Small business funding
Top 10 Grants for Black-Owned Businesses
These grant programs can help Black entrepreneurs and Black women business owners fund equipment, hiring, marketing, research, inventory and business growth without giving up equity.
Grants can provide valuable non-dilutive capital, but finding a legitimate program is harder than it appears. Application windows change quickly, many well-known grants are no longer active, and some programs listed as “Black business grants” are actually loans, training programs or expired competitions.
This guide focuses on U.S. opportunities that were open, recurring or supported by a clearly documented application cycle as of July 13, 2026. Some are designed specifically for Black founders, women of color or other underserved entrepreneurs. Others are broader small-business grants that qualified Black-owned businesses can apply for.
Important:
eligibility and deadlines can change without notice. Always apply through the program's official website, read the current terms and confirm how the money may be used. A legitimate grant does not guarantee an award, and no applicant should pay a third party that promises approval.
Grant opportunities at a glance
| Program |
Potential award |
Best suited to |
Application status |
| HerRise MicroGrant |
$1,000 monthly |
Women of color running U.S. businesses |
Monthly applications |
| Rooted in Growth |
$50,000 |
Underserved professional haircare founders |
Official page invites applications |
| Galaxy Grant |
Varies by cycle |
Women and minority entrepreneurs |
Recurring applications |
| Verizon Digital Ready |
$10,000 |
U.S. small businesses across industries |
2026 applications open |
| Amber Grant |
$10,000 monthly and $50,000 year-end awards |
Women-owned businesses and startups |
Monthly applications |
| Hey Helen Grant |
$10,000 |
Mission-driven women-owned businesses |
Next published deadline August 30, 2026 |
| Changing the Game Grant |
Five grants of $20,000 |
Food and beverage businesses supporting women's sports |
2026 application cycle |
| Skip Grants |
$1,000 recurring awards and selected $10,000 grants |
Entrepreneurs and U.S. small businesses |
Recurring opportunities |
| NASE Growth Grants |
Up to $4,000 |
NASE members with a defined growth project |
Rolling quarterly review |
| SBIR and STTR |
Varies by federal solicitation |
Technology and research-driven businesses |
Agency opportunities published throughout the year |
1. HerRise MicroGrant
Women of color
Monthly
A recurring microgrant for under-resourced women
The HerRise MicroGrant
provides one $1,000 award each month. The program is available to under-resourced women, including women of color entrepreneurs, across a wide range of industries.
Who can apply:
The business must be at least 51% woman-owned, registered in the United States and generate less than $1 million in gross revenue. The official application excludes certain business models, including franchises, direct sellers and independent consultants.
What to request funding for:
Applicants should identify one specific use that can create measurable progress, such as equipment, a website improvement, packaging, professional services, certification costs or a focused marketing campaign. Applications close on the last day of each month.
2. Rooted in Growth Grant Program
Underserved founders
Haircare
$50,000 for professional haircare businesses
Rooted in Growth, presented by amika in partnership with the Fifteen Percent Pledge, is designed for underserved founders building businesses in professional haircare. Four selected businesses receive $50,000 in flexible grant funding, mentorship, networking and brand visibility.
Who can apply:
The business must be U.S.-based, at least 51% owned by underserved founders, operate in haircare, generate less than $2.5 million in annual revenue and sell through, or aspire to enter, professional distribution channels.
What to request funding for:
Suitable uses may include product development, manufacturing, inventory, salon distribution, packaging, sales infrastructure and other projects that can move the brand toward scalable professional distribution. Recipients must participate in the mentorship program running from October 2026 through April 2027.
3. Galaxy Grant
Women
Minority-owned
Recurring funding for women and minority entrepreneurs
Hidden Star's Galaxy of Stars
platform provides grant opportunities and business resources for women and minority entrepreneurs. The award amount and deadline can vary by funding cycle, so applicants should verify the current Galaxy Grant directly on the official application page.
Who can apply:
Eligibility is intentionally broad and can include existing owners, early-stage founders and people preparing to start a business. Black women may qualify through both the minority and women entrepreneur categories.
What to request funding for:
Use a concise budget tied to a practical milestone, such as launching a product, purchasing equipment, improving e-commerce, paying for permits or acquiring initial inventory.
4. Verizon Small Business Digital Ready Grants
All eligible small businesses
2026 applications open
$10,000 grants combined with business education
Verizon Small Business Digital Ready
provides free courses, coaching, networking and access to grant opportunities. Verizon states that applications for its 2026 $10,000 grants are open.
Who can apply:
The platform serves eligible small businesses rather than limiting participation by race or gender. Black-owned and Black women-owned businesses can register without being Verizon customers. Applicants should confirm the current location, activity-completion and business-status requirements in the funding portal.
What to request funding for:
Strong applications connect the grant to a specific growth constraint, including digital marketing, customer acquisition, technology, cybersecurity, equipment or operational capacity.
5. Amber Grant
Women-owned
Startups eligible
Monthly and year-end funding for women entrepreneurs
WomensNet's Amber Grant
awards three separate $10,000 grants each month across its monthly, startup and business-category programs. Monthly recipients can also qualify for one of three $50,000 year-end grants.
Who can apply:
Women-owned businesses across industries can apply, including founders in the idea stage or with minimal sales. Black women entrepreneurs are eligible, and one application can be considered for multiple WomensNet grant categories.
What to request funding for:
Explain the business in plain language and show exactly how the money would create the next milestone. Appropriate uses can include launching, product development, inventory, hiring, marketing or opening a location. The next cutoff published at the time of writing is July 31, 2026.
6. Hey Helen Grant
Women-owned
Mission-driven
$10,000 in unrestricted financial support
The Hey Helen Grant
provides $10,000 to a woman founder building an impactful, mission-driven business in the United States.
Who can apply:
The applicant must identify as a woman or nonbinary founder, own 100% of the business, be a legal U.S. resident and operate a for-profit company generating less than $1 million annually. A U.S. business bank account is required.
What to request funding for:
The award is unrestricted, making it suitable for operations, marketing, hiring, infrastructure or another clearly justified growth project. The next published deadline is August 30, 2026.
7. Changing the Game Grant
Food and beverage
Women's sports
Five $20,000 grants for inclusive gathering spaces
The Changing the Game Grant
from Stanley 1913 and TOGETHXR supports entrepreneurs opening or scaling food and beverage spaces where women's sports are central to the customer experience.
Who can apply:
U.S.-based for-profit food and beverage businesses developing community-centered sports bars, restaurants, cafes or similar gathering spaces should review the official application criteria. Black-owned hospitality businesses and Black women founders are eligible if the concept fits the program.
What to request funding for:
The five $20,000 awards may support buildout, equipment, programming, operations or another project that strengthens a dedicated women's sports venue. The 2026 application period opened March 31, with the published deadline falling at the end of July.
8. Skip Small Business Grants
Recurring grants
Broad eligibility
Frequent $1,000 awards and selected $10,000 grants
Skip
maintains a continuously updated funding platform and issues its own recurring grants. Its 2026 programs include frequent $1,000 awards and selected $10,000 seasonal grants.
Who can apply:
Eligibility varies by the individual opportunity. Many Skip grants are open to U.S. entrepreneurs and small-business owners across industries, making them accessible to Black-owned businesses that do not fit a narrowly targeted program.
What to request funding for:
Applications should identify an immediate, achievable project such as equipment, marketing, customer acquisition, inventory, software or professional support. Confirm whether an application requires a free account, paid membership, video entry or live participation.
9. NASE Growth Grants
NASE members
Quarterly awards
Up to $4,000 for a defined business-growth need
The National Association for the Self-Employed offers NASE Growth Grants
of up to $4,000. Four winners are normally selected each quarter, and applications are considered throughout the year.
Who can apply:
Applicants must be NASE members. Annual and certain higher-tier members may apply immediately, while monthly members generally must satisfy a waiting period before submitting.
What to request funding for:
NASE identifies marketing, advertising, hiring and facility expansion as eligible examples. The application should include a detailed need, a cost estimate and an explanation of how the expenditure will improve the business.
10. SBIR and STTR Awards
Technology
Research and development
Federal non-dilutive funding for innovative companies
Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer, collectively known as America's Seed Fund, finance eligible U.S. small businesses developing technology that responds to federal research and commercialization needs.
Who can apply:
This is not a race-specific program. Black-owned and Black women-owned technology businesses can compete when they satisfy the federal small-business ownership rules and match an active agency solicitation. STTR projects also involve a formal research-institution partner.
What to request funding for:
Applications fund defined research, technical validation, prototype development and commercialization work rather than general operating expenses. As of April 2026, agencies may issue Phase I awards up to $323,090 and Phase II awards up to $2,153,927 without requesting an SBA waiver, although actual solicitation limits vary.
Popular grants that are not currently open
Avoid stale applications
Do not rely on an old list or unofficial application link
The NAACP Powershift Entrepreneur Grant
is a valuable $25,000 program for Black entrepreneurs, but the NAACP states that it is not currently open. The Fifteen Percent Pledge Achievement Award is also closed for its latest published cycle.
Black Ambition has stated that it will not run its national prize competition in 2026, and the U.S. FedEx Small Business Grants Program was retired after 2024. These programs may still appear on outdated grant lists. Monitor their official websites for future announcements instead of submitting information through third-party forms.
How to prepare a stronger grant application
Confirm exact eligibility
Check ownership percentage, location, revenue, industry, business age and whether the program accepts startups or only operating companies.
Build a specific budget
Show the exact items the grant will purchase, their cost and the milestone those expenses will help the business reach.
Provide evidence of traction
Use revenue, customers, contracts, partnerships, repeat orders, community impact or product progress to demonstrate execution.
Explain the funding gap
Describe why the project has not already been completed and why the requested grant is appropriate for that gap.
Prepare supporting documents
Keep formation documents, ownership records, tax returns, financial statements, a budget, bank details and licenses available.
Follow the scoring criteria
Answer the questions actually asked, respect word limits and make every claim easy for a reviewer to verify.
A clear financial package can strengthen both grant and financing applications. Financely's lender-ready package checklist
explains the core financial and company documents that external capital providers commonly expect.
Frequently asked questions
Are there government grants specifically for Black-owned businesses?
Federal agencies do not generally provide unrestricted startup grants solely because a business is Black-owned. Government funding is usually tied to research, agriculture, exports, energy, community development or another defined public purpose. SBIR and STTR are important examples for eligible technology businesses.
Can Black women apply for both minority and women business grants?
Yes, when the program's terms permit it. A Black woman-owned company may qualify for opportunities based on race, gender, industry, location or business stage. Each program still has its own ownership and eligibility definitions.
Do business grants have to be repaid?
Legitimate grants generally do not require repayment or equity. Recipients may still have to use the money only for approved expenses, complete reporting, attend programming or return funds used outside the grant agreement.
Are small-business grants taxable?
Business grants may be treated as taxable income depending on the program and the recipient's circumstances. Owners should retain the award agreement and obtain advice from a qualified tax professional.
Need more capital than a grant can provide?
Grants are competitive and usually cover only part of a company's funding requirement. Financely helps qualified post-revenue businesses prepare financing materials and approach appropriate lenders for working capital, equipment, acquisitions and growth financing on a best-efforts basis.
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This article provides general information as of July 13, 2026, not legal, tax, accounting, grant-writing, lending or investment advice. Grant amounts, deadlines and eligibility requirements can change without notice. Applicants must verify all information and apply through the official program administrator. Inclusion does not constitute an endorsement or guarantee of funding. Financely is not affiliated with the listed grant providers and is not a bank, lender, broker-dealer, investment adviser, custodian, accounting firm or law firm. Financely performs advisory and capital-placement mandates on a best-efforts basis and does not guarantee approval, funding or any financial outcome.
