Small business grant opportunities to apply for in January
December 29, 2025
A new year brings a fresh roundup of current opportunities for small businesses, nonprofits, and creatives – grants, awards, accelerator programs, and other resources. Browse what’s accepting applications and available now, with deadlines throughout January.
Buffalo Institute for Art Micro Grant
Amount: $300
Deadline: 1/1/26 (quarterly)
Overview: The BICA Microgrant offers a no-strings-attached $300 grant to artists and curators producing exhibitions, performances, or other visual arts projects in the greater Buffalo area. Projects must include at least one public event and occur within three months before or after the application date. Applications are submitted online and are due quarterly on January 1, April 1, July 1, and October 1.
NYC SBS Customized Training Grant Program
Amount: $10,000 - $400,000
Deadline: 1/2/26
Overview: NYC’s Customized Training Grant Program (run by the Department of Small Business Services) reimburses NYC-based for-profit businesses for up to 60% of employee training costs to help solve business challenges, adopt new tools, expand services, or upskill staff. Grants range from $10,000 to $400,000, require training at least five employees (or applying as a consortium), and businesses pay upfront then receive quarterly reimbursements with a commitment to raise wages after training.
Artists & Mothers Grant
Amount: $25,000
Deadline: 1/2/26
Overview: Artists & Mothers provides $25,000 childcare grants to support NYC-based contemporary artists who identify as mothers at a critical career inflection point. Funds reduce childcare barriers so recipients can sustain and advance their artistic practice.
Roots & Resilience Artist Grant
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: 1/2/26
Overview: The Doan Foundation's Roots & Resilience Artist Grant supports Southern California artists and arts & culture organizations creating work around cultural heritage, community strength, and resilience. Grants prioritize projects that uplift underrepresented voices and address community wellbeing.
Bronx Recognizes Its Own (BRIO) Grant
Amount: $5,000
Deadline: 1/2/26
Overview: The Bronx Council on the Arts BRIO Award provides direct support to individual Bronx artists across literary, media, visual, and performing arts. The program recognizes artistic excellence and sustained practice in the Bronx community.
D Prize
Amount: up to $20,000
Deadline: 1/4/26
Overview: Seed grants to launch new ventures that scale distribution of proven poverty-fighting interventions. Focuses on delivering existing solutions to underserved communities.
Stowe Story Labs $50,000 Short Film Production Grant
Amount: $50,000
Deadline: 1/4/26
Overview: Stowe Story Labs awards a $50,000 grant to support the development, production, and distribution of a ~10-minute narrative short film. Mentoring will be available to support the winning project through all aspects of its development and production.
Village Capital x Sage Impact Entrepreneurship Program
Amount: up to $50,000
Deadline: 1/5/26
Overview: The Sage Impact Entrepreneurship Program 2026 supports early-stage, under-resourced U.S. startups creating social and environmental impact, especially across climate, sustainability, and community resilience. Run in partnership with the Sage Foundation, it selects 12–13 startups for a high-touch Core Cohort offering mentoring, financial coaching, product support, and $10K–$50K in grant funding, while 14–16 additional startups join a Community Cohort with resources and visibility. All participants receive two years of post-program support to help them scale solutions that address urgent global challenges.
DoorDash Local Business Disaster Relief Fund
Amount: up to $15,000
Deadline: 1/6/26
Overview: Provides grants ranging from $5,000 to $15,000 to small businesses impacted by natural disasters, severe weather, or infrastructure failures to help them recover and reopen quickly.
KC G.I.F.T. Grant
Amount: $10,000
Deadline: 1/6/26
Overview: The Kansas City G.I.F.T. Grant offers $10,000 to help accelerate Black-owned businesses in Kansas City, MO. To qualify, businesses must be at least 51% Black-owned, located in specified Kansas City/Raytown/Grandview areas, generating revenue for at least 3 months, have annual revenue under $1M, and show job-creation potential; applicants submit a growth plan, business docs, recent financials, and a $25 nonrefundable fee. Awards are selected through committee review and interviews, with optional coaching and future reapplication opportunities after funding.
NJ SBDC x AWS AI Pitch Competition
Amount: up to $50,000 in resources
Deadline: 1/7/26
Overview: The AWS AI Pitch Competition (hosted by NJ SBDC 7 Counties with Predictif and AWS) is an in-person event on January 7, 2026 (4–6 PM ET) at the Voorhees Library in Voorhees Township, NJ. It invites AI-driven startups and businesses to pitch their solutions for a chance to receive up to $50,000 in AWS Partner Funding, along with exposure to experts and networking with tech and entrepreneurship leaders.
NewSchools 2026 Grant
Amount: $150,000 to $250,000
Deadline: 1/8/26
Overview: This NewSchools 2026 funding opportunity supports early-stage education innovators developing bold new public school models, K–8 math and literacy solutions, improved teaching approaches (including AI-enabled models), and supports for students with learning differences. Applicants can receive one-year unrestricted grants of $150,000–$250,000, plus expert coaching and access to a national peer community.
Wells Fargo Small Business Fellowship
Deadline: 1/8/26
Overview: The Wells Fargo Small Business Fellowship is a fully funded 16-week program (run with Watson Institute) for small business owners, entrepreneurs, and nonprofit leaders who strengthen local small-business ecosystems in Baltimore, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. Fellows receive expert-led business and leadership workshops, mentorship and capital connections, plus pitch training and the opportunity to lead a short “Basecamp” workshop and present at an in-person Summit.
Viarae Content Contest
Amount: up to $10,000
Deadline: 1/9/26
Overview: The Viarae Content Contest (sponsored by E. & J. Gallo Winery) is a grant for U.S. residents 21+ (excluding Utah) running Dec. 19, 2025–Jan. 9, 2026 (or until 500 entries are received). To enter, participants submit one original photo and a 30–45 second video showing how they bring together and celebrate their community, with three cash prizes awarded: $10,000 (Grand Prize), $3,000 (First), and $2,000 (Second).
Florida SBDC x AWS AI Pitch Competition
Amount: up to $50,000 in resources
Deadline: 1/12/26
Overview: The AWS AI Pitch Competition (with Florida SBDC and PREDICTif) takes place January 22, 2026 (4–7 PM ET) in Tarpon Springs, FL, and invites innovators with AI ideas, prototypes, or projects to pitch to judges and industry leaders. Selected participants can receive up to $50,000 in AWS Partner-funded technical support to help develop and scale their solution, and must apply to pitch by January 12, 2026 (event registration deadline).
Truist Foundation Fellowship
Deadline: 1/12/26
Overview: This 16-week accelerator program supports small business owners, nonprofit leaders, and entrepreneurs driving impact in underserved or underbanked communities across the Southeast, Mid-Atlantic, Northeast, and South Central U.S. regions. Designed for ventures operating 1–5 years with under 10 employees, the program offers expert-led training, mentorship, peer learning, and leadership opportunities to help participants scale their organizations and deepen community impact. Participants must commit fully to the program’s workshops and immersive sessions, fostering an engaged, collaborative environment for shared growth and innovation.
AI Impact Grant
Amount: $2,500
Deadline: 1/15/26
Overview: The AI Impact Grant awards $2,500 from Alicia Lyttle to support emerging entrepreneurs who want to use AI to launch or scale profitable businesses. It’s designed for founders to invest in AI tools, training, or marketing systems to accelerate their visions forward.
Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition Grants for Artists
Amount: up to $1,500
Deadline: 1/15/26
Overview: The Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition (OVAC) offers Grants for Artists to support Oklahoma-based artists in creating visual art for public presentation, advancing professional development, or leading community projects. Grants are available for artists working in visual media, curation, and art writing, with awards based on artistic merit and grant-specific criteria.
Peace of Mind Foundation Mental Health Grant
Amount: up to $150,000
Deadline: 1/15/26
Overview: The Peace of Mind Foundation is seeking proposals for mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) projects for children affected by war, displacement, violence, or natural disasters, and it can fund work in any country, prioritizing urgent crisis contexts. Grants typically range from $50K–$150K per year for projects of about 12 months, with funds expected to be disbursed starting March/April 2026.
The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida Small Organization Grant
Amount: up to $2,500
Deadline: 1/15/26
Overview: The Community Foundation’s Small Organization Grants offer one-time awards up to $2,500 for grassroots nonprofits with budgets under $150,000 that have at least two years of work history and serve Baker, Clay, Duval, Nassau, Putnam, or St. Johns counties, with applications due January 15, 2026. Grants support basic needs, community-building, youth support, DEI efforts, and capacity strengthening.
Chicago Cultural Grants Individual Artists Program
Amount: up to $6,000
Deadline: 1/15/26
Overview: Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) Individual Artists Program (IAP) offers grants of up to $6,000 to help practicing Chicago artists create, develop, or present work and pursue professional development across disciplines like music, film, literary arts, performing arts, and visual arts. Applicants must be Chicago residents with specific accepted ID, be 18+, not be full-time undergraduates, and 2025 grantees must sit out one year; DCASE expects to award about 200–250 grants.
Garment District Alliance Business Development Collaborative RFP
Amount: ~$100,000
Deadline: 1/15/26
Overview: The Garment District Alliance (GDA) is seeking proposals from qualified organizations to serve as “Program Managers” for Cycle 5 of its Business Development Collaborative (BDC), delivering 6–9 months of programming that strengthens Garment District businesses—especially legacy fashion and manufacturing sectors impacted by the 2025 rezoning. Selected programs can include workshops and training, 1:1 consultations, networking and marketing events, and workforce development initiatives, but cannot provide cash grants and must have a strong nexus to the Garment District. Proposals are due January 15, 2026, and contracts are paid quarterly on a reimbursement basis, with program reporting and collaboration requirements across the cohort.
National Creative Forces® Community Engagement Grant
Amount: up to $25,000
Deadline: 1/15/26
Overview: The Creative Forces® Community Engagement Grants fund arts-based programs that support the health and well-being of military-connected individuals who have experienced trauma by building resilience, creativity, and social connection. Offered by the NEA in partnership with Mid-America Arts Alliance, the program provides matching grants of up to $10,000 (emerging projects) or $25,000 (advanced projects) for one-year initiatives run by eligible nonprofits or government/tribal entities with at least three years of relevant programming experience. Applications close January 15, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. CT, and funded projects begin on or after July 1, 2026.
Braze Tech for an Equitable Future
Amount: $26,500 (product value)
Deadline: 1/16/26
Overview: The Tech for an Equitable Future program by Braze supports underrepresented founders by providing 12 months of free access to the Braze customer engagement platform and supporting services. The program helps startups scale by enabling personalized, multi-channel customer engagement without requiring large teams or deep technical expertise.
Amex Shop Small Grants Program
Amount: $20,000
Deadline: 1/16/26
Overview: The Amex Shop Small Grants Program is a new American Express–Main Street America initiative that will award 250 U.S. small businesses $20,000 each (from an initial $5M pool) to fund projects that help them grow, innovate, and benefit their local communities. Eligible applicants are for-profit, independently owned brick-and-mortar businesses in the 50 states or DC with 20 or fewer FTE employees.
DC Great Streets Small Business Retail Grant Program
Amount: up to $90,000
Deadline: 1/16/26
Overview: The DC Great Streets Small Business Retail Grant is designed to strengthen and revitalize commercially underserved corridors by helping new and existing retail businesses retain customers and innovate for long-term sustainability. It prioritizes projects and collaborations that go beyond traditional building improvements—supporting essential goods and services and encouraging corridor-wide transformation through new opportunities and business retention. The total amount of funding available for this program is $2.5M, with anticipated awards of up to $90,000 per applicant.
DC Great Streets Locally Made Manufacturing Grant
Amount: up to $400,000
Deadline: 1/16/26
Overview: The Locally Made Manufacturing Grant program supports local businesses that are located in a Great Streets corridor that engage in light manufacturing, by providing funding for capital or tenant improvements of commercial property with a designated industrial use. This grant is intended to grow the District’s local business economy, bolster manufacturing, and strengthen supply chains within the city. DMPED anticipates making up to 10 awards for up to $400,000, per award.
DC Great Streets Emerging Retail Initiative
Amount: up to $40,000
Deadline: 1/16/26
Overview: D.C.’s FY2026 Emerging Retail Initiative (ERI), run by the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development, provides grants to help emerging consumer-goods businesses test and grow their concepts in a low-risk, temporary retail setting. The program uses a “temporary-use” model—supporting pop-ups, short-term leases, and incubator-style spaces—to activate vacant storefronts and build vibrant retail hubs in underserved commercial corridors. Its goal is to help businesses build brand awareness and scale toward permanent brick-and-mortar locations while boosting local economic vitality and community engagement. DMPED anticipates making up to 10 awards for up to $40,000, per award.
Many Hands Grant
Amount: up to $100,000
Deadline: 1/16/26
Overview: Many Hands is a Washington, DC–area giving circle that awards four unrestricted grants annually to local nonprofits serving women, children, and families in socioeconomic need, across four focus areas: economic empowerment, education, health, and housing. For the 2026 cycle, one selected grantee will receive the Many Hands Impact Grant of at least $100,000, while the other three focus-area winners receive Partner Grants (about $75,000 each in 2025, depending on fundraising).
Her Agenda Breakthrough Grant Volume II
Amount: $5,000
Deadline: 1/18/26
Overview: The Breakthrough Grant: Volume II is a $5,000 grant created by Her Agenda to support women entrepreneurs seeking resources to grow and overcome barriers in their businesses. Open to entrepreneurs with an operating business who are subscribed to the Her Agenda newsletter.
DC Robust Retail Citywide Grants
Amount: $10,000
Deadline: 1/20/26
Overview: DC’s FY 2026 Robust Retail Citywide Grants provide up to $10,000 (reimbursement-based) to help existing, DC-based brick-and-mortar retail businesses maintain operations and stay viable, with about 50 businesses funded through a lottery from $500,000 total. Eligible applicants must be licensed, for-profit, public-facing retail sellers located in DC.
Sky High Farm Grants (2026)
Amount: up to $30,000
Deadline: 1/20/26
Overview: Sky High Farm awards grants to individuals working in agriculture, food justice, and land sovereignty to support community-driven solutions to food insecurity. Funding ranges widely to match project scope, with $350,000 awarded across recipients.
NYC Scale Ready Studio Accelerator
Deadline: 1/21/26
Overview: Scale Ready Studio is a 12-week, revenue-focused accelerator for women-identifying founders in New York City who are past the idea stage and building innovation-industry businesses with traction (customers/pilots/early revenue). The program provides weekly in-person labs, virtual pods, and coaching to help founders build predictable revenue systems, strengthen sales and operations, and execute a clear growth plan.
Michigan Arts and Culture Council Mission Support Grant
Amount: up to $30,000
Deadline: 1/22/26
Overview: The Michigan Arts and Culture Council (MACC) offers grant programs to support organizations delivering arts and cultural services across Michigan, aiming to expand access to creative expression and the civic/economic benefits of arts and culture. The Mission Support Grant, funds qualifying 501(c)(3) arts and culture nonprofits for needs like operations, facility/equipment improvements, professional development, and arts education/field trips.
Michigan Arts and Culture Council Experience Support Grant
Amount: up to $30,000
Deadline: 1/22/26
Overview: The Michigan Arts and Culture Council (MACC) offers grant programs to support organizations delivering arts and cultural services across Michigan, aiming to expand access to creative expression and the civic/economic benefits of arts and culture. The Experience Support grant funds arts- and culture-related projects for Michigan organizations whose primary mission isn’t arts and culture, including municipalities, tribal entities, schools, universities, and non-arts nonprofits. Applicants can request support for projects, facilities/equipment, professional development, and field trips.
Conscious Venture Lab Accelerator Program
Amount: up to $125,000 investment for 5-10% equity
Deadline: 1/23/26
Overview: The Conscious Venture Lab (CVL) Accelerator Program is a 14–16 week Baltimore-based accelerator for early-stage, purpose-driven startups, especially those led by diverse and underestimated founders, focused on building high-growth companies that also create social impact. Selected teams receive free tuition, a structured curriculum rooted in Conscious Capitalism/Stakeholder Theory, plus hands-on mentorship, networking, and resources like workspace; companies may be eligible for up to $125,000 in post-program funding (typically for 5–10% equity) through CVL’s partner fund after the program. Cohort 15 is expected to start Spring 2026, with applications due January 23.
U.S. Venture/Schmidt Family Foundation Grant
Amount: up to $50,000
Deadline: 1/23/26
Overview: Supports nonprofits improving lives in areas like education, health, and equity. Grants support a wide range of funding requests including specific program needs, capital support, and general operating support.
Polsky E-Commerce Growth Program
Deadline: 1/23/26
Overview: The E-Commerce Growth Program is a four-month initiative for Chicago-based small businesses looking to launch or expand e-commerce, helping them strengthen their online foundation and build a sustainable growth strategy. Funded by Verizon and delivered with 37 Oaks and the Polsky Exchange, it includes workshops, readiness and digital presence assessments, a tailored 60-day growth plan, and 1:1 coaching plus implementation support from a University of Chicago intern.
USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative Mental Health Accelerator Emerging Filmmakers Grant
Amount: $20,000
Deadline: 1/26/26
Overview: The USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative Mental Health Accelerator (presented by Kristen Bell and Dr. Stacy L. Smith) awards up to three emerging filmmakers $20,000 each to produce a short fictional film centered on a mental health story that highlights resiliency and emotional capacity. Applicants must be 21+, eligible to work and reside in the U.S., and have made at least two prior short films, with priority for projects that can serve as proof of concept for a feature. Applications close January 26, 2026, winners are announced in March 2026, and completed films will be screened at an event in May 2026.
New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship
Amount: $8,000
Deadline: 1/27/26
Overview: The NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellowship is a $8,000 unrestricted grant for artists who live in New York State and/or one of its Tribal Nations, meant to support an artist’s overall vision rather than a specific project. Eligible disciplines in 2026 include: Craft/Sculpture, Digital/Electronic Arts, Nonfiction Literature, Poetry, and Printmaking/Drawing/Book Arts. Applicants must be 25+, have at least two consecutive years of NYS (or Tribal Nation) residency, not be enrolled in a degree program, and not have won a fellowship in the past five years. For the 2026 cycle, applications open December 2, 2025 and close January 27, 2026, with notifications in Summer 2026.
Amplify Her Incubator
Amount: up to $10,000
Deadline: 1/30/26
Overview: Amplify Her® Incubator is a 6-month program for NYC-based women (18+) with bold, community-rooted ideas to create systems-level change that improves the lives of women and girls in New York City. Fellows receive monthly in-person workshops, mentorship, and potential microgrants up to $10,000, with funding eligibility requiring 501(c)(3) status or a fiscal sponsor, and the program culminates in a pitch competition on November 11; applications are due January 30.
Boundless Futures Foundation EmpowHer Grant
Amount: up to $50,000
Deadline: 1/30/26
Overview: Boundless Futures Foundation’s EmpowHer Grants support U.S.-based female founders running revenue-generating, for-profit businesses that are five years old or less and create a clear social impact in areas like poverty/hunger/humanitarian aid or sustainability/environment. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis during open cycles, with grants awarded twice a year (spring and fall).
JumpStart January Galaxy Grant
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: 1/30/26
Overview: Galaxy Grants, powered by Hidden Star 501(c)(3), is offering a $1,000 JumpStart January Galaxy Grant to support women and minority business owners. The application takes about 30 seconds, with a deadline to enter of January 30, 2026.
Sky’s The Limit Grants
Amount: $2,500
Deadline: 1/30/26
Overview: Sky's The Limit awards monthly grants of $2,500 to underrepresented entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs need to create an account and create a pitch page to participate in monthly grants, and also gain access to mentorship, tools and resources, and special events.
US Women in Tech 2026 Accelerator
Amount: up to $25,000
Deadline: 1/30/26
Overview: The US Women in Tech 2026 Accelerator (run by Village Capital in collaboration with the Standard Chartered Foundation) supports 10–12 women-led, impact-focused, tech-enabled U.S. startups working to advance economic mobility and equitable access to essential services. Eligible companies must be U.S.-based, for-profit, revenue-generating (under $100K annually), have an MVP, fewer than 10 employees, and have raised under $1.5M, with solutions spanning areas like healthcare access, education, employment pathways, and financial inclusion. The program offers coaching, mentorship, milestone planning, and peer-led evaluation, and two startups are selected by peers to receive $25K in grant capital.
WORC PA Women's Business Pitch Competition
Amount: up to $25,000
Deadline: 1/30/26
Overview: The WORC Women’s Business Pitch Competition 2026 is a Philadelphia-focused program that supports women-led businesses with growth and community impact through a multi-stage pitch competition and intensive coaching. Twenty semi-finalists receive mentorship and pitch/storytelling support, with five finalists presenting at a public event in May 2026 to compete for $10,000–$25,000 in grant awards. Applications open Dec 8, 2025 and close Jan 30, 2026, with semi-finalists announced Feb 20 and presentations in March and May.
Gottlieb Foundation Individual Support Grant
Amount: up to $25,000
Deadline: 1/31/26
Overview: Awards $25,000 grants to 20 painters, sculptors, and printmakers annually who have been practicing in a mature phase of their art for 20+ years. Open to individual artists regardless of commercial success. Not open to students, organizations, or those working in photography, film, crafts, or digital media unless the work is clearly related to painting or sculpture.
Capital One Mobility Accelerator
Deadline: 1/31/26
Overview: Accelerator focused on innovations in mobility, transportation, and related services. Offers programming, mentorship, and potential partnerships.
Flywheel Investment Conference Pitch
Amount: $150,000 investment
Deadline: 1/31/26
Overview: The Flywheel Investment Conference pitch competition is an opportunity for early-stage, venture-scale startups with a presence in Washington State that have raised less than $2M (excluding grants and other non-dilutive funding). Finalists pitch live at the May 20–21, 2026 conference in Wenatchee, after virtual interviews and due diligence in April–May, with awards that can include $150,000+ in investment, a $50,000 relocation offer, and a $5,000 cash prize.
Inland Empire Community Foundation CIELO Fund
Amount: up to $15,000
Deadline: 1/31/26
Overview: The CIELO Fund, housed at the Inland Empire Community Foundation, provides grants of up to $15,000 to support organizations and initiatives led by—and serving—Latinos in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. The fund focuses on uplifting the Inland Empire Latino community through community investments, leadership development, research, and narrative-shifting efforts. The 2026 grant application opens December 15, 2025 and closes January 31, 2026, with a technical assistance workshop on January 8, 2026.
Breva Thrive Grant for Small Business Growth
Amount: $5,000
Deadline: 1/31/26
Overview: Quarterly grants for U.S.-based small businesses who are having a positive impact in an underrepresented community. One entrepreneur each round receives $5,000 to invest in their business and community.
Skip $10,000 2026 Kickoff Grants
Amount: $10,000
Deadline: 1/31/26
Overview: Skip’s $10,000 2026 Kickoff Grants offer two $10,000 awards to support U.S.-based entrepreneurs and small business owners age 18+, with one grant open to everyone and one reserved for Skip Plus members.
Staten Island Arts Grants
Amount: up to $5,000
Deadline: 1/31/26
Overview: Staten Island Arts offers project grants for Staten Island-based artists, collectives, and nonprofit organizations to support original artistic work, cultural programming, and arts education, with an emphasis on public engagement and community impact. For the 2026 cycle, applications open November 17, 2025 and are due January 31, 2026, with award amounts generally ranging from $500 to $5,000 depending on the category (including options for first-time applicants, returning grantees, nonprofits, school partnerships, and senior center residencies).
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