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Funding Opportunities for December 2023

We are happy to share these funding opportunities and resources with you. Feel free to share this information with your personal and professional networks. We have no affiliation with these organizations - so any specific questions should be directed to them.


This email is coming out a little early because there are a handful of opportunities with a 12/1/23 deadline – so please take a minute to scan the list to see if any require fast action.

This article includes global and country-specific grants, resources, and opportunities.

**Reminder - If you are awarded a grant or accepted into an accelerator or fellowship, I’d love to know about it – please email me to share your news!**



Funding Opportunities Now Available
Funding Opportunities Now Available

Here are the funding opportunities for December 2023. If you end up being awarded a grant or accepted into an accelerator or fellowship, I’d love to know about it – please share it in the comment section or email me to share your news!



GLOBAL OPPORTUNITIES (unless specified in the description)


About Her Culture Microgrant - Micro grants of $500 are open to women of Caribbean and African descent, who are entrepreneurs, creatives and non-profit founders, based in their home countries or anywhere around the world. Applicants must demonstrate that their projects are positively impacting culture and community. Apply by 12/15/2023 - https://aboutherculture.com/micro-grant-opportunities/

Amazon App Store Small Business Accelerator - The Small Business Accelerator Program allows developers that earn less than 1 million USD in total annual revenue in the previous calendar year to access additional benefits up to or equivalent to 20% of Appstore revenue. If eligible, you’ll receive a 10% increased royalty payment and AWS credits equivalent to 10% of your app revenue. - https://developer.amazon.com/apps-and-games/small-business-program

Antler Global Startup Program - Antler is a global early-stage VC that runs multiple programs for business startups around the world. See the website for more info about the program and application dates. - https://www.antler.co/platform/#apply-now

Atomic Grants - Atomic Grants are available to those who identify as a woman, and who are 21+. You can live anywhere in the world - as long as you have a way to receive the money digitally, and you are connected via email and social media. Passion Collective’s Atomic Grant program awards four grants each year — $1,500 to one winner each quarter — to women seeking funding for their professional passions. Grant recipients will also have access to professional coaching sessions and one free year of Passion Collective On Demand. Apply by 12/15/23 - https://www.passioncollective.co/atomic-grants

Aurora Tech Award - The Aurora Tech Award is an annual global prize for women founders of tech startups. The startup must be founded or co-founded and led by a woman entrepreneur and have received less than $4MM in funding. Grant awards up to $30,000. Apply by 12/1/23 - https://www.auroratechaward.com/

Awesome Foundation - Foundation distributes $1,000 grants, no strings attached, to projects and their creators. At each fully autonomous chapter, the money is pooled together from the coffers of ten or so self-organizing “micro-trustees”. Awarded monthly - https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en

AWS Startup Loft Accelerator - AWS Startup Loft Accelerator equips your technical team with tech resources, guidance and a community of peers. From technical deep dives to round tables on day-to-day CTO challenges, including: recruiting, managing an engineering team, building a minimum viable product, and design principles for cloud architecture. Provides $25,000 in AWS credits - https://aws-startup-lofts.com/emea/program/accelerator

Because Accelerator - Because Accelerator is a business accelerator program designed to help entrepreneurs take their innovative products to the next level. Apply by 1/26/2024 - https://becauseinternational.org/accelerator

Canva Pro For Nonprofits - If you are a nonprofit, you can register now to get Canva’s premium features for free. - https://www.canva.com/canva-for-nonprofits/

Emergent Ventures Grant/Fellowship Application (through Mercatus Center at George Mason University) - Emergent Ventures, a fellowship and grant program from the Mercatus Center, seeks to support entrepreneurs with highly scalable, “zero to one” ideas for meaningfully improving society. Projects will either be fellowships or grants: fellowships involve time in residence at the Mercatus Center in Northern Virginia; grants are one-time or slightly staggered payments to support a project. https://mercatuscenter.formstack.com/forms/emergent_ventures

Etsy Disaster Relief Fund - Sellers will be eligible for a grant if they experienced a federally declared natural disaster within the past year, have been an active seller on Etsy for at least one year, and their Etsy account is in good standing. Grants for $2,500 - https://advocacy.etsy.com/etsy-emergency-relief-fund-at-cerf/

F6S List of Accelerators and Pitch Competitions - Provides a list of accelerators, contests and pitch competitions around the world. https://www.f6s.com/programs

FINCA Ventures Prize - FINCA Ventures Prize to support social entrepreneurs who share FINCA’s steadfast commitment to ending global poverty. The FINCA Ventures Prize will culminate in an event in March 2024 in Washington DC. The event will feature in-person pitch presentations by the finalists to a jury and a celebration of the top winners in the categories of environment and health. Awards up to $70,000. Apply by 12/15/2023 - https://fincaventures.awardsplatform.com/

Ford Fund Fellowship (via Watson Institute) - An impact fellowship supported by the Ford Motor Company Fund, this is a venture and leadership development program designed for entrepreneurs who are addressing various social issues in order to enhance their ventures. The fellowship is open to applicants located in or making an impact in the following locations: China, Germany, Mexico, Romania, South Africa, United Kingdom, United States. Within the US, entrepreneurs should be based in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Kansas City, Louisville, or Memphis. Apply by 1/15/2024 - https://watson.is/ford-fund-fellowship/

Pollination Project - Grants to global non-profits. Annual budget for your group or organization must be less than $50,000. The total cost for the immediate project for which you are requesting funding must be less than $40,000 - https://thepollinationproject.org/apply/

Roddenberry Catalyst Fund - The Catalyst Fund is offering grants to Nonprofits & Social Enterprises to fund ideas or early-stage projects that have a high potential for large-scale impact and sustainable change. You can be a seasoned social entrepreneur or a first-time changemaker. Eligible candidates for the Catalyst Fund may be individuals, teams of individuals, non-profit organizations, or social enterprises. Funding up to $15,000 - https://roddenberryfoundation.org/our-work/catalyst-fund/

Savvy Fellowship - Savvy is a 12-week virtual Fellowship program for young professionals seeking to be part of the new generation of impact entrepreneurs. Applicants should be 40 or younger - https://savvyfellows.com/team/

SheTrades Accelerator - SheTrades Accelerator Programme for women entrepreneurs and business support organizations in the Apparel, Accessories and Home Décor sectors is targeting women-led businesses (WLBs) and Business Support Organizations (BSO) in the Apparel, Accessories, and Home Decor sector from Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Senegal, and South Africa. - https://shetrades-accelerator.converve.io/

Techstars Accelerators - Techstars accelerators have one goal: to help entrepreneurs succeed. During each three-month program, they surround companies (companies should be based in North American time zones) with the best mentors and an unrivaled network of corporate partners, investors, and alumni. Companies can receive $20K for 6% of company. Various locations and due dates - https://www.techstars.com/accelerators/



  • AFRICA-SPECIFIC OPPORTUNITIES

Founders Factory Africa Gen F Incubator - Gen F is for exceptional founders/aspiring entrepreneurs looking to build out and test their ideas, achieve commercial success, and create outsized, systemic impact and founders looking to build tech solutions that solve Africa’s largest problems and catalyze change. Funding up to $250,000 - https://www.foundersfactory.africa/gen-f-eir-initiative

Grindstone incubator - Must be based in South Africa - incubator will include training, corporate advisory, coaching, mentorship and funding. Specific interventions for each company include a structured gap analysis, understanding of the company value system, building a digital go-to-market strategy, financial modelling, intellectual property assessment, strategic and financial valuation as well as populating a data room - https://www.grindstonexl.com/grindstone-accelerator

Tony Elumelu Foundation - To apply, you only need to be a permanent resident of any of Africa’s 54 countries. Your startup must be at an ideation stage or not a business older than 5 years. Funding of $5,000 - https://www.tonyelumelufoundation.org/


  • CANADA-SPECIFIC OPPORTUNITIES

Black Innovation Launchpad - The Black Innovation Launchpad is a FREE virtual skills development platform focused on building the next generation of Black entrepreneurs. https://www.dmzlaunchpad.ca/courses/black-innovation-launchpad

Boost Your Business Technology Grant - Boost Your Business Technology grant offers support to Canadian-owned small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) who want to adopt new digital technologies. Funding up to $15,000 - https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/152.nsf/eng/00013.html

Commercial Space Rehabilitation Grant Program - Toronto - The Commercial Space Rehabilitation Grant Program is available to owners and tenants of vacant properties or the risk of being vacant properties at street level, or properties at risk of becoming vacant (that have received funding from the Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy program) within the city of Toronto, that are used for commercial purposes at street level, and that are locally owned and operated. A minimum of three eligible improvements must be made. Funding up to $24,000 - Applications open in December 2023 – subscribe at link to stay updated - https://www.toronto.ca/business-economy/business-operation-growth/business-incentives/commercial-space-rehabilitation-grant-program/

GoodSparks Grants - Each successful applicant will receive a $20,000 grant to fund initiatives focused on any one of the following areas: sustainable development, health and wellbeing, innovation and community impact. The grant is open to local enterprises operating in Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Saskatchewan. Must have less than 50 employees. Apply by 12/3/2023 - https://www.desjardins.com/ca/about-us/social-responsibility-cooperation/cooperative-movement/goodspark-grants/index.jsp

IMPACT grants - Primary goal of grant is to fuel the endeavors of businesses and nonprofits that are actively making a significant IMPACT within their communities and beyond. Open to US and Canada-based organizations. Funding of $1,000 -https://impactfundingsolutions.com/impact-grant-application-for-businesses/

Launchpad for Women Entrepreneurs - Launchpad for Women Entrepreneurs is designed to empower early-stage women entrepreneurs interprovincially by offering dedicated resources to kickstart and grow a successful business. Program is available via its on-demand self-paced learning platform nationally or through in-person sessions across Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia -https://www.launchpadforwomen.ca/

Main Street Innovation Fund – Toronto - The Main Street Innovation Fund is a grant that provides funding to Business Improvement Areas (BIAs) and not-for-profit organizations with ties to the business community to test innovative and creative solutions to local challenges and share their findings/results with others in the city of Toronto. Funding up to $100,000. Apply by 12/14/2023 - https://www.toronto.ca/business-economy/business-operation-growth/business-incentives/main-street-innovation-fund/

RAISE Business Grant - Racialized and Indigenous Supports for Entrepreneurs (RAISE) is a grant program that will provide access to business development training, culturally responsive and tailored business coaching, networking opportunities, and a one-time grant of $10,000 to support Indigenous, Black and other racialized entrepreneurs. Must be in Ontario. Apply by 12/8/2023 - https://www.app.grants.gov.on.ca/raise/#/main


  • OPPORTUNITIES ONLY WITHIN UNITED KINGDOM

Innovate UK KTN - Resource for sourcing grant programs available in the UK across all sectors. Funding opportunities section allows visitors to the website to filter grants by sector or type of funding required. - https://iuk.ktn-uk.org/opportunities/


  • OPPORTUNITIES ONLY WITHIN IRELAND

Rethink Ireland Entrepreneurship Impact Fund - Goal of fund is to support mid-stage and mature social innovations to achieve higher levels of impact by scaling their innovations and reaching the next stage of growth. Funding up to 200,000 Euros. Apply by 1/11/2024 - https://rethinkireland.ie/current_fund/entrepreneurship-impact-fund-2023-2026/



  • OPPORTUNITIES ONLY WITHIN THE UNITED STATES

Amazon's Black Business Accelerator - Dedicated to helping build sustainable equity and growth for Black entrepreneurs by enabling their success as sellers. Grow your business with access to financial support, strategic business guidance and mentorship, and marketing and promotional support. - https://sell.amazon.com/programs/black-business-accelerator

American Dream Grant - The American Dream Awards celebrate small businesses embodying the modern American Dream. Open to all US for-profit businesses, recipients get $1,000, a business accelerator, media exposure, and more. Apply by 4/30/2023 - https://helloalice.com/funding/grants

BMO Fellowship (Watson Institute) - This fellowship is a fully funded 16-week intensive virtual fellowship designed for sustainability entrepreneurs who are driving solutions to their communities’ most significant environmental and sustainability challenges. While BMO is located across North America, this fellowship will focus on the U.S. mid-west region. Preference will be given to applicants from Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana and Minnesota. Funding up to $10,000. Apply by 1/31/2024 - https://watson.is/bmo-fellowship-2024/

Dear God Are We There Yet? Microgrant - Community social good activists are encouraged to apply (including Teachers, Students, Entrepreneurs, Small Business Owners, and Community Members). Additional grants for Hispanic women. Awarded quarterly. Funding of $500. Apply by 12/30/23 - https://www.deargodarewethereyet.com/apply-for-a-grant

Freed Fellowship - Every month, one $500 grant is awarded to an underrepresented founder in the US to invest in their existing business. No strings attached. No equity required. Grant recipients are also eligible to receive an additional end-of-year grant of $2,500. https://www.freedfellowship.com/grant1

Fund For Teachers Fellowship - Fund for Teachers’ fellowships provide support for teachers’ self-designed learning experiences. The goals of the fellowship are for educators to serve as problem solvers and innovators who create solutions to real problems of practice, reflect on their experience as a learner and transfer the most powerful aspects of their experience to student learning, integrate their experiences as fellows into their teaching to create more globally minded students, and grow as leaders and change makers. Full-time preK-12 grade teachers who spend at least 50% of their time directly providing instruction to students are eligible. Grants for $5,000. Apply by 1/18/2024 - https://www.fundforteachers.org/

HerRise Micro-Grant ($10 fee to apply) - Each month a $500 micro-grant will be awarded to a for-profit small business owned by women of color. Past recipients used their growth grants for computers, equipment, marketing materials, software purchase, website creation and more. - https://www.hersuitespot.com/herrise/

IMPACT grants - Primary goal of grant is to fuel the endeavors of businesses and nonprofits that are actively making a significant IMPACT within their communities and beyond. Open to US and Canada-based organizations. Funding of $1,000 -https://impactfundingsolutions.com/impact-grant-application-for-businesses/

Juntos Crecemos Hispanic Digital & Delivery Program (PepsiCo) - PepsiCo is inviting Latina entrepreneurs who work in food service to apply for eight weeks of personalized expert consultation, including best practices across operations, technology, marketing and digital presence. https://pepsicojuntoscrecemos.com/jefaowned/

Microsoft TechSpark Community Engagement Fellowship Grant - Community organizations focused on creating inclusive economic opportunities will have the opportunity to apply to receive a mix of funding and contextual technical assistance through in-person and virtual support. Awarded organizations will select a member of their team to represent their organization as a TechSpark Fellow. Applicant must be US-based non-profit. Funding up to $50,000 - https://customervoice.microsoft.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=v4j5cvGGr0GRqy180BHbRzqG-8hAJq1BsU8sgfjznelUQUpCUkJVOTgyTThESk1RTURRR1JUSldUWSQlQCN0PWcu

Military Entrepreneur Challenge - The Military Entrepreneur Challenge is a nationwide grant program that gives veteran, military spouse, and Gold Star Family entrepreneurs the opportunity to network, learn, and compete for capital to grow their small business. - https://secondservicefoundation.org/mec/

Minority Business Circle - Supportive network for diverse entrepreneurs in various industries, offering opportunities like grants, loans, significant discounts on essential business products, and a comprehensive step-by-step guide with customized tools to track progress and foster growth. See link for info - https://minoritybusinesscircle.com/

New Face of Tech Challenge 2023 Grant - Twenty-five (25) winners will be chosen by the 1,000 Dreams Fund and announced the week of December 4, 2023. Grants for $1,500. Apply by 12/1/23 - https://1000dreamsfund.org/newfaceoftech-2023challenge/

Novae Grants Database - Novae Grants database are intended for small businesses with 6-100 employees, though some are also intended for larger businesses and sole proprietor startups - https://grants.novaegrants.com/

Restaurant Business Development Program (funded by Feed The Soul) - Applicant must be a "Culinary Business". A Culinary Business is defined as; Restaurant, Food Truck, Bakery, Bar/Lounge, Pop-up Food Stand, or Ghost/Cloud Kitchen. Culinary Business must be at least 51% owned by a person (or persons) who identify as marginalized. Grants for $10,000. Apply by 1/31/2024 - https://feedthesoulfou.org/restaurant-business-development/

Restaurant Disaster Relief Fund (DoorDash and HelloAlice) - Grants to restaurants who are experiencing hardship due to a state or federally declared disaster (NOT due to COVID), be independently owned, have a brick-and-mortar location with 3 stores or fewer currently operating, have revenues of less than $3 million per location in the last 12 months, and employ 50 or fewer people per store. Funding of $10,000. Apply by 12/31/2023 - https://helloalice.com/grants/doordash

Sephora Beauty Grant - Sephora Beauty Grant will awarding one Black business owner within the beauty industry a $100,000 grant to unlock the next level of growth and potential for their brand. Apply by 12/18/2023 - https://15percentpledge.org/award-sephora

SPUR (Shared Purpose, Unlimited Reach) Pathways - Through an integrated and collaborative approach, Macy’s, Inc. and Momentus will provide access to a range of capital options from microloans to growth capital to equity investments. This represents a commitment to underrepresented businesses and aims to galvanize the retail industry to invest in the next generation of entrepreneurs - https://www.macysinc.com/purpose/spurpathways

Stacy's Rise Project Grant - For women entrepreneurs - must be a for-profit U.S.-based business selling a consumer packaged good - must have at least $25,000 and no more than $1M in annualized sales. Grants for $25,000. Apply by 12/1/23 - https://helloalice.com/grants/stacysrise

Start Path Small Business (Mastercard) - During the 4-month program, startups will have the opportunity to leverage Mastercard's network and subject matter expertise to uncover product partnerships, scale their companies and power solutions that drive safe, secure and simple experiences. Companies should be in one of following industries: Customer Service, Banking, Security, E-commerce, Artificial Intelligence, Payment Processing, Digital Lending, FinTech -https://developer.mastercard.com/programs/start-path-small-business/

Start Small Think Big is a nonprofit that helps small businesses with high potential and limited access to the resources needed to create thriving businesses. They partner with small business owners, providing personalized business support and building connections with local communities. If you are interested in being considered as a “client” for free services, you can fill out this form https://partner.startsmallthinkbig.org/bofainstitute (for English) or https://partner.startsmallthinkbig.org/bofainstitute-esp (for Spanish) They also offer free webinars (in Eng and Span). Many upcoming events are in Spanish to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month - https://www.startsmallthinkbig.org/events-for-small-businesses

Truist NonProfit Grant - The Truist Foundation supports nonprofits with grants that target leadership development, economic mobility, thriving communities and educational equity. Quarterly deadlines - https://www.truist.com/purpose/truist-foundation/grant-application

Verizon Small Business Digital Ready Grant - Small businesses can access, for free, personalized learning through over 40 courses, mentorship, peer networking, 1:1 expert coaching and incentives such as grant funding. Grants for $10,000. Apply by 12/20/23 - https://digitalready.verizonwireless.com/

Veterans Business Outreach Center - The Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC) program offers resources to veterans who are interested in starting or growing a small business. There are 22 locations (soon expanding to 35) and they offer workshops, training, counseling, and mentorship opportunities. - https://www.sba.gov/local-assistance/resource-partners/veterans-business-outreach-center-vboc-program

Warrior Rising Grant - Warrior Rising strives to accept and assist veterans at any point in the process of starting their own business, whether it is only a concept or if they have actual operations. Funding of $20,000 - https://www.warriorrising.org/apply/

Wish Local Empowerment Program - You must be a Black-owned business with a brick-and-mortar shop within the United States and less than 20 employees. If selected for the program, you must join Wish Local (which is free). Grants for up to $2000 - https://www.wish.com/local/empowerment

Women and Minority Business Owner Down Payment Grant (Bank of America) - Non-repayable grant is for up to $25,000 on SBA owner occupied commercial estate loans for business locations within select opportunity zones (Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas and Los Angeles) Program may expand based on pilot. - https://promotions.bankofamerica.com/smallbusiness/downpaymentgrant

YippityDoo Big Idea Grant ($15 application fee) - Each month, one $1000 grant is awarded to a woman, age 18 or over, in the US to invest in their Business or Idea. It can be used as a start up grant, marketing grant, operational grant or whatever you need to help you to the next level with your idea or business. - https://programs.yippitydoo.com/thebigideagrantforwomen

ZenBusiness Free LLC Formation for Moms - To help mothers take the first step toward entrepreneurship, ZenBusiness is covering business formation costs and will help entrepreneurs form an LCC, track expenses, secure a business name, and more. -https://www.zenbusiness.com/moms/



  • STATE-SPECIFIC OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THE UNITED STATES

There are also over 70 opportunities within specific US states which are not mentioned in this article. If you have questions about funding/grants, resources, and opportunities for the most recent opportunities by state click the link below to request this information.



Information courtesy of Kirsten Barker - Program Director for the Bank of America Institute for Women's Entrepreneurship at Cornell University, of which Coach Racquel is an alumnus.

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