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11 Small-Business Grants You Can Still Apply for Before 2026 Ends
- Erika Willitzer
- Jul 12
- 5 min read
Running a small business can feel like a daily game of financial Tetris. Just when payroll, marketing and equipment expenses finally fit together, another surprise drops from the sky.
That is where grants can help.
Unlike loans, grant funds generally do not have to be repaid. The catch? Competition can be fierce, deadlines arrive quickly and every program comes with its own eligibility maze.
The good news is that several legitimate small-business grants are still accepting applications in 2026. Some offer serious cash, others combine funding with coaching or technical assistance, and several reopen every month.
Grab your calendar. Here are 11 opportunities worth investigating before the year disappears in a puff of receipts.
1. Santander Cultivate Small Business Program
Deadline: July 21, 2026
Food entrepreneurs should move this opportunity to the top of the menu.
Santander’s Cultivate Small Business program is a free, 12-week virtual program for early-stage food businesses. Participants receive instruction, business-planning support and access to industry experts.
Every participant who successfully completes the program receives a $2,500 grant, while exemplary graduates may qualify for awards of up to $20,000.
Applicants must operate a U.S.-based food business that has been open for at least one year, employs between one and 10 full-time-equivalent employees and generated between $25,000 and $1 million during the previous calendar year.
2. AT&T Small Business Contest
Deadline: July 31, 2026
AT&T is offering one of the largest prizes on this list: a $50,000 small-business grant.
The winner will also receive a year of AT&T service, a new device, mentorship resources and an opportunity to share the business’s story through AT&T content. Four runners-up will receive $5,000 each.
Eligible businesses generally must have between one and five locations and no more than 99 full- or part-time employees. Only one entry may be submitted per business.
3. Melissa Washington Small Business Award
Deadline: July 31, 2026
Women veterans can apply for up to $5,000 through the Melissa Washington Small Business Award.
The annual award helps a woman veteran start or expand a business. The recipient may also receive coaching, a business assessment and additional recognition.
Applicants must upload supporting materials, including a recent profit-and-loss statement or tax return and a professional headshot. Three finalists are expected to be announced in September.
4. Shophand Small Business Boost Grant
Current deadline: August 1, 2026
Next application cycle: August 15 through December 1, 2026
The Shophand Small Business Boost Grant provides $5,000 in combined support: $2,500 in unrestricted cash and $2,500 in technical services.
Those services may include help with artificial intelligence tools, automation, marketing, software setup, operations and creative projects. In other words, Shophand does not simply hand over a check and vanish into the entrepreneurial fog.
Applicants must operate an active, U.S.-based for-profit business with fewer than 50 employees and less than $5 million in annual revenue. Solopreneurs may apply, and there is no application fee.
5. Her Agenda Breakthrough Grant
Deadline: September 18, 2026
The Her Agenda Breakthrough Grant will award $5,000 to a woman entrepreneur who is ready to move her operating business to its next major stage.
The strongest applicants will be able to clearly explain the barrier standing between where their business is today and its next breakthrough.
Applicants must also be active subscribers to the Her Agenda newsletter. The winner is scheduled to be announced in November 2026.
6. Secretsos Small Business Grant
Current deadline: September 30, 2026Final 2026 deadline: December 31, 2026
Secretsos awards one $2,500 small-business grant each quarter.
Applicants must be at least 21 years old and operate an active business registered within an eligible U.S. state or territory. The application asks owners to explain their business story, the need their company fills and exactly how the grant would support growth.
Applications do not automatically carry forward. Businesses that are not selected must submit a new application during the next quarter. A $15 application fee applies.
7. Verizon Small Business Digital Ready Grant
Applications accepted throughout 2026
Verizon and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation are selecting 10 businesses each month to receive $10,000 grants from June through December 2026.
To unlock the application, business owners must register for Verizon Small Business Digital Ready and complete any combination of two eligible courses or events.
The training and application are free. Once submitted, the application remains eligible for future monthly selections through the end of the year.
The program is open to eligible for-profit small businesses based in the United States, Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands. Eligible training must be completed by December 7, 2026.
8. NASE Growth Grants
Applications accepted throughout the year
Members of the National Association for the Self-Employed can apply for grants of up to $4,000.
The funding may be used for marketing, advertising, hiring, employee training, equipment, software, facility expansion and other defined business needs.
Applications are reviewed quarterly. NASE membership is required, and monthly members generally must remain members for 90 days before applying. Certain annual membership levels may apply immediately.
9. Amber Grants for Women
Deadline: Last day of each month
WomensNet awards multiple $10,000 grants every month to women-owned businesses.
The opportunities include a general Amber Grant, a Startup Grant and a rotating Business Category Grant. One application places an entrepreneur into consideration for every grant category that fits her business.
Monthly recipients may also become eligible for one of three $50,000 year-end grants.
Startups and established businesses may apply. WomensNet defines a startup as a business in the idea stage or one that has generated less than $10,000 in sales. A $15 application fee applies.
10. HerRise MicroGrant
Deadline: Last day of each month
The HerRise MicroGrant provides financial assistance to women entrepreneurs creating innovative solutions that positively affect their communities.
Applicants must operate a women-owned business registered in the United States with less than $1 million in gross revenue. Nonprofits, franchises, direct sellers, authorized resellers and independent consultants are not eligible.
Applications close on the final day of each month, and a $15 administrative fee applies. Only selected recipients are notified.
11. Freed Fellowship Grant
Deadline: Last day of each month
The Freed Fellowship selects one U.S. small-business owner each month to receive a $500 unrestricted grant.
Monthly recipients also receive business feedback, strategy support, access to the Freed Studio business community and consideration for an additional $2,500 year-end grant.
The opportunity is open to U.S. microbusiness and small-business owners, with a particular emphasis on entrepreneurs who have traditionally been underrepresented or overlooked.
Applications must be received by midnight Eastern Time on the final day of the month. A $19 application fee applies.
Before You Hit Submit
Do not apply for every grant simply because it exists. Grant applications are not lottery tickets wearing business casual.
Start with the opportunities that most closely match your industry, ownership background, business stage and current financial need. Then explain exactly what the funding will accomplish.
Instead of writing, “This money will help us grow,” offer something concrete:
“We will purchase a commercial freezer that increases production capacity by 40 percent.”
“We will launch a six-month marketing campaign designed to attract 200 new customers.”
“We will replace outdated software and save approximately 15 staff hours each week.”
Specificity makes an application feel credible. It shows that you are not simply chasing money. You have a plan ready to put that money to work.
Grant providers can change deadlines, funding amounts and eligibility rules, so review each program’s official application page before submitting.
Then gather your numbers, polish your story and apply.
Your business may not need a fairy godmother, but a well-timed $5,000 or $10,000 certainly would not hurt.
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