November and December 2021
Famous Amos and Black Chamber of Commerce are providing free grants as part of the Ingredients for Success program. The application deadline is the end of November. Only several businesses will be assisted. Most of the financial aid is for newer businesses that need both (1) Capital as well as (2) advice. Video pitches are needed. Learn more and apply here. https://famousamos.nationalbcc.org/apply
Black Business Support Fund from Windstream is offered in several cities across the US. Get a free $2500 grant, internet access, technical help, and other assistance. Learn about the program here. https://business.windstream.com/bbsf#/
Invoice2go is providing $15,000 grants. The funds are for businesses that are 50% women or minority owned. The funds are for very small businesses with less than 10 employees and under $1 million in revenue. A community of BIPOC and women business owners will give other support as well, in addition to the free grants for financial aid. Apply here. https://invoice.2go.com/grow/
The NMSDC Business Consortium Fund, in partnership with Wells Fargo Open for Business and the National Minority Supplier Development Council, are offering very low interest rate loans to women and minority companies. Some applicants can be given as much as $100,000 to help grow their business. Read more on the lender and the program here. https://bcfcapital.com/
October and November 2021
DOVE® Chocolate is providing a few $10,000 grants to women owned small businesses. The company needs to be already up and running and “established”. There is an application process involved, which involves a business pitch being made on Instagram. The free grants can be used any way the female business owner wants, as DOVE is helping to fill the gap of women’s lack of access to capital. Read more. https://instagrants.dovechocolate.com/fbcontests/1/profiletab/DoveChocolateInstaGrants
EAZE is launching an accelerator for Cannabis based/related businesses. The assistance programs is open to veterans, BIPOC, women, disabled, LGBTQ and disadvantaged businesses nationwide. There is free advice given, grant funding, marketing and sales help, and much more from the accelerator. The goal is to help disadvantaged Cannabis businesses grow across the nation. More details. https://www.eaze.com/momentum
Google is running a 2021 Black & Latinx Publishers Summit. It will help minority business owners set up online stores, monetize their websites through e-commerce or advertisements such as AdWords or AdSense, networking, information on google grant programs for tech start ups and more. Applications are required, and apply here. https://support.google.com/adsense/answer/11292053?hl=en
September and October 2021
Torry Birch Foundation is offering grants of up to $5000 as well as free mentoring and other advice. There are also workshops, networking events, and many other assistance programs. The Tory Birch company also offers their own, direct help to winners of the grant(s). Apply here. http://www.toryburchfoundation.org/fellows/
Facebook is providing up to $100 million dollars to women and minority owned businesses. They are taking a different approach, in that the company is “purchasing” outstanding involves from MWBE companies. The end result is this is in effect a free grant program/financial assistance from Facebook as the business is getting the cash it needs immediately. The program is known as the Facebook Invoice Fast Track resource. Learn more, or apply here starting October 1. https://www.facebook.com/business/invoice-fast-track
KKR Small Business Builders (SBB) Free Grants are combined with mentoring, technical assistance, and other support. $10,000 grants are issued worldwide to small MWBE businesses. Applicants need to have under 50 employees with priority to underserved and represented businesses, namely Black, Latino, Female, and Veteran owned that have poor credit histories or access to capital. Other assistance is also offered from KKR. Get details on the financial aid. https://kkr.helloalice.com/?utm_source=Hello%20Alice%20Social&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=KKR&utm_content=KKR%20Social%20Content&fbclid=IwAR1I_cPSelImEErC0_hq7szsY7cAZjVZzd-K0V0EPtcx_7ldn9cgpE7wSaY
Alibaba, a leading ecommerce platform company, is providing dozens of Digital Entrepreneurs small business grants. Up to $10,000 can be provided to each small business. Funds can go to women, minority, and business owners of all races and ethnicities. They also provide a number of ecommerce tools, including shipping and drop-shipping, fulfillment, search engine marketing and so much more. Apply here. https://alibaba.helloalice.com/?utm_source=Partner+Earned+Media&utm_medium=Press+Release&utm_campaign=Alibaba_Sprint+_1
Chatman Women’s Foundation is offering a couple different grants to women. One is for educational needs and other is for those facing a financial hardship. The non-profit also offers a number of other services to women of all races and ages, including business owners. Find details here. https://www.chatmanwomensfoundation.org/
Black owned “beauty type businesses” can apply for both grants as well as free mentoring from the Brown Girl Jane and SheaMoisture program. Either $10,000 or $25,000 will be paid out to BIPOC winners. It can help cosmetic companies, beauty brands, make up companies and similar. Applicants need to be smaller Black owned companies with annual revenue under $1 million dollars (among other conditions). Continue reading. https://www.browngirljane.com/pages/brown-girl-swap
Pepsico is helping Hispanic owned businesses. The free grant program, which includes a number of assistance programs as well, is called Juntos Crecemos, or “Together We Grow”. Hundreds of business owners across the nation can apply for grant based financial aid. Pepsi is also helping with technology platforms, social media, marketing, and so much more. This will be an ongoing program that also includes workshops. Learn more. http://pepsicojuntoscrecemos.com/
Women owned businesses as well as entrepreneurs can get free mentoring, coaching, peer to peer support, weekly workshops, and help applying for financial aid (among other support) from the NASADAQ stock exchange and partners such as Wells Fargo. The program is called Milestone Mapping Coaching Circles. There is assistance for females of all races, whether Latina, Black, White, LGBTQ, or any ethnicity. Information on raising capital can be offered too. Learn more. https://thecenter.nasdaq.org/milestone-circles/
August and September 2021
Ebay is providing up to $500,000 per year to small businesses (in aggregate). The assistance program is known as Up & Running Grants. Priority goes to BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) as well as LGBTQIA+, Military Veteran, and Female owned businesses. The grants are intended to help small businesses set up, and grow, their online sales. Website development, SEO advice, and other free assistance is offered too. Apply here. http://ebay.helloalice.com/
Kinetic Business is supporting Black owned business in Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, Kentucky, Georgia, North Carolina, Arkansas and other states. Free grants are offered of up to $2500. Businesses will also get free internet access and other technology support. The financial aid is part of the Black Business Support Fund. The business needs to be financially stable (not near bankruptcy) and meet other criteria. Continue reading. https://business.windstream.com/bbsf
Comcast RISE operates in multiple states, mostly those in which Comcast provides cable/internet services. There are grants from the company for BIPOC businesses, meaning Black, Indigenous and People of Color. The company needs to have been operating for at least a year, be majority owned, and meet other criteria. There is also marketing help, IT support, and other assistance. Find details here. https://www.comcastrise.com/apply/
Black owned businesses (both make and women) can apply for free grants from a program run in partnership by the government, non-profits, and companies such as Amex. The National Black Chamber of Commerce, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, Stanley Black and Decker, the National Business League, U.S. Black Chambers, Inc., American Express and Walker’s Legacy (among others) are part of the coalition. Applications open a few times per year. Apply here. https://webackblackbusinesses.com/
June and July 2021
BMO Financial Group and Deloitte Accounting are offering a small number of grants to women owned businesses in both Canada and the United States. There will be up to $10,000 given to US based businesses. The funds can be used for any cost that the female owned company may have. Apply here. https://www.bmoharris.com/main/business-banking/women-in-business/
Rural and Southern Appalachian states, including Mississippi, Ohio, Kentucky, Arkansas, West Virginia and others can apply for a free grant program from Wells Fargo. Millions of dollars are being given to minority owned businesses in these states as they have traditionally (and often still do) lack access to capital. The applications and grants are being distributed by partners on Wells Fargo, and they include Appalachian Community Capital Development (ACC) (https://appalachiancommunitycapitalcdfi.org/); Carolina Small Business Development Fund (CSBDF) (https://www.carolinasmallbusiness.org/) as well as Natural Capital Investment Fund (https://www.ncifund.org/). All of those lenders also offer other small business services to women, minorities, rural states and the community.
Amazon is helping Black owned businesses through an accelerator program. There will be a wide range of assistance programs given to small Black owned businesses, including discounted fulfillment rates, free grants (to a select number of Black-owned businesses), website development and technology help, reduced fees for selling through Amazon, and more. The Amazon Black Business Accelerator (BBA) will also provide free mentoring, financial aid to pay for sales or promotions, capital, and a host of other services. Read more or apply here. https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/small-business/amazon-commits-150-million-to-empower-black-entrepreneurs
May and June 2021
Women’s Economic Ventures is offering grants to women and minority businesses that are based in California, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Maryland, Oregon, Virginia, Washington, and Washington, DC. The money is for sole-proprietors as well as small business owners. This is a small funding program with only $50,000 to allocate. More details on https://www.wevonline.org/
The National MBA Black Business Association runs an annual program that gives tens of thousands of dollars to start-ups/entrepreneurs with innovate ideas. The MBA program is for Black men and women with innovative ideas. The applicant will need to give a “pitch” (among other things) in order to enroll. Apply here. https://nbmbaa.org/scale-up-pitch-challenge/
Federal Express is providing free $2,000 grants to hundreds of disadvantaged small businesses. Not only will the nationwide shipping carrier prove financial assistance, but they are also assisting the business with other needs. There is free one on one coaching as part of the FedEx E-Commerce Learning Lab, assistance with fulfillment and e-commerce development, product shipping help, and various other e-commerce help. Fed-Ex has partners on the grant program and priority is for veteran, women, BIPOC, and other minority businesses. Apply here. https://aofund.org/program/fedex/
April 2021 and May 2021
Black Owned Businesses in New England states / Northeastern states can apply for the Power Forward Small Business Grant. There are free grants offered to small businesses with under 25 employees. Vistaprint, The NAACP, Boston Celtics and other companies are contributing to the financial assistance program. There will also be free co-branding, publicity, and advertising given to the grant recipients. Learn more. https://helloalice.com/blog/power-forward-small-business-grants/
The SBA Restaurant Revitalization Fund will provide up to $10 million dollars per qualified food or beverage serving restaurant, bar, brewery, bakery, food truck, care, wineries, etc. The financial assistance is for establishments that serve food and/or drink to the public. The fund will help replace any lost revenue from the COVID-19 pandemic. Priority is for women, veterans, and social disadvantaged groups, such as Black, Asian, or Latino owned companies. The SBA program can pay mortgage costs, payroll, food, beverage costs, supplier bills, and many other expenses. Learn more here. https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/loans/covid-19-relief-options/restaurant-revitalization-fund
American Express is giving $40 million dollars to the Accion Opportunity Fund. Business owners that are women, people of color owned or immigrants can apply for loans of $5,000 to $100,000. The business must have minimal revenue of $50,000 per year and the loans can last up to 60 months. Businesses owned by Black men and women are given priority. Apply here. https://www.accion.org/clients/accion-opportunity-fund
Free $5000 grants are offered by the SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan program. At most, $5 billion is offered nationwide. This program is for very small businesses (those with less than 10 people) and the business needs to be based in a low income area, which many minority owned small businesses are. The funds can also be used as part of other SBA – Small Business Administration loan and funding, including loans for owners with low credit scores. Read more. https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/loans/covid-19-relief-options/covid-19-economic-injury-disaster-loan
Visa and Black Girl Ventures are working together to help Black owned businesses develop their e-commerce operations. Visa is committing at least $1 million dollars to the program. The funds can help them with setting up a storefront, search engine marketing and optimization, online marketing, fulfillment and more. There will also be mentoring and coaching as part of this program, including from tech leaders. Learn more on She’s Next. https://usa.visa.com/run-your-business/women-small-business.html
Dozens of Black owned restaurants will be able to receive free grants from Kraft Heinz, Southern Restaurants for Racial Justice and the LEE Initiative. This is a nationwide service in which each qualified Black owned restaurant owner can be provided as much as $20,000. The funds can help Black chefs that own their establishment, bakers, managers, cafe owners, and other type of “eating” establishments. Apply here. https://form.jotform.com/210907223109144
“Shuttered venues” can apply for free SBA grants and/or low cost loans. There will be financial assistance for places such as museums, concert halls, stadiums, theatres, and many more. The goal of the grants as well as low cost loans from the SBA it to support cultural type venues that have been hard hit, closed, or under pressure due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The SBA may provide financial help that allows the venue to re-open or stay open. The program is formally known as SVOG – Shuttered Venue Operators Grant. Apply here. https://www.svograntportal.sba.gov/s/
$5,000 grants are being provided by the EnrichHER Small Business Grant assistance program. The funds are for female started companies as well as Black, Brown, and Asian owned companies. The funds can pay for a wide variety of bills as well as operating costs. Or use the free grants for working Capital. Regardless the company is providing financial help to give back to disadvantaged small businesses. Read more. https://app.enrichher.com/
Black entrepreneurs can get free grants of up to $50,000. The funds are targeted at start ups and Black entrepreneurs who have an idea (or company) that makes a social impact. The funds are offered by the Marcus Graham Project as well as Hennessey. There are business start up boot camps, workshops, e-learning programs, and other resources. Apply here https://application.neverstopneversettlesociety.org/application/new
February and March 2021
Visa and Black Girl Venture are offering grants to black and minority owned businesses in select cities, including Chicago, Atlanta, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami and Washington, D.C. The funds will be used to help digitize their operations – so focused on e-commerce, website development, SEO, and other tasks. In addition to the free grants, there is mentorship, educational classes, and other assistance offered. The name is SheGrant. Apply here. https://ifundwomen.com/visa
The Third Round of PPP loans are now accessible. (Paycheck Protection). There are stages, with applications available sole-proprietors, businesses with fewer than 20 employees, and then (late) more mid-sized companies. The initial focus on smaller companies is to help more minority, women, LGBTQ, and veteran businesses get forgivable loans, as they are often much smaller in size. The SBA and its lenders will also try to get funds and loans to borrowers with limited or poor credit history. For details on PPP round three, read here. https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/loans/coronavirus-relief-options/paycheck-protection-program
Women, minority, immigrant or BIPOC owned restaurants can get help from Doordash. Free grants of up to $20,000 each are being issued to dozens of restaurants in “hard hit COVID lockdown” cities of Los Angeles, NYC, Chicago, Atlanta and Philadelphia as part of the Main Street Accelerator Program. The restaurant grant program is run in partnership of Accion Opportunity Fund (AOF) and Doordash. Find details here. https://blog.doordash.com/announcing-the-main-street-strong-accelerator-1033b7c46005
Customers Bank offers has helped minority, Black, and Latino owned businesses apply for PPP loans. In fact, billions of dollars have been facilitated by this lender and they have helped provide billions of dollars in government loans to small businesses. They have programs and systems, including a White Label one, that involves the female ow minority business owner in working with a Customers Bank employees on understanding the PPP process. They also help with completing applications, disbursing funds, and offering other support. Read about the lender here. https://www.customersbank.com/
The Our Fair Share program is a partnership between Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, Kabbage, SBA, Paypal and others including JP Morgan Chase. The national bank and media mogul are helping Black and Brown owned businesses, including struggling companies and applicants with poor credit, get financing. The free Our Fair Share program will help them find and apply for financial help such as PPP loans, state or local government grants near them, and even $300 for opening a checking account among other resources. Find details here. https://www.ourfairshare.com/
Barefoot Wine is offer several Black, Female Business owners $10,000 grants. The applicant needs to have at least one employee and have been operating for several months (at minimum). The grants are also part of a program known and run by New Voices. Black, women owned businesses can use these funds to start or grow their company, and apply here. https://apply.newvoicesfamily.com/prog/2021_new_voices_barefoot_westanforher_grants/
The NAACP as well as L’Oréal USA are providing grants of up to $10,000 to Black owned beauty brands. They are also partnering with a company called Hello Alice. A number of other resources may be offered to Black owned cosmetics, personal care, make up, and similar companies too. Apply here. https://helloalice.com/communities/loreal-women-in-digital/applications/l-oreal-usa-inclusive-beauty-grant-program?utm_source=loreal.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=Loreal&utm_content=Loreal%20Grant
December 2020 and January 2021 and February 2021
Siemens is providing grants to black owned businesses as well as entrepreneurs in cities including Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Detroit, New York, Orlando as well as Pasadena. The corporation is working with MBDA Centers in each city, and up to $20,000 may be issued. Siemens also puts minority owned businesses into their supply chains and ensure that women and minorities are partners. Read more https://new.siemens.com/us/en/company/about/usa-foundations.html
Minority and women owned companies can apply for PPP Round 2 loans. Applications are being processed by CDFIs first, which are local community lenders. The PPP loans are for businesses impacted by COVID. Find a CDFI loan program near you.
Apple is providing tens of millions of dollars to help Black and Brown business owners. There will be investments made in minority companies, partnerships with Historically Black Colleges and Universities, tech hubs created, free grants, and so much more. The Propel Center is being launched as well as a resource as well as the Developer Academy. They are offering this form of minority small business assistance in an effort to help address systemic racism. Learn more on the Apple racial justice infinitive. https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2021/01/apple-launches-major-new-racial-equity-and-justice-initiative-projects-to-challenge-systemic-racism-advance-racial-equity-nationwide/
The Lonely Entrepreneur is offering free classes for about a year to a select number of black entrepreneurs. They are using donations from individuals, corporations, and even sport teams like the Milwaukee Bucks Free coaching, online tutoring, and other help is offered. Learn more. https://lonelyentrepreneur.com/bei/
$15,000 grants are being issued to a number of restaurants from the James Beard Foundation Food and Beverage Investment Fund. The financial aid will be for hard hit Black, immigrant, or Indigenous, whether female or male owned. The JBF grants can help pubs, breweries, restaurants, and other eateries. The funds will be a combination of grants or investments. Learn more. https://www.jamesbeard.org/investment-fund
Black owned business can get help from Paypal. Millions of dollars will be distributed from the PayPal Empowerment Grant program. The online lender is partnering with non-profits including the Association for Enterprise Opportunity (AEO) to process applications and disburse the funds. Paypal also support CDFI, lenders, banks that invest in minority communities, and offers other resources. Apply here or learn more. https://aeoworks.org/
Visa (the credit card company) has several grant and loan programs that help small minority, female owned, and immigrant small businesses. One program is known as the Opportunity Fund, and it helps low income disadvantaged business owners with low cost loans. Free mentoring is offered for Black Owned businesses as well. Visa employees (or partners) can get business plan help, assistance with creating pro-forma revenue and expense projections, and other advice. Other services are offered by Visa with their partners, including the Opportunity Fund. Read more here. https://www.opportunityfund.org/
Or find 2020 Grants and Loans here
By Jon McNamara