaching, networking opportunities, and more. Members are also eligible to apply for a $10,000 grant to help small businesses like yours move forward.
Audience: Small Business Owners, Self-employed
Progressive, Hello Alice
Driving Small Business Forward
The Driving Small Business Forward Grant Program will award recipients a $25,000 grant for use toward the purchase of a commercial vehicle specifically used for business. Eligible businesses must be majority Hispanic-owned, have 10 or fewer employees, earn less than $5M in annual revenue, and have a demonstrated need for a commercial vehicle to grow.
Audience: Small Business Owners
Fearless Fund
Fearless Strivers Grant Contest
Black women-owned businesses are vital to our economy yet receive less than one percent of venture capital funding. Fearless Fund is deepening its commitment to this community with the launch of the contest.
With Mastercard prizing, Fearless Fund will be awarding eleven lucky small businesses across the country $10,000 grants, digital tools to help them get and sustain their business online, and Priceless one-on-one mentorship so they can continue to bolster their business.
Audience: Small Business Owners
United States Department of Agriculture
USDA Direct Farm Operating Loan
The maximum loan amount for this loan is $400,000. There is no down payment requirement. Interest rates are calculated monthly and are posted on the 1st of each month. The purpose of the loan must be essential to the success of the farming or ranching operation. The funds may be used to purchase equipment, seed, livestock, and other necessities. They can be used to refinance certain farm-related debts (excluding real estate). Repayment terms vary from 1 to 7 years. The length of the loan depends on the amount and purpose of the loan. Collateral is required. Collateral for farm operating loans may be required up to 150% of the value of the loan.
Audience: Small Business Owners, Self-employed
United States Department of Agriculture
USDA Microloan Programs
The focus of Microloans is on the financing needs of small, beginning farmer, niche and non-traditional farm operations, such as truck farms, farms participating in direct marketing and sales such as farmers’ markets, CSA’s (Community Supported Agriculture), restaurants and grocery stores, or those using hydroponic, aquaponic, organic and vertical growing methods.
Audience: Small Business Owners, Self-employed
IFundWomen
IFundWomen Universal Grant Application
When IFundWomen brokers a grant with a partner, IFundWomen matches the partner’s grant criteria to those businesses who have applied through their Universal Grant Application. If you’re a match, they may request that you apply for that partner’s specific grant program, and you will be notified.
Audience: Small Business Owners
RCAC
RCAC Small Business Loans
RCAC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides training, technical and financial resources and advocacy so rural communities can achieve their goals and visions. RCAC’s Small Business Loan Program assists businesses to retain or create jobs and thus improve the economic condition of rural communities. This program offers short-term loans (up to $250k) for working capital and lines of credit as well as long-term loans for real estate and equipment. Most small businesses rely on lenders to provide the capital they need for acquisitions, capital improvements, business expansions and to bridge cash flow gaps. Without loans, many small business owners would be unable to realize their dreams of running their own business or expanding their operations. RCAC’s business loans are tailored to the needs of the particular business with flexible terms and requirements.
Audience: Small Business Owners
National Urban League
Black Restaurant Accelerator Program
In partnership with PepsiCo Foundation, the National Urban League, through its 12 Entrepreneurship Centers in cities across the U.S., has launched the Black Restaurant Accelerator Program (BRAP). The BRAP will help address these barriers and take a long-term view by pairing participants with entrepreneurship advisors and PepsiCo employee volunteers to build an actionable plan for growth.
Audience: Small Business Owners
Kiva
Kiva loan
Venturize is partnering with Kiva to bring affordable capital to small business owners during these challenging times. Kiva provides loans of $1,000-$15,000, zero-percent interest and no fees. There is a 6 month grace period and then fixed monthly principal payment (12-36 months). Funds are raised through community-backed crowdsourcing. Kiva will offer Venturize-referred applicants priority review if you apply through this link and mark "Venturize" as the answer to "how did you hear about Kiva."
Audience: Small Business Owners
Connect2Capital
Connect2Capital Loan
Connect2Capital is an online marketplace of nonprofit lenders. Fill out a short form to get connected to a network of lenders that may be able to help.
Audience: Small Business Owners
SoGal Foundation
SoGal Black Founder Startup Grant
Black women entrepreneurs receive less than .5% of venture capital funding. We are standing up to help change that.
SoGal Foundation has teamed up with Winky Lux, bluemercury, twelveNYC, and other sponsors to make a small step towards progress by providing several $10K and $5K cash grants to Black women or nonbinary entrepreneurs. Awardees will also receive tactical help navigating the fundraising environment at large so that they will have a more equitable opportunity at scaling the next billion dollar idea. They will also receive lifetime “ask-me-anything” access to the SoGal Foundation and SoGal Ventures teams.
Audience: Small Business Owners
IFundWomen of Color
IFundWomen of Color
Apply now to be accepted into IFundWomen of Color, an inclusive cohort of diverse entrepreneurs who will get access to capital through crowdfunding and grants, coaches and mentors with a shared experience, and a private network to collaborate, commiserate, and celebrate with.
Audience: Small Business Owners
Intuit
Intuit Aid Assist
Intuit Aid Assist—a free service for everyone—helps U.S.-based businesses, self-employed, contractors, freelancers, and gig workers understand different business relief programs available due to the COVID-19 crisis. Start with a loan eligibility assessment or get an estimate with loan calculators.
Audience: Small Business Owners, Self-employed
Amazon
Black Business Accelerator
Amazon's Black Business Accelerator is a grant program aimed to address historical, manifest imbalances by growing and advancing equity for Black-owned businesses. The program offers financial assistance, business education & mentorship, and marketing & promotional support.
Audience: Small Business Owners
Community Foundation Public Awareness Initiative
Coronavirus Relief Efforts
325 U.S. community foundations in all 50 states, plus the District of Columbia, have created relief funds to support those affected by COVID-19, directing critical relief to local nonprofits and partnering with local governments and health organizations to help contain its spread.
Audience: Small Business Owners, Non-profits
Early Childhood Training and Technical Assistance System
State and Territory Child Care Stabilization Grant Applications
States, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico will award subgrants to eligible child care providers. The child care stabilization subgrants will provide financial relief to child care providers to help defray unexpected business costs associated with the pandemic, and to help stabilize their operations so that they may continue to provide care.
Audience: Small Business Owners, Self-employed
Google and Alphabet
Google Ad Credits
To help address some of these challenges, Google is offering more than $400 million in Google Ad credits to small businesses.
Audience: Small Business Owners
AnnuityFreedom.net
BIPOC Small Business Grant
The BIPOC Business Grant provides resources for small business owners in two ways:
- Small business marketing, which supports Black-owned and minority-owned businesses by providing free SEO evaluations, advice, and planning.
- Minority business micro-grant, which is a (1) $100 monthly grant. One person is chosen each month from the applications received and are given a $100 micro-grant. A grant winner will be selected on the last date of each month.
Audience: Small Business Owners
Amber Grants for Women
Amber Grant
The Amber Grants began in 1998. Today, WomensNet carries on that tradition, giving away at least $10,000 every month in Amber Grant money. We’ve also expanded our grant-giving to include a year-end grant of $25,000.
Audience: Small Business Owners, Self-employed, Non-profits
CDC Small Business Finance
Commercial Real Estate Loan
You can use an SBA 504 loan to buy, construct or improve commercial real estate or to purchase heavy equipment.
Audience: Small Business Owners
United States Department of Agriculture
USDA Farm Ownership Loans
No current or previous farm ownership requirements and 100 percent financing available make FSA direct farm ownership loans a valuable resource to help farmers and ranchers become owner-operators of family farms, improve and expand current operations, increase agricultural productivity, and assist with land tenure to save farmland for future generations. FSA’s Direct Farm Ownership loans are used to: buy a farm or ranch, enlarge an existing farm or ranch, make a down payment on a farm, purchase of easements, construct, purchase or improve farm dwellings, service buildings or other facilities and improvements essential to the farm operation, promote soil and water conservation and protection, pay loan closing costs.
Audience: Small Business Owners, Self-employed
Hivers & Strivers
Venture Capital for Entrepreneurs
Hivers & Strivers' newest fund, Venture Capital for Veterans, invests exclusively in companies led by military veterans.
Audience: Small Business Owners
United States Department of Agriculture
USDA Guaranteed Farm Loan Program
An alternative loan option for those seeking commercial lending assistance is the Guaranteed Farm Loan Program. Farm Service Agency works with USDA-approved banks and other commercial lenders. You apply for these loans through the approved lender and agree to their terms and conditions. Guaranteed Farm Loans are only available for family farmers or ranchers and must be used for farm ownership and operating expenses.
Audience: Small Business Owners, Self-employed