Free grant programs as well as interest free (or low cost loans) that help minority as well as women owned businesses in Texas. There are resources for start up companies as well as small to medium sized businesses. Find more details below on how to apply for funds near you. Each lender, agency, non-profit or government program is allocating some of the grants, loans, or assistance programs to both minorities as well as women run or owned companies.
There will be funds to help minority and women owned businesses either create or retain jobs or pay for approved business expenses. In addition to the loans as well as free grants, many of the agencies give other support. This may include free mentoring, advice on creating online businesses, sales help, free legal aid, and information on other local (or national) business development programs.
While most of the financial aid and counseling is for minority (Black, Latino, Asian, LGBTQ, etc.), veteran or women owned businesses in Texas, there is also help for businesses regardless of race or gender. Whether in Dallas, Houston, El Paso, San Antonio, or another city or town in Texas, support is available in the form of loans or grants.
Find minority and women grants or loans in Texas
The list of resources below is updated daily. It includes loans, grants, workshops, free counseling and more from non-profits, government agencies, banks, as well as corporations in Texas. Whether financial help to start or grow a business, or free business advice, assistance is offered to MWBE as well as BIPOC businesses. Find more details on applying below.
Ongoing and Year Round Resources
A number of free grants, loans, mentoring and other MWBE and veteran services operate year round in Texas. Find details below, by city, region and category. Also continue to scroll down for more money financial assistance programs.
Statewide Texas MWBE financial aid programs
Gardner Capital is partnering with Kiva to provide 0% APR loans to BIPOC businesses in the Dallas and Houston area. The loans are peer to peer, crowdfunding type programs that can help small businesses get the capital they need. Kiva operates as a worldwide non-profit that provides interest free loans to small business owners and start ups. Learn more. https://www.gardnercapital.com/alternative-investments-fund/
Grameen America provides micro-loans to women owned businesses and entrepreneurs in Texas. they focus on females who live in very low-income area, women who live in poverty, immigrants, and even single moms. There are offices in Austin, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio. The financial assistance is combined with matched saving accounts, networking and other support. Learn more about the non-profit microloans and the offices in Texas. https://www.grameenamerica.org/blog/2022/2/1/grameen-america-expands-impact-in-texas-launches-new-branches-in-dallas-and-san-antonio-with-goal-to-support-1000-businesswomen-of-color-in-first-year
Kiva Microloans are offered across the state. While funding varies, a qualified business can raise up to $15,000 for starting a business or growing or saving their existing business. It is a peer to peer funding source in which donors from across the world can help fund the loan. They focus on disadvantaged businesses, including immigrants in Texas, minority (Black, Latino, etc.), LGBTQ, female and others.
Kiva has local groups. In Harris County and Houston Texas is supported by Bayou Microfund. They help the unbanked and others. Learn more https://bayoumicrofund.org/. Dallas Texas is covered by the non-profit Impact Ventures, and they offer interest free Kiva loans. Read more. https://impact-ventures.co/. Another option is Startup Waco is a regional non-profit. Free mentoring, assistance for sole-proprietors, and other loans and funds are offered. Get details on their assistance programs. https://startupwaco.com/. Legacy Institute for Financial Education provides Kiva loans in the Lufkin Texas region as well as credit builder loans, financial education, LIFE Tech classes and more. More. https://www.legacy-institute.org/
MassChallenge Texas is a business accelerator that operates across TX. Free coaching, including for MWBE businesses, pitch contents, start-up assistance, applications to grant money and other support is offered. They partner with many corporations and non-profits to help women, minorities and others start a business. https://masschallenge.org/news/masschallenge-expands-texas/
Prison Entrepreneurship Program offers a number of programs to people who are leaving the prison system, with a focus on the Dallas and Houston areas. PEP tries to help ex-prisoners start a business, acquire new skills around entrepreneurship and get other support. The non-profit also works with corporations to help. They also help arrange financing in the form of 0% interest loans (with Kiva), and many of the resources are focused on the larger number of minorities in the system. Programs include Earned Income Ventures, Communitas Business Centers, Business Plan Competition and more. Learn more here. https://www.pep.org/
Texas Women’s Foundation (TXWF) is about empowering women, including business owners. They offer leadership classes, information on job training, as well as entrepreneurship assistance (among other services). The non-profit also has an evolving number of grant programs to help women start or grow a business or address other needs. Read more on the non-profit TXWF. https://txwf.org/
Amarillo, Lubbock, and western/NW Texas loans and grant programs
PeopleFund is a non-profit lender that is part of the Community Development Financial Institution financial program. They help disadvantaged businesses, which include owners with bad credit or a low-income, get the capital they need. Another focus is on veteran, minority and women owned businesses. Everything from free grants or low-cost loans, free business training or development workshops and more is offered. Learn more here. https://peoplefund.org/
Austin region and surrounding counties MWBE programs
Austin and Travis County small businesses can turn to a non-profit known as Just Community. The non-profit was founded by venture capitalists that give microloans to small businesses, including borrowers with limited or bar credit. Most of the financial assistance goes to women owned companies, including Black women and Latina businesses. They also fund businesses owned by low income residents of Austin Texas. Corporations and individuals help Just support women and minority owned businesses. Learn more https://www.hellojust.com/
Austin Community Foundation helps minority, in particular minority, women, Hispanic and Black men and women owned businesses. They have grant programs, coaching and a charity part that helps businesses start and expand. Many of their programs are run in partnership with corporations, such as Google, the employment company Indeed, Dell computer and others. Learn about financial assistance programs such as the Black Fund, Hispanic Impact Grant Fund and Women Business programs here. https://www.austincf.org/
Austin Area Urban League has a number of resources for minorities, immigrants and women. There is the Entrepreneurship and Economic Empowerment Center, or E3CP. Free workshops, coaching, information on raising money for a businesses (grants or loans), and operational help is offered. Learn more on help for Black-owned businesses from Urban League. https://aaul.org/entrepreneurship-empowerment-center/
Dallas/Fort Worth and nearby area grants, loans, and business assistance programs
BCL of Texas (Dallas) is a lender that provides a number of assistance programs, including financial. They have Entrepreneurship Services, mentoring, classes, strategic planning workshops and so much more. Everything from accessing loans, grants, capital and more to starting or growing a business is offered by BCL. Read more here. https://bcloftexas.org/entrepreneurship
Dallas BUILDS, or the Broadening Urban Investment to Leverage Dallas, helps startups, existing small businesses, charities and non-profits. Hundreds of companies help operate it and pay for it. The program helps businesses of color, veterans, and women get the resources they need, whether it is financial help/free grants, workspaces, educational or training support and more. It is a free service. Apply here. https://dallasbuilds.org/
Denton Texas area women-owned businesses can get help from the Texas Woman’s University Center for Women Entrepreneurs & Stoke Incubator Program. There are a number of services offered, including a co-work space, information on grants, mentoring, coaching, and much more. The goal is to help women owned businesses start as well as grow their companies. Read more. https://stokedenton.com/accelerateher-incubator-program
Fort Worth underserved businesses and even non-profits, in particular those located in lower income areas, can get access to capital, low cost loans, and other support from CDFI Friendly Fort Worth. Various Community Development CDFIs, corporations, and banks are partnering together to provide financial aid, low cost or interest free loans, counseling and more. Underserved includes people of color, LGBTQ, veteran, and other minority or women owned businesses. Learn more. https://www.cdfifriendlyfortworth.org/
Impact Ventures helps businesses in Northern Texas, including Dallas, Plano, Frisco, and the entire area. The company provides funds for women and minority owned businesses and other disadvantaged businesses (LGBTQ, Veteran, Immigrant, etc.). Free coaching, mentoring, business development and other assistance programs are run too. Learn more. https://impact-ventures.co/
Smith County and Tyler TX is supported by the Women’s Fund of Smith County. The volunteer driven philanthropic organization will often have grants for women owned businesses, with most of the money for non-profits. The Fund will target its grants on organizations that help address causes of women and kids. Learn more here. https://womensfundsc.org/
Veteran Women’s Enterprise Center of Dallas TX helps (as the name implies) veteran businesses that are women owned, whether Latina, White, Black or any ethnicity. They have occasional grant programs, a center to use for research and educational lessons, mentorship and more. Find details on the center here. https://veteranwomensec.org/
El Paso Texas area MWBE grants, interest free loans and business resources
ACCELERATE El Paso is a partnership of various non-profits, including Aspen Institute’s Latinos and Society and Drexel University. They work to provide information on financial aid and grants to minority businesses, including government loans or grants for technology. ACCELERATE El Paso also encourages shopping locally, digital skills development, and other business help. More here. https://acceleratelpaso.com/
Houston area MWBE grants, loans, and programs for small businesses
The Houston based Empresarios Latinos Foundation (Chamber of Latino Entrepreneurs of Houston (CELH)) focuses on existing businesses in Houston and Harris County. Many companies are part of the organization, including restaurants, grocery stores, marketing companies, retail and more. They can serve as a resource for raising capital or financial aid, including from loans or grants. More details here. https://empresarioslatinos.org/
Houston MBDA Business Center assists minorities and under-represented in the community, including women, LGTBQ+ and people of color. There is help with applying for grants or loans, procurement assistance as well as women/minority/veteran owned certification programs and free consulting. A focus is to help minorities start and grow their business. Learn about the Centers services in Harris County. https://www.hccs.edu/hcc-in-the-community/entrepreneurial-initiatives/mbda/
Houston Business Ecosystem Alliance for Minorities & Women, or BEAMW, focuses on entrepreneurs, small businesses, as well as start-up companies in Harris County. They help with networking, applications to microloans, credit building activities, loans or financing for owners with poor credit, as well as finding free government grants. It is a network in the region that wants to help MWBE start and/or grow. Learn about the government affiliated non-profit. https://www.beamw.org/
San Antonio assistance programs for minority, veteran and women owned businesses
Culturingua provides 0%, interest free loans to businesses owned by people of Middle Eastern, North African, and South Asian decent. The non-profit is a Kiva lender. There is also a free entrepreneurship training as well as small business accelerator program. Other small business assistance programs are offered in Bexar County. Learn more here. https://www.culturingua.com/
San Antonio MBDA Business Center has a wide range of services for minorities, women, businesses in low-income areas and other disadvantaged companies. They help start-ups and small businesses find and apply for loans and grants. There is also MWBE certification, market research, details on getting government contracts and other financial support. Learn more here. https://sanantoniombdacenter.com/service-area/
Texas State University Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (CIE) provides assistance to minority-owned businesses as well as entrepreneurs. The main program is known as SCALEUP, or Sustainable Cultivation & Advancement of Local Enterprises for Underserved Populations. There is information on applying for grants, mentoring, free business workshops and more. https://innovation.txst.edu/Programs-F/ScaleUP0.html
May 2023 and June 2023
Houston businesses can apply for free grants, advertising, tech help and marketing from Comcast. The RISE program (Representation, Investment, Strength and Empowerment combines financial help with additional support services. Women, minority and other small businesses are a focus. Apply here for Comcast grants in Houston TX. https://texas.comcast.com/comcastrise/
Houston minority owned businesses as well as non-profits can apply for free grants (even up to 100K) from the Open for Business program, which is run by the Houston Fund for Social Justice and Economic Equity as well as Wells Fargo bank. Applicants need to have been operating for a couple years, be majority minority owned, and meet other conditions. Learn more here. https://houstonequityfund.org/wells-fargo-open-for-business-grant-opportunity-english/
Existing women owned businesses in Rural Texas can apply for $10,000 grants. The financial assistance is offered by Texas Woman’s University, The Center for Women Entrepreneurs (CWE) as well as the Jane Nelson Institute for Women’s Leadership. The funds are for small women owned businesses in rural counties only. Apply here for the free grants. https://twu.edu/center-women-entrepreneurs/texas-rural-woman-grant/
Harlingen area businesses can apply for loans, including interest free. The Harlingen Economic Development Corporation and the PeopleFund are partnering together to help small businesses get capital. Some funds will go towards minorities and businesses owners with lower credit scores. Learn more on the non-profit here. https://harlingenedc.com/
March 2023 and April 2023
Dallas Predevelopment loans are for MWBE and veteran owned businesses in the city. the funds will pay for businesses that are working on developing a physical location, and the loan can pay for environment studies, engineering needs, zoning issues and related costs. In general, the funds will help disadvantaged businesses in Dallas, that lack credit or funds, get a loan to build or expand. Get details here. https://www.dallasecodev.org/630/Predevelopment-Assistance
Texas Woman’s University is providing free grants to female owned veteran businesses. The program is available across TX. Up to $5,000 will be provided to as many as 25 veteran owned businesses in the state – all of which need to be run by women. There is financial help, mentoring and free advice from other veteran owned businesses in TX, as well as ongoing, long term assistance. The program is run in partnership with non-profits, the government and other agencies. Get details here. https://twu.edu/center-women-entrepreneurs/veteran-woman-grant/
September and October 2022
Northern TX based female entrepreneurs or existing business owners can apply for free $5,000 grants from the TXU StartHER assistance program. Applicants need to be at least 51% owned (or controlled) by a woman. There will be a couple dozen grants given (each of 5K) and recipients can get other support from the Women’s Business Center at TXU. A wide range of programs are offered, and apply here. https://twu.edu/center-women-entrepreneurs/starther/
July and August 2022
Tarrant County women owned businesses (or female entrepreneurs) can apply to the Texas Woman’s University Center for Women Entrepreneurs & Stoke Incubator Program. Several local businesses will be chosen and they will receive free mentoring, help raising money, networking and marketing assistance and so much more. Learn more on the incubator program here. https://stokedenton.com/accelerateher-incubator-program
City of San Antonio COVID Impact Grants Program is available to help small businesses that were impacted by COVID. The money is part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars. Partners include Southside First Economic Development Council, Centro San Antonio, as well as LiftFund Women’s Business Center as well as other charities. The money will help businesses that were impacted by COVID, and each applicant can be given as much as $35,000 in government grant money. There are multiple criteria that need to be met, and apply here. https://cityofsanantoniocovidgrants.com/
Houston Fund for Social Justice and Economic Equity is partnership with Wells Fargo. Applications are being take for grants of as much as $65,000. Most of the financial assistance will be to underserved and/or low-income parts of Houston, including to Black and brown regions. Small businesses can apply to the multi year program, and the free grants can pay for property, capital improvements and other expenses. Apply here https://www.houstonequityfund.com/
Tarrant County is providing free grants of up to $27,500. The financial help is part of the Small Business Workforce Recovery Grant program, which will help small to mid sized businesses recover from the COVID pandemic. Some funds will be given to veteran, women or minority owned businesses in Tarrant County. The funds can help businesses hire, train, or recruit employees. The grant programs also helps with other workforce development services. Apply here. https://www.tarrantcounty.com/recovery
Small, women owned businesses, including Black women and Hispanic, can get free grants. Up to $7500 will be given. The program is offered between The Beacon State Fund and the Governor’s Commission for Women, and applicants need to pitch their existing small business in order to “win” the grant money. There will be funds given out across the state of TX. Apply here. https://gov.texas.gov/organization/women/pitch-competition
The Lubbock Businesses Bounce Back is a free grant program for businesses in the city (not the entire county). The government, using American Rescue Act Funds, is providing financial help to small companies, with a focus on MWBE, veteran, and immigrant owned companies. The free grants will help with expenses including rent, payroll, inventory, marketing and more. The Bounce Back program is run in partnership with Caprock Business Finance Corp, and apply here. http://caprock504.org/caprock-application/
April, May and June 2022
Female Veterans in Texas can get $5,000 grants from the Veteran Woman Entrepreneur Grant program. Texas Woman’s University has an agency known as the Center for Women Entrepreneurs, or CWE, and the center is processing applications and providing funds. The funds can be used to pay inventory, pay for marketing costs, machinery, real estate and more. The free grants for veteran women is aimed at improvements, equipment, inventory and the like – not salaries. Read more and apply here. https://twu.edu/center-women-entrepreneurs/veteran-woman-grant/
March 2022
Houston Chamber of Commerce is offering a free mentoring program to dozens of Black owned businesses in the city. Applications are needed and only selected businesses will qualify. They can get help with applying for grants or loans, marketing assistance, free mentoring, website development and more. The service is multi-faceted in an effort to help small Black owned businesses. Learn more. https://www.houstontx.gov/ecodev/chambers_of_commerce.html
January 2021 and February 2022
Texas Woman’s University’s Center for Women Entrepreneurs (CWE) is providing a multiple grants worth up to $25,000 (in aggregate), female owned, existing small business in Texas. Applicants need to have less than 20 employees. The financial aid is part of the AdvanceHER Grant Program. A major focus is on supporting IT companies, medical or life science, “green” businesses and, in general, STEM type companies. The grants are combined with training, workshops, networking and other support. Women owned small businesses in Texas can apply here. https://twu.edu/center-women-entrepreneurs/advanceher-grant/
Fort Worth Texas/Tarrant County female entrepreneurs can apply for $1,000 grants from a partnership between TechFW as well as Satori Capital. the free grants are part of an incubator program, in which not only will funds be provided but a number of other free resources are arranged for women owned businesses. The financial assistance from Tech Fort Worth is for more “unique”, innovate businesses that have different technology, services and proprietary services to offer the community. Read about the program here. https://www.techfortworth.org/
October and November 2021
Women owned restaurants in Texas can apply for free $2500 grants. Almost 100 different restaurants, cafes, or “eateries” will be funded from the Texas Restaurant Association as well as the Texas Conference for Women, who are both providing the funds for this grant program. A major focus is on helping restaurant establishments recover from any revenue hit or business slow down from COVID. Apply here. https://fs24.formsite.com/wsaaritramailorg/gh9ssyxbdo/index.html?mc_cid=675e8364b1&mc_eid=c681726033
September and October 2021
StartHER grants is for women-owned businesses in Texas. As many as 25 businesses across the state will be given up to $5,000. Applications for this financial aid program are being accepted by Texas Woman’s University’s Center for Women Entrepreneurs. Funds can pay for a variety of bills, including inventory, equipment, marketing costs, payroll and more. Apply here. https://twu.edu/center-women-entrepreneurs/
Austin and Dallas BIPOC businesses can apply to the PeopleFund. An accelerator program will offer everything from grants to mentoring, technical help, training, accounting, and other support. The Fund is working with other local companies, including Southern Dallas Progress CDC, on the assistance program. The assistance is for “early-stage” companies, in particular start-ups. Apply here. https://peoplefund.org/bipoc-business-accelerator/
August 2021 and September 2021
Waco area businesses can apply for free government grants of up to $5,000. The city council, using federal government money, operates the Small Business Emergency Recovery Fund. The funds are used to help businesses recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. A priority is on women, veteran, as well as minority owned enterprises, but any small business can apply. Get more details here. https://covidwaco.com/small-business-grant-program/
Houston and Harris County small businesses that have been impacted by COVID can apply for free grants or microloans from the Small Business Recovery Fund. The county and city is using stimulus dollars and is partnering with the non-profit LiftFund on applications. Up to $30 million will be issued. The majority of the financial assistance will be to women owned companies as well as Black, Indigeneous and People of Color (BIPOC) businesses. Apply here. https://www.liftfund.com/
August is Black owned business month in San Antonio and Bexar County. A number of activities are being provided. One will be micro-loans as well as micro-grants. Activities, including funding, are being arranged by the African American Chamber of Commerce of San Antonio (AACCSA). There will be mentoring, networking, sales events, financial help, and more. Get more details. https://africanamericanchambersa.org/
March and April 2021
Women veteran owned businesses can apply for free grants from the Center for Women Entrepreneurs, and each qualified business will be given as much as $10,000. The money can be used to help pay for a wide variety of expenses, including inventory, equipment, marketing or advertising costs, and much more. “Winners” are also given free coaching from a business advisor on site. Most of the Funds are coming from Texas Woman’s University (TWU). Learn more here. https://twu.edu/center-women-entrepreneurs/veteran-woman-grant/
November and December 2020
Tarrant County Small Business Assistance Grant Program is for small businesses that have been hit by COVID. There are free government grants for start up companies, minorities, veteran, Asian, and Black owned companies. The applicants need to have less than 25 employees, be a profit or charity in Tarrant County, and have been operating since 1/1/2020. While funding varies, a free grant of up to $10,000 can be paid out. Read more here. http://www.tarrantcounty.com/en/county/small-business.html
September 2020
Collin CARES Small Business Grant Program is for small businesses in Collin County Texas that have been operating for at least one year and that have less than $5 million in annual sales. The financial assistance is in the form of a free Grant, with applications for Spanish speakers as well. While most minority and female owned businesses will get $5,000, some small businesses may be awarded up to a $25,000 grant. Pay for inventory, working capital, and other costs. Read more here. https://www.collincountytx.gov/cares/Pages/SmallBusinessGrants.aspx
August 2020
Houston and Harris County disadvantaged businesses (minorities, Latinos, women, etc.) can get financial help from the government. The free grants can pay a number of operational expenses. There is also free consulting services from mentors or experienced business personnel in the region. Dial 713-845-2476 for information or applications on the Houston grants. Or more details here. https://www.harriscounty-sbrfund.org/
Fort Bend County is offering free grants of up to $25,000 per small business owner. It can be for a sole-proprietor or a company with up to 20 employees. The funds can help minorities, veterans, or other owners pay business costs, build working capital, and help them keep their doors open or grow. More info here. https://www.coronavirusfortbend.gov/covid19-small-business-emergency-assistance-grant-program.html
Webb, Zapata and Starr Counties residents can apply for small business loans. The South Texas Development Council is offering assistance using federal government funds. The money can help pay for expansion, loans can be for working capital, or paying other business expenses. Call (956) 722-3995 for details or applications.
By Jon McNamara
