5 Grants for Entrepreneurs + 3 More For Innovative Veterans

A great idea is like a flower slowly unfolding to reach its full glory. But without nurturing, instead of blooming, the bud will wither and die. And this is true for entrepreneurs who need resources to innovate and develop both their ideas and skills. But there are grants for entrepreneurs open to apply for right now.

Private foundations support the efforts of entrepreneurs. They offer grants to veterans, women and individuals or team across a range of fields. Sure, technology is often a feature of grants for entrepreneurs. But small business and innovation ideas are also sought.

So here are 10 grants aimed at individual entrepreneurs. And be sure to scroll down to see the four aimed specifically at veterans. Plus, here’s tips on applying for private foundation grants.

1. A Technology Business Grant

This Project Connect grant offers an individual entrepreneur the chance to enter a contest to develop a technology-based business. The winning recipient will receive:

• $15,000, and in-kind support including one-on-one mentoring,
• And a profile feature.

Here, priority goes to an inclusive business and one whose model can be easily copied throughout the industry. The goal is to assist the next generation of entrepreneurs whose products and services advances industry that connects technology and the human touch.

2. A Grant to Help Reduce Poverty

While many solutions to poverty already exist, so often  the challenge is distributing them to the people who need them most. So, for nonprofit and for-profit entrepreneurs, there’s this competition for ventures that reduce property. Prize winners will be awarded up to $20,000. Eligible focus areas include, but are not limited to:

• Education
• Health access
• Energy
• And agriculture.

This grant opportunity is offered by D-Prize, which says:

The work of D-Prize identifies effective interventions, then recruits entrepreneurs to scale deliver where distribution gaps exist.  Their vision is to spark a wave of new social entrepreneurs, all distributing evidence-based interventions at scale.

3. A Grant for Young Entrepreneurs

This youth-directed grant is also available for innovative projects and ideas. Here, the funding aims to support and encourage the next generation of entrepreneurs. And it offers grants up to $5,000 to young people 16 to 26 years of age.

This grant gives special consideration to applications in the areas of entrepreneurship, music and performing arts, and computer science. And what’s great is that winners are assigned a mentor. for advice and encouragement throughout the process.

4. Grants for Entrepreneurs Who Are Black Women

This grant aims to increase diversity among entrepreneurs by offering grants of $5,000, grants of $10,000, and in-kind support to Black women entrepreneurs to support equal opportunities in business. Here, the goal is to support high-impact ideas and solutions and break down barriers caused by racial inequality. And this grant is open to Black nonbinary entrepreneurs, too.

5. A TED Grant to Share Innovative Ideas

This TED grant offers fellowships to US, Canada, and International individuals to attend a conference centered around the sharing of innovative ideas. TED Fellows collaborate and share new ideas and research across disciplines to create positive change around the world. And Fellows represent a broad range of fields including but not limited to:

• Entrepreneurs
• Scientists
• Human rights activists
• NGO leaders
• Artists
• Inventors
• Advocates.

And, 3 Grants For Entrepreneurs Who Are Veterans

Here are three grants open for veterans, and two are available to spouses and partners of veterans, too.

1. For veterans who have a disability, there’s this grant to join a program to build business management skills. This is an entrepreneur bootcamp grant open to  post-9/11 veterans with disabilities. And participants will receive training and mentoring online and at universities throughout the country. Also, the grant includes travel and lodging expenses for the residency part of the program. In its entirety, the program looks like this:

• First is Phase I:  a 30-day online, instructor-led course in business fundamentals and research course work.
• Next comes Phase II: 9-day residency experience at one of the eight EBV consortium schools.
• Finally, there’s Phase III: 12-month ongoing support focused on small business creation and growth.

2. For women veterans and spouses and partners of veterans, here’s a grant to attend an entrepreneurship training program. The program is Veteran Women Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship (V-WISE). And it’s a premier training program in entrepreneurship and small business management.

For this program, the three-phases include first a 15-day online course (Phase I). Next is a 3-day entrepreneurship training event (Phase II). Finally, there’s ongoing mentorship, training and support opportunities for graduates launching or growing their business (Phase III). Plus, the grant covers lodging expenses.

3. For veterans already running their own business, there’s this grant for a business development program. And lodging, materials and meals are part of this three-phase program:

• First is Phase 1 – Two weeks of online instruction focused on business analysis.
• Next is Phase 2 – Is a three-day residency during which participants will create a personalized action plan for their business.
• Then comes Phase 3 – Involves resources to support the growth of the business.

GrantWatch Lists Grants For Entrepreneurs and Individuals

Beyond entrepreneurs, GrantWatch lists over 1,000 grants open to individuals. And these grants cover a wide range of areas and geographical regions. So, for more information, try our FAQs page. And if you’re interested in unlocking extra search features, try a GrantWatch subscription!