Ongoing, year round free grants, business coaching and financial assistance in MO
Financial assistance programs, grants, free coaching and other resources operate year round. Find information by city, county, or region below. Or continue to school down the page to find other monthly grants, loans, and support that is offered throughout the year.
Central Missouri region, including Columbia
Columbia area businesses can apply for free grants from Sharp End Entrepreneurial Development Fund. The money for these grants (or micro-loans) are raised from the community. Not only is financial assistance given to women as well as minority owned businesses (and veterans/LGBTQ), there is free coaching, networking, and advice from experienced entrepreneurs and business owners. Apply or donate here. http://www.cfcmfoundation.org/donations/sharp-end-entrepreneurial-development-fund/
Central Missouri Community Action serves Columbia Missouri and the surrounding area of 9 counties. A major focus is on economic development (especially for disadvantaged areas and the MWBE community), and as part of this the non-profit community action agency works with the Women’s Center and Kiva as a 0%, interest free business loan Trustee. Free counseling, business, career coaching, small business help and more is offered to women, minorities, veterans and business in low income areas. Learn more. https://cmca.us/
Kansas City area interest free loans, counseling, grants and more
BizCare is an accelerator program for minority owned businesses in Kansas City, Black owned companies, and the LGTBQ+ community among others. It is a city and regional assistance programs that combines financial help (grants, loans, capital, etc.) with counseling, referrals and business development. Other MWBE help is offered by BizCare partnerships including Kansas City MADE (for microbusinesses or manufacturing companies) as well as Global Accelerator., which is also for minorities and women. Learn more here. https://bizcare.kcmo.gov/
G.I.F.T. Funds in Kansas City is helping majority owned Black businesses. Two grants are being issued per month (either 25 or 50K). The financial aid will help disadvantaged owned businesses grow, improve their sales, and stabilize themselves. The GIFT program is funded by donations from the community. Apply here. https://www.kansascitygift.org/get-funded
Hispanic Economic Development Corporation (HEDC) of Greater Kansas City is focused on Economic Development of Hispanics – Latinos. This also includes small businesses and entrepreneurs. The non-profit helps arrange loans, provides free business training, workshops, and more. There are business software services, budgeting classes and grants too. Read more on HEDC business development program https://www.kchedc.org/hedc/
Kansas City and the metro area has several non-profits and quasi government organizations to help small women and minority owned businesses and start-ups. They include the Urban League of Greater Kansas City (call (816) 471-0550) as well as the National Association of Women Business Owners (https://www.nawbokc.org/). One agency that focuses just on women is the Kansas City Women’s Business Center (http://kansaswbc.com/), which works with the SBA, SCORE, and local non-profits to help fund and grow small businesses.
Kiva Kansas City (Kiva KC) provides interest free loans to small businesses, with up to $15,000 available. The non-profit operates a crowdfunding program nationwide and in Kansas City Missouri. A major focus is on veterans, LGTBQ+, women, and minority owned businesses as well as providing loans to borrowers with bad credit. It is managed by Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City (EDCKC) and learn more here. https://edckc.com/agencies/edc-loan-corporation-edcl/
KCSourceLink is an organization that offers a number of entrepreneurship as well as small business assistance programs. There is help in writing business plans, applying for capital (whether a bank loan, free grants, crowdfunding or something else), networking events and other support. The goal is to help people both start and/or expand a business, with a focus on women, veteran, and minority businesses in KC. More details here. https://www.kcsourcelink.com/
Southwest Missouri and Springfield area
Multicultural Business Association provides assistance to businesses owned by people of color, immigrants, and disadvantaged companies. There is advocacy, information on grant or loan programs, and even special programs that come up, such as free marketing help in partnership with Drury University. There is also website development support, assistance with helping MWBE owned businesses set up E-commerce and other free services. Learn more here https://strategicexceptions.com/
Ozarks Small Business Incubator provides support in several counties in southern and SW Missouri. They are also a Kiva Trustee – meaning small businesses and entrepreneurs can get interest free loans from the crowdfunding platform. A focus is on MWBE and veteran owned businesses. OZSBI also offers other microloans, co-working spaces, free mentoring services and other support to the several counties they support. Read more here. https://ozsbi.com/
St. Louis MWBE assistance programs
Arch Grants helps start-ups in St. Louis. They can help new companies apply for grants, equity investments, loans and more. There is, among other programs, an annual Start-up competition in which the “winner” will be given a free $75,000 grant to help start their business and throw gasoline” on it to accelerate growth. Read more on Arch Grants here. https://archgrants.org/
Downtown Springfield Association (DSA) provides free grant money, with a focus on BIPOC businesses, that need financial help in the city. The program is generally open for annual applications and is offered in partnership with US Bank. Get details on the DSA grants and other support here. https://www.itsalldowntown.com/resources/
Gardner Capital and Kiva are partnering together to provide interest free loans to small businesses in St. Louis City and County. They are 0% interest rate loans with a focus on women, minority, veteran, and LGTBQ+ owned businesses. This is a matching, crowdsourcing type loan program. Read more here about the GCRE Upward Mobility Fund. https://www.gardnercapital.com/alternative-investments-fund/upward-mobility-direct-community-investment/
Minority Business Development of Saint Louis helps with MWBE certification, contractor loans and they also run a City’s Minority and Women Business Enterprise Program. There are also free training programs, technical advice as well as other services for people. Learn about the government office and programs here. https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/sldc/minority-business-development.cfm
St. Louis Business Development Center and Minority Small Business Development is another program from SLDC. The government agency offers other support as well, and get details here. https://www.developstlouis.org/minority-small-business-empowerment
St. Louis and Springfield Missouri BIPOC businesses can apply for zero percent interest loans from the Gardner Capital and Kiva Partnership. It is a non-profit/private company partnership that will help MWBE, veteran, LGTBQ and disadvantaged businesses get the financial help they need. A major focus is on small businesses in the environmental sector. Apply here. https://www.gardnercapital.com/alternative-investments-fund/upward-mobility-direct-community-investment/
St. Louis businesses of color (BIPOC) can get free Digital Marketing assistance from Maryville University and the Digital Development Project. The college partners with the Urban League, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Heartland St. Louis Black Chamber of Commerce and other non-profits to help small businesses with internet, SEO, website, online marketing, e-commerce, and overall digital needs. Advisors also help clients approve for various loans and free government grants as well as get certification. More details here. https://online.maryville.edu/digital-development-project
St. Louis area businesses owned by people of color can get financial help from the Harris-Stowe State University (HSSU) Minority Entrepreneurship Collaborative Center for Advancement (MECCA) program. A wide variety of resources are offered. Get assistance with marketing, SEO, accounting, financial management, creating “pitches” and more. There will also be help in finding, and applying, to free grants, low cost loans and other aid. Find details here. http://www.hssu.edu/rsp_content.cfm?wID=36&pID=2357
St. Louis Development Corporation has multiple centers throughout the city. The aim is to help small businesses and start ups in low income neighborhoods; provide capital to disadvantaged businesses; ensure women, veterans, LGBTQ and minorities get the assistance they need and more. Locations include the Northside Economic Empowerment Center and more. Learn about the corporation here, including phone numbers and addresses. https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/SLDC/index.cfm
WEPOWER is based in St. Louis. The non-profit organization is offering interest free microloans to small minority owned businesses in partnership with KIVA. They also offer two assistance programs known as Elevate/Elevar for Black and Latino owned businesses in the city. This includes the microloans, free mentoring, advice from attorneys or accountants, workspace and other services. Apply here. https://wepowerstl.org/elevate/
Greater St. Louis Diverse Business Accelerator offers a wide variety of assistance programs to women, LGBTQ, minority, veteran and disabled business owners. Clients can get information on raising capitol, including free grants or microloans. There is also mentoring for MWBE companies, free publicity, help starting or expanding a business and so much more. Find out about the St. Louis accelerator here. https://www.greaterstlinc.com/diverse-business-accelerator/
Washington University’s Skandalaris Center helps entrepreneurs and start-ups. Innovation, ideas and more is arranged by the business center at the college. Find details here. https://skandalaris.wustl.edu/
By Jon McNamara