Small Business Grants
Startup Business Grants: Programs You Can Apply To (October 2026)
Grant Writing Service Editorial Team
June 12, 2026 · 4 min read
Table of contents
Key takeaways
- Every program below was checked against its sponsor's site in October 2026; several popular grants on other lists are dormant.
- Private startup grants are mostly $1,000 to $15,000 and very competitive; a few accept pre-revenue businesses.
- SBIR and STTR, reauthorized in April 2026, are the largest startup grants but fund only research and development.
- The $10,000 SBA grant was a COVID relief program that closed at the start of 2022.
Startup business grants come from three places: private companies and foundations that run grant contests (usually $1,000 to $15,000), city and state economic development programs, and federal research programs (SBIR and STTR) for technology businesses. The list below shows programs we confirmed as open or running on a recurring cycle as of October 15, 2026, with amounts, eligibility, and fees. Programs change often, so confirm details on the sponsor's site before you apply.
If you are still working out whether a grant suits your business at all, start with our step-by-step guide on how to get a grant to start a business.
Private startup grants open to most founders
| Program | Amount | Who can apply | Timing and fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verizon Small Business Digital Ready grants | $10,000 to 10 businesses a month | For-profit businesses in the United States, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands; owner 18 or older | Monthly reviews June through December 2026; must complete two free Digital Ready courses or events to unlock the application; no fee |
| NASE Growth Grants | Up to $4,000 | Members of the National Association for the Self-Employed | Reviewed quarterly on a rolling basis; membership required |
| Hello Alice grant programs | Varies by sponsor | Varies; many target new and small businesses | Rotating sponsor-funded grants; create a free profile to be notified |
| Halstead Grant | $7,500 cash plus $1,000 in merchandise | Emerging U.S. jewelry designers working mainly in silver, selling for five years or less | Annual; the deadline has historically been May 1 |
Startup grants for women founders
Several of the most active startup grants are for women-owned businesses:
| Program | Amount | Who can apply | Timing and fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amber Grant (WomensNet), including its monthly Startup Grant | $15,000 monthly grants; three $75,000 year-end grants | Women 18 or older owning at least 50 percent of a business in the United States or Canada; the Startup Grant is for idea-stage businesses or those with under $10,000 in sales | Monthly; $15 application fee |
| Hey Helen Grant (Visionaries) | $10,000, unrestricted | Women owning at least 50 percent of a U.S. for-profit business under $1 million in revenue; pre-revenue businesses eligible | Monthly, closing the last day of each month; $15 fee |
| Women Founders Grant | $5,000 | Women-owned businesses | Monthly |
Eligibility details, federal programs for women-owned firms, and more options are in our guide to small business grants for women.
Federal research grants: SBIR and STTR
The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs are the largest source of grant money for startups, but only for research and development with commercial potential. Eleven federal agencies participate, including NIH, NSF, the Department of Energy, and the Department of Defense.
- Status: The programs' authority lapsed on October 1, 2025 and was restored when the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act was signed on April 13, 2026, reauthorizing them through September 30, 2031. Agencies have been resuming solicitations at different speeds, so check each agency's current solicitation.
- Amounts: Each agency sets its own limits. NSF, for example, funds Phase I (feasibility) up to $305,000 and Phase II (development) up to $1,250,000; check the current solicitation for the agency you target.
- Eligibility: For-profit, generally 500 or fewer employees, majority owned by U.S. citizens or permanent residents (with some exceptions for venture-backed firms at certain agencies).
- A good starting point: NSF's SBIR and STTR program (America's Seed Fund) starts with a short Project Pitch, which it began accepting again on June 2, 2026.
Our guides cover drafting an SBIR proposal, SBIR success rates, and the difference between Phase I and Phase II.
Local grants
City, county, and state programs are often the least competitive startup grants because few people know about them: storefront and facade grants, microgrants for businesses in targeted neighborhoods, and grants tied to hiring. They change too often for a national list. Your Small Business Development Center (nearly 1,000 locations, free) and your state economic development agency know what is open where you are; our step-by-step guide explains how to find both.
Agricultural businesses have their own federal programs through USDA; see grants for farmers. Note that USDA's Rural Business Development Grants go to towns, tribes, and nonprofits that then support local businesses, not to individual businesses directly.
Programs we removed from this list
These appear on many startup grant lists but we could not confirm a current round in October 2026:
- FedEx Small Business Grant Contest: the most recent U.S. round we could confirm was 2024.
- Bizee Fresh Start Grant: the official page still shows a 2022 deadline.
- Comcast RISE: the program's site now redirects elsewhere; the last confirmed round was 2025.
- The $10,000 SBA grant: a COVID-era program, closed since January 1, 2022.
Before you apply
Apply only where you meet every eligibility rule, answer the questions specifically (judges read thousands of entries), and keep your use-of-funds budget concrete. No legitimate government program charges a fee to release a grant; some private programs charge small application fees, so check that the sponsor publishes its rules and past winners first. If you want help with an application, our small business grant writing service can prepare it.
