How to Use This List
Every program below falls into one of three buckets: recurring programs that open on a monthly or quarterly cycle, deadlines this month, and always-open federal programs. Recurring programs are the ones most owners overlook — if you miss this month's window, the same grant opens again next month. Always confirm details on the program's official site before applying; amounts and dates can change after we publish.
Recurring Programs — Open Every Month or Quarter
Amber Grant — $10,000 Monthly
WomensNet awards three $10,000 Amber Grants every month to women-owned businesses, and monthly winners are automatically in the running for three $25,000+ year-end awards. Applications close at 11:59 PM Eastern on the last day of each month, and the application is genuinely short. A small application fee applies. If you're a woman business owner and you only apply for one grant this month, this is a strong pick.
Verizon Small Business Digital Ready — $10,000
Verizon, in partnership with LISC, is awarding $10,000 grants to small businesses that register for the free Digital Ready portal and complete a short set of courses or events. Applications are reviewed monthly through December 2026, and one application keeps you in the running for later rounds. The course requirement filters out most applicants — which improves the odds for owners who actually finish it.
NASE Growth Grants — Up to $4,000
The National Association for the Self-Employed accepts Growth Grant applications year-round and reviews them quarterly. Grants of up to $4,000 can be used for marketing, equipment, hiring, and other concrete growth needs. You need to be a NASE member to apply, so weigh the membership cost against the opportunity.
Deadlines and Openings This Month
Women Founders Grant — $5,000
A $5,000 merit-based award for women-founded businesses with a reported application deadline of August 31, 2026. Merit-based means your pitch matters more than your paperwork — lead with traction and a specific plan for the money.
Delaware EDGE Grant Competition
Delaware's EDGE competition opens a new round on August 11, 2026 for early-stage businesses — operating fewer than seven years, 15 or fewer full-time employees. EDGE awards matching grants, with larger awards for STEM businesses than non-STEM. If you're in Delaware and early-stage, this is one of the strongest state programs in the country.
Always Open — Federal Programs
SBIR / STTR — America's Seed Fund
If your business does research or technology development, eleven federal agencies fund SBIR/STTR awards on rolling solicitation cycles — Phase I awards commonly run from $50,000 into the hundreds of thousands, non-dilutive. New solicitations post year-round. See our full SBIR/STTR guide for how phases work.
Grants.gov — The Federal Firehose
Every federal grant opportunity is posted to grants.gov. Most listings target nonprofits and research institutions, but filtering by "for-profit organizations" surfaces the business-eligible ones. Set up a saved search and let new opportunities come to you. Our federal grants guide explains which agencies actually fund small businesses.
Don't Forget Your State
Some of the easiest grants to win never show up on national lists — they're state and city programs competing over a much smaller applicant pool. Start with your state's page: Texas, California, Florida, New York, Georgia, or browse grants by state.
Need Funding Before a Grant Comes Through?
Even the fastest grants above take weeks to award, and most competitive programs run three to six months from application to check. If your business needs capital now — inventory, equipment, payroll, a growth opportunity that won't wait — working capital funding can close the gap while your grant applications are pending.
See What Funding You Qualify For