GLOBAL OPPORTUNITIES

Amber Grants

Three $10,000 Amber Grants are awarded each month to women-owned businesses (monthly grant, startup grant, and business category grant). Three of the 36 monthly winners get an additional $25,000 Year-End Amber Grant. ($15 application fee). Monthly deadline - https://ambergrantsforwomen.com/

Awesome Foundation

$1,000 grants awarded monthly, no strings attached, for projects and creators. Monthly deadline - https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en

Cartier Women's Initiative

Up to $100,000 regional awards for women-led startups focused on social and environmental impact. Applications open January-March 2026 - https://www.cartierwomensinitiative.com/

Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub

Up to $150K in Azure credits for startups. Access to AI services and expert guidance. Ongoing - https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/startups

Techstars Accelerators

$20K for 6% equity. Three-month accelerator program with mentorship and investor network. Various locations and deadlines - https://www.techstars.com/accelerators/

We Make Change

Free volunteer matching for small businesses and nonprofits. Ongoing - https://www.wemakechange.org/

CANADA-SPECIFIC OPPORTUNITIES

Coralus

Platform leveraging dormant capital for women entrepreneurs. No fee to apply. Ongoing - https://www.coralus.world/

Dragons Den Auditions

Season 20 auditions for Canadian entrepreneurs. Ongoing - https://www.cbc.ca/dragonsden/auditions

Launchpad for Women Entrepreneurs

Resources to kickstart and grow women-led businesses. Ongoing - https://www.launchpadforwomen.ca/

UNITED KINGDOM/IRELAND OPPORTUNITIES

Authors Foundation UK

£2,000-£6,000 for writers with commercial UK/Irish publisher contracts. Rolling deadline - https://www2.societyofauthors.org/grants/grants-for-work-in-progress/

Discoveries 2026

For UK/Ireland-based unpublished women writers with novel-in-progress. Submit first 10,000 words and synopsis. Run by Women's Prize Trust, Audible, and Curtis Brown. Deadline: January 12, 2026 - https://www.womensprize.com/

Innovate UK KTN

Resource for sourcing grant programs across all UK sectors. Ongoing - https://iuk.ktn-uk.org/opportunities/

Northern Writers' Awards - Hachette Children's Novel Awards

£3,000 each for two winners plus mentoring for debut children's writers in North England. Deadline: January 12, 2026 - https://newwritingnorth.com/

Society of Authors: Strachey Trust Grants

£500 for UK authors accessing UK-based archives/collections for literary projects. Rolling deadline - https://www.societyofauthors.org/

UNITED STATES - SPECIFIC OPPORTUNITIES

AAUW Career Development Grants

Up to $8,000 to help women advance STEM careers through accredited training programs. Next round opens January 5, 2026 - https://www.aauw.org/

Amazon's Black Business Accelerator

Financial support, strategic guidance, and mentorship for Black sellers on Amazon. Ongoing - https://sell.amazon.com/programs/black-business-accelerator

Amex Shop Small Grants Program

$20,000 grants (250 grants available) to support small businesses. Applications November 29, 2025 - January 16, 2026 - https://www.americanexpress.com/

EmpowerHer Grant - Boundless Futures Foundation

Up to $25,000 for U.S.-based female entrepreneurs (ages 22+) with businesses addressing social issues. Rolling deadline - https://boundlessfutures.org/our-impact/

Freed Fellowship Grant

$500 monthly grant to small business owners, plus business feedback and mentoring. Monthly rolling applications - https://www.freedfellowship.com/

Galaxy Grant

$2,750 for women and minority business owners. Simple application. Deadline: March 31, 2025 - https://www.hiddenstargrant.org/

Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses

Training and support to increase revenues and create jobs. Ongoing - https://10ksbapply.com/program-details

Halstead Grant

$7,500 startup grant plus $1,000 gift card for silver jewelry entrepreneurs. Additional finalists receive $1,000 + $250 gift card. Deadline: May 1, 2026 - https://www.halsteadbead.com/grant

Her Agenda Breakthrough Grant

$5,000 for women entrepreneurs looking to grow their business. Must be subscribed to Her Agenda newsletter. Deadline: January 18, 2026 - https://heragenda.com/

HerRise Micro-Grant

$1,000 monthly for for-profit businesses owned by women of color. ($10 application fee). Monthly deadline - https://www.hersuitespot.com/herrise/

IFundWomen Universal Grant Application

Connects women-owned businesses with multiple grants through a single application. Partnerships with major brands. Ongoing - https://www.ifundwomen.com/grants/apply-for-grants

Josephine Collective

$10K-$100K investment for early-stage tech-enabled businesses. Rolling deadline - https://joinjosephine.com/

Military Entrepreneur Challenge

Grant program for veteran, military spouse, and Gold Star Family entrepreneurs. Ongoing - https://secondservicefoundation.org/mec/

NASE Growth Grant

Up to $4,000 for NASE members (must be member for 90 days). Quarterly reviews in January, April, July, and October - https://www.nase.org/

NSF Seed Fund (SBIR/STTR)

Up to $2 million for startups in technology translation and R&D. Ongoing - https://seedfund.nsf.gov/

Olga Loizon Memorial Foundation

Up to $10,000 for aspiring women entrepreneurs in Michigan - https://www.olgaloizonfoundation.org/

Queens Tech + Innovation Challenge 2026

Five grants up to $20,000 each for early-stage entrepreneurs in Queens, NY. Deadline: March 2, 2026 - https://www.queensny.gov/

37 Angels Accelerator Program

Seed funding + mentorship for underrepresented and underestimated entrepreneurs. Deadline: January 16, 2026 - https://www.37angels.com/

Small Business Hero Program (Quickbooks & Mailchimp)

Quarterly program recognizing businesses that demonstrate courage, perseverance, and integrity. Deadline: February 14, 2026 - https://quickbooks.intuit.com/

Start.Pivot.Grow Grant

$2,500 quarterly micro-grants for businesses with 1-2 employees and $50K+ annual revenue. Rolling quarterly deadlines - https://www.startpivotgrow.com/

StartOut Scholarship Program

12-month LGBTQ+ entrepreneur membership and program participation. Deadline: January 16, 2026 - https://www.startout.org/

This Woman Knows Grant

$500 monthly for U.S.-based women entrepreneurs, artists, or creatives. ($15 application fee). Monthly deadline - https://thiswomanknows.com/grant/

Truist Foundation Small Business Grant

$5,000-$50,000 for small businesses advancing career pathways to economic mobility - https://www.truist.com/purpose/truist-foundation

Women Founders Grant

$5,000 monthly grant for majority women-founded businesses at any stage. ($25 application fee). Monthly deadline - https://womenfoundersgrant.com/apply-now-women-grants

YippityDoo Big Idea Grant

$1,000 monthly for women age 18+ in the US. ($15 application fee). Monthly deadline - https://www.yippitydoo.com/small-business-grant-optin/

Young Entrepreneur Challenge 2026

Open to kids and teens (individuals or teams up to 3) addressing school or community challenges. Deadline: February 27, 2026 - https://www.yec.org/

AUTHORS & WRITERS - SPECIFIC OPPORTUNITIES

Academy of American Poets - Harold Morton Landon Translation Award

$1,000 for translated poetry collection published in previous calendar year. Deadline: February 15, 2026 - https://poets.org/academy-american-poets/prizes

Academy of American Poets - Raiziss/de Palchi Fellowship

$25,000 + residency in Rome for translation of modern Italian poetry by US poet. Deadline: February 15, 2026 - https://poets.org/academy-american-poets/prizes

Bucknell University - Philip Roth Residence

$5,000 + residency for writers working on first or second book. Deadline: February 1, 2026 - https://www.bucknell.edu/

Cai Emmons Fiction Award

$5,000 + publication for fiction writers. ($25 entry fee). Deadline: January 15, 2026 - https://www.caiemmonsfictionaward.com/

Ellen Meloy Fund for Desert Writers

$5,000 for emerging or established writers. ($15 entry fee). Deadline: January 15, 2026 - https://www.ellenmeloy.com/

Epiphany: Fresh Voices Fellowship

Stipend + publication for emerging Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian writers of color without MFA. US-based. Deadline: February 28, 2026 - https://www.epiphanymagazine.com/

Fund for Investigative Journalism Grant

Up to $10,000 for journalists with letter of commitment from publication. Deadline: January 26, 2026 - https://fij.org/

Jack Hazard Fellowship

$5,000 for creative writers who teach full-time at US high schools. Deadline: January 9, 2026 - https://www.jaxliterary.com/

Kinsman Quarterly Contest

$500, $250, $150 prizes for prose (300-2,000 words) or poetry (up to 10 pages). Deadline: February 28, 2026 - https://kinsmanquarterly.com/

Leon Levy Centre for Biography Fellowships

Up to $15,000 each (six fellowships) for writers working on biographical projects at CUNY. Deadline: January 4, 2026 - https://leonlevycenter.org/

Literary Arts Fund Grants

$50 million in grants over five years (2025-2031) to nonprofit literary arts organizations. General operating and innovation project grants - https://literaryartsfund.org/grants/

National Endowment for the Arts Creative Writing Fellowships

$50,000 for published creative writers (prose for FY26). Extremely competitive. Applications typically due mid-March - https://www.arts.gov/grants/creative-writing-fellowships

National Endowment for the Arts Translation Project Fellowship

$10,000-$25,000 for published translators translating literary works into English. Deadline: January 16, 2026 - https://www.arts.gov/

Nieman Fellowships

$85,000 over nine-month fellowship for journalists with 5+ years experience. Deadline: January 31, 2026 for U.S. journalists - https://nieman.harvard.edu/

Olive B. O'Connor Fellowship in Creative Writing

$58,800 + travel + health insurance for writers working on first book. Deadline: January 12, 2026 - https://colgate.edu/

San José State University - Steinbeck Fellows Program

$15,000 fellowships (six fellowships) for writers of any age and background finishing a significant writing project - https://www.sjsu.edu/steinbeck/

NONPROFIT-SPECIFIC OPPORTUNITIES

Walmart Spark Good Local Grant Program

$250-$5,000 for nonprofits, government agencies, educational institutions. Quarterly deadlines throughout 2026 - https://walmart.org/

W.K. Kellogg Foundation

Supports thriving children, working families, and equitable communities. Rolling deadline - https://www.wkkf.org/

Last updated: January 4, 2026