Making the decision to follow your entrepreneurial passion takes a huge amount of bravery, dedication, focus, planning, and seed money to get started. If you don’t have investor’s and don’t have a dime saved, you still have options. A lack of money should never be the reason you give up before you even get started. Here is a list of grants that seem to make the process simple and straight forward.
The Amber Grants began in 1998 and was launched by Womensnet to honor the memory of a young woman (Amber) who died at the age of 19 – unable to fulfill her entrepreneurial dreams. Today the Amber Grant helps women achieve the dreams that Amber could not. You can apply by telling your short personal story and paying the $15 application fee. The judges pick a $1000.00 Amber Grant recipient each month and one of the 12 monthly winners will be awarded the $10,000 grant at the end of the year.
The Girlboss Foundation awards one grant biannually to female entrepreneurs pursuing creative endeavors. Each grant beneficiary will receive project funding of $15,000, in addition to exposure through the Girlboss platform and community.
#3 OPEN MEADOWS FOUNDATION
The Open Meadows Foundation funds projects that do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national origin, gender identity and expression, sexual identity and expression, age or ability. They offer grants under $2000 to projects that are designed and implemented by women and girls, reflect the diversity of the community served by the project in both its leadership and organization, promote building community power; and have limited financial access.
#4 InnovateHER CHALLENGE
The InnovateHER Challenge provides an opportunity for entrepreneurs throughout the U.S. to showcase innovative products and services that help impact the lives of women and families. The finalists will pitch their products and services to a panel of expert judges and compete for up to $70,000 in cash prizes at the national InnovateHER pitch contest. The Innovation Center is a small Business Incubator that nurtures the development of innovative companies. They provide strategic guidance, access to investors, business mentors, and a ready-made network of business and professional resources.