
5 Small Business Grants You Can Apply For Right Now
With inflation hovering around 2.4% as of March 2025 and consumer confidence falling for a fifth consecutive month, small business owners are navigating a climate marked by caution and constraint. Stephanie Guichard, a senior economist for the Global Indicators at The Conference Board, mentions in the organization's latest report release that 'consumer confidence declined for a fifth consecutive month in April, falling to levels not seen since the onset of the Covid pandemic … The decline was largely driven by consumers' expectations. The three expectation components—business conditions, employment prospects, and future income—all deteriorated sharply, reflecting pervasive pessimism about the future.'
At the same time, access to traditional funding sources continues to shrink. According to the 2024 Bank of America Business Owner Report, 71% of small business owners plan to seek funding this year, down from 82% last spring. Personal savings remain the most commonly used funding source, followed by business credit cards and bank loans, each carrying its own limitations. In 2023, nearly 70% of small business owners relied on their savings, a marked increase from 60% in 2022 to just 43% in 2020.
In today's uncertain economic environment, grants present a great path to business growth, particularly for women of color who frequently face systemic barriers to traditional funding. Whether you are launching a new venture, working to stabilize operations, or scaling an existing business, having access to grant funding can offer a much-needed financial cushion. Below are five current opportunities designed to support small business owners through these challenging times.
The Dream Makers Founder Grant is a $1 million multi-year initiative created to support underrepresented business owners and expand equitable access to capital. The program distributes five $25,000 grants annually to help historically excluded entrepreneurs scale their ventures. In 2025, a total of $125,000 will be awarded, with applications open through May 30 and winners announced in early August.
Eligible businesses must be U.S.-based, generate annual revenue between $100,000 and $1 million, and have between one and ten employees. Companies must also be at least 51% women-owned and sell a consumer packaged good (CPG) that does not fall within the beauty category. While only members of the Fifteen Percent Pledge's Business Equity Community can apply, registration is free and takes less than 15 minutes. The program's goal is to reduce funding barriers and foster an ecosystem where diverse founders can thrive; grant funds must be used for marketing, manufacturing, or R&D.
The Cartier Women's Initiative is a longstanding global entrepreneurship program that champions women-led businesses making a measurable social or environmental impact. Founded in 2006, the program is open to women-run and women-owned ventures in any country and industry, provided they demonstrate a mission-driven model aimed at positive change.
Award amounts range from $30,000 to $100,000, offering substantial financial support in addition to mentorship, visibility, and access to an entrepreneurs' global community. The next application deadline is June 24, 2025, and those interested are encouraged to begin preparing early, as the program is highly competitive. This grant opportunity is especially relevant for women founders who want to expand their impact, attract global attention, and scale with purpose.
Santander's Cultivate Small Business program is designed to help early-stage food entrepreneurs build sustainable businesses. The program focuses on founders operating in low-to-moderate income neighborhoods, offering a comprehensive 12-week curriculum that blends food-focused business education, one-on-one mentorship, and access to capital grants. The fall cohort runs from September through November, with applications accepted from March through June, making now a prime window to apply.
To qualify, businesses must be at least one year old, have revenues between $25,000 and $1 million in the previous calendar year, and employ between one and ten full-time team members. While the program is free to eligible entrepreneurs, it is geographically limited to select regions, including Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, the Greater Philadelphia area, New York City, and Miami. This grant program provides financial support and the foundational infrastructure to scale resilient and sustainably.
Amazon Business is investing more than $250,000 in the growth of small businesses with its annual grant program. Open to existing Amazon Business customers in the U.S. with annual revenues of $1 million or less, the grant includes monetary awards and business-enhancing perks. The grand prize winner will receive a $25,000 grant, four finalists will each receive $20,000 and ten semi-finalists will receive $15,000.
Additional prizes include a one-year Business Prime membership, Amazon devices such as Kindle Scribe and Echo Show 8, and up to $3,000 in reward points. To be eligible, businesses must be U.S.-based, self-owned by a U.S. resident over 18, and must have made a purchase on Amazon Business within the 12 months before May 1, 2025. Only one entry per business account is accepted, and applications must be submitted by May 23, 2025. This grant is an attractive option for companies already operating on Amazon's platform or considering expanding their e-commerce operations.
Stamps.com has launched its inaugural Small Business Flexibility Grant to celebrate Small Business Month. The grant offers $25,000 to one service-based business in the U.S. to enhance operational resilience. Applications are open from May 1 through May 31, 2025. The program is designed to empower businesses facing everyday operational challenges, particularly those that can be alleviated through automation or digital tools.
Eligible applicants must be U.S.-based, service-oriented businesses with at least three employees and a minimum of two years in operation. Applicants are asked to share how their business would use the funding to improve flexibility, such as streamlining manual processes like mailing or shipping.
To maximize these opportunities, prepare compelling applications that connect your mission with measurable outcomes and include detailed plans for how the funds will be deployed. Whether you are expanding operations, integrating new technology, or launching a high-impact venture, these funding opportunities offer tangible support at a time when external financing is increasingly limited.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
36 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Mexican President Sheinbaum seeking meeting with Trump at G7
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum says she hopes to have a pull-aside conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump when the two North American leaders travel to Alberta next week for the G7 summit. Her trip north comes as both Canada and Mexico grapple with Trump's persistent tariffs and economic threats, which have also stressed the Canada-Mexico relationship; Ontario Premier Doug Ford has suggested Canada go it alone with the U.S. on trade. Mexico is not part of the G7, but other leaders are often invited for discussions around the global leader summit. Last month, Sheinbaum confirmed she was invited but wasn't sure if she'd attend. "I have decided that I will attend the G7," Sheinbaum said in a statement Monday. "The foreign affairs minister is working on setting up bilateral meetings — it is likely that we will have one with Trump." Prime Minister Mark Carney's office has signalled he is hoping to reach a deal around tariffs and trade around the G7 meetings, taking place in Kananaskis, Alta., from June 15 to 17. The prime minister has also said he wants to make progress on bilateral issues with the U.S. before talks take place on the trilateral Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA). A review of that deal is officially slated to start in 2026, although Mexican officials have suggested they expect a review to start earlier than that.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Michigan proposal to tax the rich, fund schools raises questions with business groups
(Getty Images) A group of Michigan educational and labor organizations launched a ballot initiative to let Michigan voters decide if they want to place higher taxes on wealthy Michiganders to fund public K-12 schools this week and business groups are questioning how beneficial the change would be for the state. Michigan's 4.25% income tax rate has billionaires and teachers paying the same rate, Michigan Education Justice Coalition, one of the education groups behind the ballot initiative to add a 5% income tax hike for individuals with incomes over $500,000 and couples earning over $1 million said Thursday. One of the key questions business groups will be considering when evaluating the proposed additional increases in income tax rates is how any change would impact Michigan's competitiveness as a place to live and do business, Joshua Lunger, vice president of Government Affairs for the Grand Rapids Chamber, told Michigan Advance on Friday. The chamber will be reviewing the ballot initiative before taking any official position on it, but right away, Lunger said a lot of states that are growing have no income tax or are trying to reduce their income tax rates, so it's important to evaluate what the unique impact on Michigan would be. That's what the chamber did when it opposed the 2010 temporary income tax increase for Grand Rapids residents and then supported maintaining the tax increase with the condition that the city funded road repairs, Lunger said. 'It really comes down to, what is it being used for? What's the potential impact? And both positive and negative, are there any other unintended consequences?' Lunger said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Michigan's public school system has historically been underfunded with Michigan State University researchers finding that the state's funding for K-12 schools dropped further than any other state in the two decades before the COVID-19 pandemic. During the pandemic, Michigan students experienced some of the worst learning losses in the country, a 2025 report from EdTrust-Midwest, a Michigan-based, education advocacy nonprofit group, found. The report also noted Michigan ranked among the worst states in the country for funding the educational success of low-income students, who are testing lower in Michigan than national averages on 3rd grade reading tests and 7th grade math tests. Michigan's reading scores for younger students are some of the worst in the country, a pain point with decisionmakers in Lansing when discussing state budgets and spending decisions. But another focus area is Michigan's stagnating population growth and the necessity to entice businesses to come to Michigan and for Michiganders to remain in the state's workforce. In order for Michigan to get on track to grow, the state should be incentivizing economic success, not further taxing it, Jase Bolger, president and CEO of the West Michigan Policy Forum said in a statement in response to the ballot initiative Friday morning. Instead of throwing money at Michigan's educational system that is failing to address the needs of students, Bolger said parents should be provided more information about the status of their child's learning and if they're meeting expectations. 'Way too many kids in Michigan can't read, but it's clear these adults can't do simple math. Today in Michigan, the more you make the more you pay. But worse is that this proposal would drive Michigan further in the wrong direction,' Bolger said. 'While states that are growing are overwhelmingly cutting taxes on work, or don't tax work at all, this would double down on Michigan's lagging policies that have led to the fastest growing unemployment rate in the country.'
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Default ahead for California? Unlikely, says New Report From Payden & Rygel's California Municipal Social Impact Fund Team
LOS ANGELES, June 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Recent concerns over California's fiscal health—driven by declining initial public offering (IPO) volume, reduced federal funding risk, and rising costs—have prompted questions about the state's financial stability. However, after a thorough analysis, Payden & Rygel's market-leading municipal bond team believes the risk of a bond default or severe credit deterioration remains low. 'While we understand investors' concerns about the California economy, its capacity to generate adequate revenue to match spending levels and the potential impact on the state's municipal debt, we believe that although the revenue picture is softening, the outlook remains relatively stable over the next 1-2 years with potential credit rating deterioration limited to just one notch over that timeframe in a worst case scenario. Near term ratings will hinge on the final FY 26 budget that we expect Sacramento to pass by June 15th, otherwise lawmakers don't get paid,' say the report's authors, the Payden & Rygel's California Municipal Social Impact Fund team. 'We are also closely monitoring the evolution of entitlement spending reduction proposals at the federal level but ultimately expect Medicaid cuts to be less pervasive than currently feared,' they added. Here are six reasons to be optimistic: The 10th amendment prohibits states, including California, from filing for bankruptcy. While defaults are technically possible, California is nowhere near default based on current less than a month in the current fiscal year, tax revenues are weakening but remain strong, with Governor Newsom's recent May Revision projecting a relatively small $12 billion projected for next year. IPO activity, while down, is not a core revenue driver. Its recent decline reflects a normalization post-COVID stimulus, not a structural weakness. All three major credit agencies S&P, Moody's, and Fitch—rate California AA-/Aa2/AA, respectively, all with stable outlooks but we expect the ratings agencies to refine their views this summer following the finalization of the FY 2026 budget process by the end of gross domestic product (GDP) ranks #4 globally, recently surpassing Japan, underscoring a broad, diverse and innovative state economy with a deep employment base. Although reserves have dipped since 2023 due to pandemic fund drawdowns and budgetary uncertainty in FY 2023/2024 due to delayed tax receipts, they remain at comparatively strong levels historically that will grant state leadership time to navigate federal policy uncertainty, which Governor Newsom blames for a softening of service is low at 3–4% of governmental expenditures, and pension funding remains solid. Because of constitutional protections that prioritize education and debt payments, revenue would need to drop over 50% to threaten debt service. For context, State revenues dropped 15% in uncertainty, California retains healthy credit fundamentals with relatively stable ratings, manageable deficits, excellent access to liquidity and conservative budgeting assumptions that support bondholder confidence. In summary, while recent headlines surrounding tariffs, fiscal tightening, and economic uncertainty have contributed to heightened market anxiety, our base case remains firm: Although California's credit profile is softening, it continues to demonstrate resilience, supported by a vast and diversified tax base, substantial reserve levels across all governmental funds, and long-term liabilities that we consider both moderate and manageable. Here is a link to the full report. ABOUT PAYDEN & RYGEL With $165 billion under management, Payden & Rygel is one of the largest privately-owned global investment advisers focused on the active management of fixed income and equity portfolios. Payden & Rygel provides a full range of investment strategies and solutions to investors around the globe, including Central Banks, Pension Funds, Insurance Companies, Private Banks, and Foundations. This material reflects the firm's current opinion and is subject to change without notice. Sources for the material contained herein are deemed reliable but cannot be guaranteed. This material is for illustrative purposes only and does not constitute investment advice or an offer to sell or buy any security. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. For press requests, please contact:Kate Ennisennis@ Photos accompanying this announcement are available at This press release was published by a CLEAR® Verified in to access your portfolio