8 Real Places Giving Free Money to Entrepreneurs Right Now

Hi again!

Steve Strauss here.

Everyone really seemed to like the pitch deck I shared after our SCORE webinar—the one I used to raise over $100K for one of my projects.

(If you missed it, you can grab it here: Steve Strauss’ TheSelfEmployed Pitch Deck.

But I am not done yet.

Before the week is over, I wanted to send you another free resource, something I did not have time to cover in the webinar, but I think you will find incredibly useful:

9 places to apply for real, legit small business grants. No payback. No gimmicks. Just possibilities.

Why am I giving this away?

Because I know how tough it can be to fund the dream—and my mission is to make the world safe for entrepreneurs. That means giving you the good stuff, even if there is nothing in it for me.

(And yeah, well, maybe I want you to like me too! 😇)

So here we go -

Top Small Business Grants & Funding Opportunities

1. Grants.gov

• Overview: The primary portal for federal grant applications across various agencies.

• Eligibility: Varies by program; many are geared toward nonprofits, educational institutions, and businesses in research and development.

• Link: grants.gov

2. Hello Alice Small Business Grants

• Overview: Offers a range of grants for small businesses, often focusing on underrepresented groups.

• Eligibility: Varies by grant; typically for U.S.-based small businesses.

• Link: helloalice.com/grants

3. IFundWomen Grants

• Overview: Provides grants and resources for women entrepreneurs.

• Eligibility: Women-owned businesses; specific criteria vary by grant.

• Link: Dekoster Blog - Uriel Dekoster+1People.com+1AP News+2Bench Accounting+2Wikipedia+2

4. SBA Funding Programs

• Overview: While the SBA doesn't typically offer grants for starting or expanding businesses, it provides various funding programs and resources.

• Eligibility: Varies by program; often for nonprofits and educational organizations.

• Link: sba.gov/funding-programsSBA+1Navid Harrison+1

5. Amazon Business Small Business Grants

• Overview: Supports U.S. small businesses with funding, resources, and tools to grow and succeed.

• Eligibility: U.S.-based small businesses; specific criteria may apply.

• Link: https://business.amazon.com/en/small-business/small-business-grants

6. Start.Pivot.Grow. Micro Grant

• Overview: Provides $2,500 in non-dilutive funding to small businesses for essential expenses like rent, inventory, or marketing.

• Eligibility: U.S.-based, for-profit companies with at least two years of operation, generating $50,000+ annually, and having no more than two employees, including the owner.

• Link: https://www.uschamber.com/co/run/business-financing/small-business-grants-and-programs

7. Backing Small Businesses Grant Program by American Express

• Overview: Supports locally significant small businesses facing economic hardship.

• Eligibility: Small businesses in the U.S.; specific criteria may apply.

• Link: https://mainstreet.org/about/partner-collaborations/backing-small-businesses

8. GrantWatch

• Overview: A subscription-based service listing current grants accepting applications across the U.S.

• Eligibility: Varies by grant; subscription required to access full details.

• Link: https://www.grantwatch.com/grants-for-small-business

Finally, in a few days, I will be sending you a few additional tips and tools you can use to fund and grow your business without loans. Stay tuned!

Have a a great weekend!

Steve