50+ Grants Open Right Now - March 2026

Your Monthly Funding Roundup from The Couvent Collective

 Every month, we dig through hundreds of funding databases, grant portals, and foundation websites so you don't have to. March 2026 is a strong month — deadlines are active, new programs have opened, and there is money on the table for entrepreneurs, small business owners, writers, and creators at every stage.

This month's list includes over 50 curated opportunities organized by geography: United States, Africa, Canada, UK/Ireland, and Global - plus a dedicated section just for authors and writers.

📎 The full grant database - with amounts, deadlines, target audiences, grant types, and direct links - is attached as a downloadable document. Open it, filter for what fits you, and start applying.

 What's in the March 2026 Grant List

Here's a quick snapshot of what's available this month:

 United States - 17 Grants

•     Mona Small Business Impact Grant - $5,000 for community-impacting businesses. Deadline: March 16.

•     Outta Excuses Grant - $3,000 quarterly / $10,000 annual for entrepreneurs at any stage. Deadline: March 31.

•     Verizon Digital Ready Grant - $5,000 for small businesses in NY, CA, and WV. Deadline: March 31.

•     Amber Grant - $10,000 monthly + $25,000 annual for women entrepreneurs. Rolling deadline.

...plus 13 more in the full document, including opportunities for veteran-owned businesses, rural enterprises, culinary entrepreneurs, and self-employed professionals.

 Authors & Writers - 14 Grants

•     Hyundai ArtLab Editorial Fellowship - $10,000 for writers in contemporary visual art. Deadline: March 9.

•     PEN America US Writers Aid Initiative - Emergency grants for professional writers in the US. Rolling.

•     NIAS Safe Haven Fellowship - €3,500/month for writers unable to work due to conflict or war. Deadline: March 31.

...and 11 more in the full document covering screenwriters, crime fiction writers, journalists, translators, and children's/YA authors.

 Africa - 10 Grants

•     Tony Elumelu Foundation - $5,000 seed capital for entrepreneurs across all 54 African countries. Deadline: March 1 — act fast!

•     Google for Startups Black Founders Fund Africa - Equity-free cash + cloud credits for Black-owned tech startups. Rolling.

Canada - 8 Grants

•     CanExport SMEs - Up to $50,000 for international market development. 2026 intake open now.

•     Futurpreneur Canada - Up to $75,000 for young entrepreneurs aged 18–39. Ongoing.

UK / Ireland 6 Grants

•     Arts Council England - National Lottery Project Grants - £1,000–£100,000 for artists, writers, and creative organizations. Rolling.

•     Jerwood Foundation Arts Grants - For emerging artists and writers. Organizations deadline: March 18.

Global - 8 Grants

•     O'Shaughnessy Fellowships - $100K fellowships + $10K grants for global innovators. Deadline: April 30.

•     ETH4D Research to Action Grants - For researchers and social innovators worldwide. Deadline: March 30.

How to Use the Grant List

The attached document is organized into tables, one per region, with the following columns:

•     Grant Name

•     Amount

•     Target Audience

•     Grant Type (grant, fellowship, microgrant, accelerator, etc.)

•     Application Deadline

•     Description & Website link

 Here's how to get the most out of it:

•     Start with your region. Go to your geographic section first - US, Africa, Canada, UK/Ireland, or Global.

•     Check the deadline column. Anything in the March 2026 window should be your first priority.

•     Filter by audience. Look for your category - women-owned, BIPOC-founded, early-stage, veteran-owned, writer, etc.

•     Click the website link. Every entry includes a direct link. Go to the source to confirm eligibility and current deadlines.

•     Apply to multiple grants. Many of these are non-exclusive. You can apply to several in the same window.

 3 Quick Tips Before You Apply

1. Read the eligibility requirements carefully

Every grant has specific rules - business age, revenue thresholds, geography, demographic focus. Spend 10 minutes on the funder's website before investing time in an application. A strong proposal submitted to the wrong grant is wasted effort.

2. Keep a simple application folder

Most grants ask for similar materials: a business or project description, budget outline, bio or resume, and supporting documents. Create a folder now with these ready-to-go assets. It will cut your application time in half.

3. Don't underestimate smaller grants

Microgrants in the $500–$3,000 range are often easier to win and faster to receive. They also build your application track record - funders look at your history when considering larger awards.

 Need help writing a strong application? Our Grant Writing Workshop walks you through every step - from identifying the right opportunities to submitting a proposal that stands out. Visit to learn more and enroll.

Keep Going

Grant funding is not a lottery. It rewards preparation, clarity, and consistency. The entrepreneurs and writers who win grants are not the luckiest, they are the ones who showed up, read the requirements, and wrote something real.

Your list is attached. Your next deadline is closer than you think. Start today.