Small Business Grants
Small Business Grants for Women: Current Programs and Federal Help
Grant Writing Service Editorial Team
June 12, 2026 · 5 min read
Table of contents
Key takeaways
- The most active women's business grants are private: the Amber Grant, the Hey Helen Grant, and the Women Founders Grant each award monthly.
- The federal government does not give startup grants to women-owned businesses, but it funds free Women's Business Centers and sets aside contracts through the WOSB program.
- Larger programs such as Tory Burch Fellows and the Cartier Women's Initiative require an operating business with revenue.
Small business grants for women come mainly from private programs, several of which award money every month: the Amber Grant ($15,000 monthly grants plus $75,000 year-end grants), the Hey Helen Grant ($10,000 monthly), and the Women Founders Grant ($5,000 monthly). Larger competitive programs such as the Tory Burch Foundation Fellows and the Cartier Women's Initiative suit established businesses. The federal government does not offer startup grants for women-owned businesses, but it funds free advising through Women's Business Centers and reserves certain federal contracts for certified women-owned small businesses.
Everything below was checked against the sponsor's own site or official announcements on October 15, 2026. Amounts and deadlines change, so confirm before applying.
Monthly grants for women-owned businesses
Amber Grant (WomensNet). WomensNet has run the Amber Grant since 1998. Its current rules list three $15,000 grants each month (a general Amber Grant, a Startup Grant for idea-stage businesses or those with under $10,000 in sales, and a rotating business category grant), and three of the year's monthly winners receive an additional $75,000. Applicants must be women 18 or older who own at least 50 percent of a business based in the United States or Canada. The application fee is $15, with a waiver available by email. Some third-party lists still show older amounts of $10,000, so rely on the official rules page.
Hey Helen Grant (Visionaries). A $10,000 unrestricted grant awarded monthly, with rounds closing the last day of each month. Applicants must be women (nonbinary founders are welcome) owning at least 50 percent of a for-profit business registered in the United States, with under $1 million in revenue and a U.S. business bank account. Pre-revenue businesses can apply; nonprofits cannot. There is a $15 administrative fee, and one application is considered for 12 monthly rounds.
Women Founders Grant. A $5,000 merit-based grant for women-owned businesses, awarded monthly on a rolling basis.
Larger competitive programs
Tory Burch Foundation Fellows. A yearlong fellowship for women entrepreneurs built around education and peer networking; the foundation's page does not state a cash award, so treat amounts quoted elsewhere with caution. Applications for the next cohort opened September 22, 2026 and close November 17, 2026, with fellows selected in May 2027. The business must be at least 51 percent women-owned and controlled, formed and operating in the United States, with at least $75,000 in annual revenue, and the applicant must be 21 or older.
Cartier Women's Initiative. An international program for women-run, impact-driven for-profit businesses. Regional awards are $100,000, $60,000, and $30,000 for first through third place. Regional applicants need $50,000 to $5 million in revenue and 5 to 250 team members. The application window for the current edition closed June 16, 2026; the program runs annually, so watch for the next call.
IFundWomen. Rather than one grant, IFundWomen keeps a universal grant application on file and matches applicants to grants funded by its corporate partners as they open. Amounts and criteria vary by partner.
For startup grants open to founders of any gender, including the Verizon Small Business Digital Ready grants, see our startup business grants list.
Federal programs for women-owned businesses
Women's Business Centers. The SBA funds a national network of Women's Business Centers (138 as of an October 2026 SBA announcement) offering free or low-cost counseling and training, including help finding grants and loans, building a business plan, and preparing financials. Find one through the SBA's local assistance finder on sba.gov.
The Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Federal Contract Program. This program provides contracts, not grants. It lets certified firms compete for federal contracts set aside in industries where women-owned businesses are underrepresented, supporting the government's goal of awarding 5 percent of federal prime contract dollars to women-owned small businesses. To qualify, the business must be small and at least 51 percent owned and controlled by women who are U.S. citizens, with women managing day-to-day operations. Certification is free through the SBA's certification portal. A subcategory, Economically Disadvantaged WOSB, adds limits on personal net worth and income and opens additional set-asides. If you plan to sell to government agencies, a capability statement is the document buyers ask for.
SBIR and STTR. Women-owned technology businesses compete for federal research grants on the same terms as other small businesses. See our guide to preparing an SBIR or STTR proposal.
Local sources worth checking
Women's funds and community foundations. Many regions have a women's fund, a foundation that pools donor money to support women and girls in that area. Most grant to nonprofits, but some run economic programs or partner with lenders and accelerators that serve women entrepreneurs. Your community foundation can tell you what exists locally.
State and city programs. Some state and city economic development agencies run grants or loan funds for women-owned and minority-owned businesses. Your Women's Business Center or Small Business Development Center will know which are open. Our guide on how to get a grant to start a business explains how to use both.
How to judge a grant offer
Government agencies never charge fees to release a grant and do not contact you unsolicited about one. Private programs are different: the Amber Grant and the Hey Helen Grant both charge a $15 application fee, openly, with published rules and named past winners. Before paying any fee, confirm that the sponsor publishes its official rules, its selection process, and its past recipients. Be wary of anything promising guaranteed approval or asking for payment by gift card or wire transfer.
Making your application stand out
Popular women's grants receive thousands of applications, and most ask a few short questions about your business, your plans for the money, and your story. Answer each one specifically: say what the money will buy and what it will change (a second oven that doubles weekly output, not "growth"). Include numbers where you have them, and reuse your strongest material across applications without sending the same answers everywhere. If you would like help, our small business grant writers prepare applications tailored to each program.
