Starting a business as a woman entrepreneur is a full time job that requires patience, creativity, dedication and a lot of money. That’s why there are some organizations, fundations, government programs and private agencies that provide small business grants to help female entrepreneurs to succeed.
This is a great opportunity for those women who don’t have a big budget to begin their own business. And a very important benefit is that you don’t have to pay the money back! Because the whole idea of these grants is to support women entrepreneurs who want to start a small business on their own but don’t have the resources.
It’s important to know that the small business grants for women is a service with a real high demand, so keep in mind that the fact that you apply doesn’t mean that you are going to get the grant because there are a lot of people in a daily competition to get them. But, who knows? Try your luck!
Small Business Grants For Women
Here is a list of some of the best small business grants women you can apply for:
Grants.gov
You can find here more of 2,300 active grants to apply for. This is actually the biggest database of the United States Government grants on the web. The grant that you will obtain depends on the type of agency that offers it. If you want to apply for a federal business grant, this is the first place to look for.
Cartier Women’s Initiative Award
This grant is awarded to 18 women entrepreneurs around the world. The winners of this grant will receive between $30,000 and $100,000. Also, all the finalists will receive a spot in the INSEAD Social Entrepreneurship Six-Day Executive Program (ISEP). This is a very complete and helpful small business grant for women, so don’t miss your chances to apply.
Amber Grant
This is a really touching small business grant for women, because it was created in honor of Amber, a young woman who died before she could reach her goal of being owner of her own business. This grant works differently to others. Here you have to tell your story and pay $15 to apply. But the prize goes between $10,000 and $25,000 and they pick a winner each month. So there are actually great opportunities with this grant.
GrantsForWomen.org
This one it’s perfect if you are looking for many opportunities in one place, because it is a big database with a list of small business grants for women that are currently available. You can also find scholarships on this site.
The SBA’s InnovateHER Challenge
Organized by the Small Business Administration, this competition offers grants of $40,000, $20,000 and $10,000 to three national finalists each year.
“Women represent half of the U.S. workforce and control 80 percent of the nation’s purchasing power, but still make up less than five percent of venture capitalists. I decided to launch this annual competition two years ago so that we could begin to address that opportunity gap, because when women have an equal role in the marketplace and are able to chart their own paths, our nation as a whole is stronger and more globally competitive.” Said SBA Administrator Maria Contreras.
The process to get a small business grant for women is actually very easy: you just have to keep motivated and patient after you apply. Every organization has different requirements so you just have to decide which grant will work better for you and your business.
Nowadays, it’s a little bit hard to begin a business that doesn’t already exist, but remember that you can make a difference! And with all the information and opportunities that you can find on the web, not even the lack of money is an excuse not to try.
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