Directory · verified 2026-10-29
Grants for women entrepreneurs
Yes, there are real grants for women-owned businesses, but most come from private foundations, companies and pitch competitions rather than the government. The ones below were checked on their official pages in October 2026: monthly grants like the Amber Grant and HerRise MicroGrant, larger annual prizes like the Cartier Women's Initiative, and free federal help such as SBA Women's Business Centers and WOSB certification, but amounts and dates change every cycle, so confirm details on each official page before you apply.
Before you apply
Legitimate grant programs never ask you to pay a fee to receive money you have already "won," and the government will not call, text or message you offering a free grant. Some real private programs charge a small application fee (we note it on each listing), but walk away from anyone who asks for bank login details, gift cards or a "processing" or "tax" payment before releasing funds. When in doubt, go to the program's official website directly instead of clicking a link someone sent you.
Grants
Amber Grant
WomensNet
- Amount
- Three $15,000 grants each month (Amber Grant, Start-Up Grant and a business-category grant); three $75,000 year-end grants
- How often
- Monthly, plus year-end grants for monthly winners
- Who can apply
- Women-owned businesses in the United States or Canada, including women who are just starting a business.
- How to apply
- Submit one short online application, which makes you eligible for all the grants that fit your business.
- Note
- WomensNet charges a $15 application fee, which its FAQ describes as the only fee it charges. The cutoff for the next monthly grant was October 31, 2026 at the time of checking.
Checked on official site: 2026-10
IFW Startup Accelerator Grant
IFW (IFundWomen) by Honeycomb
- Amount
- One $5,000 grant
- How often
- Periodic; current round closes November 30, 2026
- Who can apply
- US-based owners aged 18 or older who own at least 50% of their business; idea-stage and pre-revenue businesses are welcome.
- How to apply
- Complete the roughly 10-minute online application describing your business, its impact and what $5,000 would unlock.
- Note
- There is a one-time $5 application fee. IFW also runs a Universal Funding and Grant Application that matches applicants to future sponsored grant programs.
Checked on official site: 2026-10
HerRise MicroGrant
HerSuiteSpot
- Amount
- $1,000 each month
- How often
- Monthly
- Who can apply
- Women-owned (51%) businesses registered in the US with less than $1 million in gross revenue; aimed at under-resourced women, including women of color. Nonprofits, franchises and direct sellers are not eligible.
- How to apply
- Submit the online application by 11:59 p.m. on the last day of the month to be considered for that month.
- Note
- There is a nonrefundable $15 administrative fee.
Checked on official site: 2026-10
The Hustle Grant
The Hustle Grant
- Amount
- $1,000 micro grants
- How often
- Monthly
- Who can apply
- Women aged 18 or older whose business is at least 50% women-owned and operates in the United States.
- How to apply
- Fill out the online application on the Hustle Grant website.
- Note
- The next winner was due to be announced November 15, 2026. Check the application form for any fee before you submit.
Checked on official site: 2026-10
Galaxy Grants
Galaxy of Stars
- Amount
- $2,500 (current grant); past grants have ranged from $750 to $25,000
- How often
- Several rounds a year
- Who can apply
- Women and minority business owners, including new, experienced and aspiring small business owners.
- How to apply
- Fill out the free Galaxy Grant application form on the website.
- Note
- Free to apply. The current round's deadline was October 31, 2026, and the page lists 2026 recipients from January, April and July.
Checked on official site: 2026-10
AT&T Small Business Contest (She's Connected)
AT&T
- Amount
- One $50,000 grant; four $5,000 microgrants for runners-up
- How often
- Annual
- Who can apply
- US small business owners who are the sole or majority owner of a business with one to five locations and 99 or fewer employees. Open to owners of any gender.
- How to apply
- Enter online at att.com/shesconnected while the contest is open.
- Note
- The 2026 contest ran May 1 to July 31, 2026, and the winner will be announced in November 2026. Previous applicants can apply again.
Checked on official site: 2026-10
StartUP Grant
Texas Woman's University Center for Women Entrepreneurs
- Amount
- $5,000
- How often
- Annual
- Who can apply
- Texas residents with a startup or business launching a new initiative; the program is run to promote women entrepreneurs in Texas.
- How to apply
- Read the grant guidelines, prepare your business documents, company background and project narrative, then submit the application on the guidelines page.
- Note
- The 2026 round was open September 1 to 23, 2026, with winners announced October 23, 2026. Watch the page for the next cycle.
Checked on official site: 2026-10
Kitty Fund Mompreneur Grant
Founders First CDC
- Amount
- $1,000 micro-grants
- How often
- Annual
- Who can apply
- Mothers who are the CEO, president or owner of an active US business with at least one year of operations, 2 to 100 employees and no more than $5M in annual revenue.
- How to apply
- Pre-register and then submit the full application during the next cycle's window.
- Note
- The 2026 cycle is closed. For 2027, pre-registration opens January 1, the full application opens March 9 and applications close April 13, 2027.
Checked on official site: 2026-10
SBIR and STTR (America's Seed Fund)
11 participating federal agencies, coordinated by SBA
- Amount
- Varies; as of October 16, 2026, agencies may award up to $335,937 for Phase I and up to $2,239,578 for Phase II without an SBA waiver
- How often
- Agency solicitations throughout the year
- Who can apply
- American small businesses developing new technology with commercial potential. Not women-specific.
- How to apply
- Find an open topic from a participating agency on SBIR.gov and submit a proposal to that agency.
- Note
- Also useful: this is non-dilutive federal R&D funding, not general startup money, so it fits technology and science-based businesses.
Checked on official site: 2026-10
Pitch competitions
Fast Pitch Competition
Women Founders Network
- Amount
- $25,000 cash grant to the 1st-place Tech/Tech-enabled winner and to the 1st-place Consumer/CPG/Other winner; $5,000 to one finalist chosen by Junior VCs
- How often
- Annual (pitch event each October in Los Angeles)
- Who can apply
- US-based businesses with a woman founder, co-founder or CEO, or majority woman ownership, that have raised no more than $750K in outside funding. Nonprofit, life sciences and cannabis/CBD companies are not eligible.
- How to apply
- Apply online during the window; applications for the 2027 competition are accepted April 1 to May 31, 2027.
- Note
- Finalists must attend in person and cover their own travel. Pre-revenue companies can apply if they show customer interest.
Checked on official site: 2026-10
Enthuse Foundation Pitch Night
Enthuse Foundation
- Amount
- $25,000 cash grand prize; $10,000 cash runner-up; $3,000 cash audience choice
- How often
- Annual
- Who can apply
- At least 51% women-owned US physical-product brands in food, beverage or consumer packaged goods with $100K to $999K in annual revenue and under four years in business.
- How to apply
- Apply through the Enthuse Foundation's program page on Gust.
- Note
- 2026 applications closed September 23; finalists pitch live in New York City on November 5, 2026.
Checked on official site: 2026-10
Fellowships & accelerators
Cartier Women's Initiative Regional Awards
Cartier
- Amount
- $100,000 for each first-place awardee; $60,000 for each second-place awardee; $30,000 for each third-place awardee
- How often
- Annual
- Who can apply
- Women-led, for-profit impact businesses from any country with $50,000 to $5 million in annual revenue, 5 to 250 team members and no more than $2 million in dilutive funding raised. The applicant must hold a main leadership role and own at least as much as each co-founder.
- How to apply
- Apply online through the Cartier Women's Initiative website when the next edition opens.
- Note
- Applications for the 2027 edition are closed (the deadline was June 16, 2026). Fellows also get a year of coaching, an INSEAD program and media training.
Checked on official site: 2026-10
Tory Burch Foundation Fellows Program
Tory Burch Foundation
- Amount
- Varies
- How often
- Annual cohort
- Who can apply
- US businesses at least 51% owned and controlled by women, generating at least $75,000 a year in revenue, where the applicant owns the largest or an equal-largest stake and manages the business.
- How to apply
- Apply online through the Foundation's fellows application portal during the open window.
- Note
- Applications for the 2027 Fellows Program are open September 22 to November 17, 2026, and fellows will be selected in May 2027. The program page focuses on advisors, coaching and community and does not list a cash grant amount.
Checked on official site: 2026-10
Certifications (not grants, but open doors)
Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Federal Contract Program
U.S. Small Business Administration
- Amount
- No cash award; certification through SBA is free
- How often
- Ongoing
- Who can apply
- Small businesses (by SBA size standards) at least 51% owned and controlled by women who are US citizens, with women managing day-to-day operations and long-term decisions. The EDWOSB tier adds limits on each owner's personal net worth, income and assets.
- How to apply
- Apply online through the SBA Certifications portal at certifications.sba.gov.
- Note
- This is a certification, not a grant. It lets you compete for federal contracts set aside for WOSBs; the government's goal is to award 5% of federal prime contracting dollars to women-owned small businesses.
Checked on official site: 2026-10
WBENC Women's Business Enterprise (WBE) Certification
Women's Business Enterprise National Council
- Amount
- No cash award; processing fee of $350 to $1,250 based on annual gross revenue
- How often
- Ongoing
- Who can apply
- Businesses at least 51% owned, controlled, operated and managed by one or more women.
- How to apply
- Apply through one of WBENC's 14 Regional Partner Organizations, which handle the documentation review and site visit.
- Note
- This is a certification, not a grant. It opens doors to supplier diversity programs at large corporations, and WBENC is also an approved third-party certifier for the SBA's WOSB program.
Checked on official site: 2026-10
Free support & government resources
SBA Women's Business Centers
U.S. Small Business Administration
- Amount
- No cash award; free to low-cost counseling and training
- How often
- Ongoing
- Who can apply
- Women entrepreneurs starting or growing a business; centers are overseen by SBA's Office of Women's Business Ownership.
- How to apply
- Enter your ZIP code in SBA's local assistance tool to find the nearest center.
- Note
- Centers help with business training, counseling, federal contracting and access to credit and capital, which makes them a good first stop before applying for loans or grants.
Checked on official site: 2026-10
SCORE Mentoring
SCORE
- Amount
- No cash award; free mentoring and workshops
- How often
- Ongoing
- Who can apply
- Anyone planning, starting, growing or transitioning a small business. Not women-specific, but SCORE runs a Women Entrepreneurs Resource Hub.
- How to apply
- Enter your ZIP code on the SCORE website to be matched with a volunteer mentor.
- Note
- SCORE says mentoring is always free for the life of your business. A mentor can review a grant application or pitch deck before you submit it.
Checked on official site: 2026-10
Grants.gov
U.S. federal government
- Amount
- Varies
- How often
- Ongoing
- Who can apply
- Most listings are for organizations; some are open to small businesses that meet SBA size standards, and few are open to individuals.
- How to apply
- Search open federal funding opportunities on Grants.gov and register before applying.
- Note
- Grants.gov states that none of its opportunities provide personal financial assistance, so treat any "free government grant" offer for personal use as a red flag.
Checked on official site: 2026-10
How to write a stronger application
Answer the exact question each program asks
Most grant forms are short and ask some version of three things: your story, your plan for the business and what you will do with the money. Answer those directly in plain language. Judges reading hundreds of entries skip past generic mission statements.
Name a specific use for the money
"Grow the business" is weak. "$5,000 buys a second commercial oven so we can take wholesale orders from two cafes that already asked" is strong. Tie the amount to one milestone and a number you expect to move.
Show proof that customers want it
Even pre-revenue programs want evidence: pre-orders, a waitlist, survey results, letters of intent or repeat customers. One concrete number beats a paragraph of enthusiasm.
Check eligibility before you write a word
Read the ownership, revenue, location and stage rules first. Many programs require 51% women ownership, a US-registered business or a revenue band (for example, $100K to $999K). Applying when you do not qualify wastes your time and any application fee.
Keep a reusable application kit
Save a 100-word and 300-word business description, a short founder bio, your numbers, photos, your logo and a 60-second pitch video. Most programs ask for some combination of these, so you can apply to several in an afternoon.
Apply repeatedly and track deadlines
Monthly grants pick from a new pool every month, and several programs let past applicants reapply. Keep a simple spreadsheet of deadlines, and reapply with an updated story when you hit a new milestone.
Still choosing what to build? Browse business ideas for women, then size the opportunity with the startup cost calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Are there grants for women to start a business?
Yes, mostly from private sources. Programs such as the Amber Grant (which has a dedicated Start-Up Grant), the IFW Startup Accelerator Grant and the Galaxy Grants accept idea-stage or early businesses. Most startup grants are small, from $1,000 to $15,000, so many founders combine them with savings, pre-sales or a small loan.
How do I get a $10,000 grant for women?
There is no single $10,000 program that every woman qualifies for. As of October 2026, the Amber Grant awards three $15,000 grants each month to women-owned businesses in the US and Canada, and pitch competitions such as the Women Founders Network Fast Pitch and Enthuse Foundation Pitch Night award $25,000 top prizes. Apply to several programs that match your stage, write a specific plan for the money and keep reapplying.
Does the government give grants to women to start a business?
Rarely. The SBA states plainly that it does not provide grants for starting and expanding a business, and Grants.gov says most of its funding opportunities are for organizations. What the government does offer is free help: SBA Women's Business Centers and SCORE mentors, plus the free WOSB certification for federal contracts. Technology businesses can also compete for SBIR and STTR research funding.
Do legitimate grants for women charge an application fee?
Some real private programs charge a small fee to cover review costs, for example $15 for the Amber Grant and HerRise MicroGrant and $5 for the IFW Startup Accelerator Grant. Many others, like Galaxy Grants, are free. No legitimate program asks you to pay to receive money after you are told you have won.
What is the difference between a grant and WOSB certification?
A grant is money you do not have to repay. WOSB certification is free status from the SBA that lets a women-owned small business compete for federal contracts set aside for women-owned firms. It does not pay you anything directly, but winning a contract can be worth far more than a one-time grant.