20 grants for women entrepreneurs in Canada and the U.S. including options for BIPOC founders, creatives, and small business owners.
Money is often the biggest roadblock between a brilliant idea and a thriving business and for women entrepreneurs, that gap can feel even wider.
From banks that say “come back when you’re bigger” to investors who still underestimate women-led ventures, the funding hustle is real.
The good news? There are grants for women entrepreneurs designed specifically to back women building businesses on their own terms.
We pulled together 20 small business grants across the U.S. and Canada — including opportunities for BIPOC founders, mompreneurs, and women making moves in industries from tech to wellness.
Each one comes with the details you need: what it is, who it’s for, and how to apply. Because your vision deserves more than just bootstrap energy — it deserves backing.
Grants for Women Entrepreneurs in the United States
1. Amber Grant (WomensNet)
The Amber Grant awards monthly funding to women-owned businesses across the U.S. and Canada. Every month, WomensNet selects three winners to receive $10,000 each (one startup, one in a rotating business category, and one general business).
At year’s end, one of the monthly winners is chosen for an additional $25,000 grand prize.The application involves a short essay about your business and a $15 fee.
Eligibility: Women entrepreneurs in the U.S. or Canada, including those with new or even pre-launch business ideas.
Deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling monthly basis (no specific time-in-business requirement).
2. IFundWomen Universal Grant Application Database
IFundWomen is not a single grant but a grant marketplace connecting women entrepreneurs to corporate-funded grant opportunities.
By filling out IFW’s Universal Grant Application, women business owners are automatically considered when partner organizations (like Visa, Neutrogena, or American Express) launch new grants that match their profile.
Eligibility: Women-owned businesses of any stage or industry can apply once and be notified of relevant grant matches.
Application Status: Ongoing – entrepreneurs can submit an application at any time and will be alerted if matched to a live grant opportunity.
3. HerRise Microgrant
Offered by the Yva Jourdan Foundation (the nonprofit arm of HerSuiteSpot), the HerRise Microgrant program provides $1,000 grants each month to women of colour who run small businesses.
To be eligible, the business must be at least 51% woman-owned and generate under $1 million in annual revenue.
Deadline: Applications open monthly; one grant is awarded every month. This microgrant is designed to support “under-resourced women entrepreneurs, including women of colour,” helping them cover modest business needs.
4. SoGal Black Founder Startup Grant
Created by the SoGal Foundation, the Black Founder Startup Grant provides non-dilutive grants ranging from $5,000 to $10,000 to Black and multiracial women (and nonbinary) entrepreneurs.
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, and recipients also gain access to SoGal’s network of mentors and investors.
Eligibility: Applicants must identify as a Black woman or Black nonbinary entrepreneur with a legally registered business.
Deadline: No hard deadline – applications are ongoing and reviewed continuously, as long as funding is available.
5. Stacy’s Rise Project
Stacy’s Rise Project, a collaboration between Stacy’s Pita Chips (PepsiCo) and the platform Hello Alice, is an annual grant program dedicated to uplifting women entrepreneurs, with a focus on women of colour in the food and beverage industry.
Each year, it awards $25,000 grants to 15 small businesses. Winners also receive four months of mentorship, networking opportunities, and a feature on the FoundedByHer directory.
Eligibility: At least 51% woman-owned businesses in the U.S., typically generating between $25,000 and $1 million in annual revenue (preference given to food/beverage sector).
Deadline: The application window usually opens annually (the 2025 cycle dates are to be announced).
6. Dream Makers Founder Grant (15% Pledge)
The Dream Makers Grant is a multi-year initiative by the Fifteen Percent Pledge to support historically excluded founders.
Each year, the program distributes $125,000 in total funding, awarding five grants of $25,000 to outstanding women-owned businesses that are members of the 15% Pledge’s Business Equity Community.
It was founded by Nancy Twine to help underrepresented entrepreneurs access capital for scaling their product-based businesses.
Eligibility: U.S.-based for-profit businesses that are at least 51% women-owned, have been generating revenue for at least two years (between $100K and $1M annually), have 1–10 employees, and sell a physical product (CPG) outside of the beauty category.
Deadline: Applications typically open in the spring (e.g., late April) and close in late May each year, with winners announced in August.
7. Tory Burch Foundation Fellows Program
The Tory Burch Foundation selects 50 women entrepreneurs each year for its Fellows Program, which includes a $5,000 grant for business education and a year-long fellowship of coaching and networking.
Fellows gain access to workshops, a peer network, and the opportunity to pitch their business.
Eligibility: Women business owners in the U.S. running early-stage, revenue-generating for-profit companies (typically in operation at least 1-5 years).
Deadline: The application period usually opens in the fall (around September) for the following year’s fellowship. For example, applications for the 2025 Fellows cohort closed in late 2024, with the fellows to be announced in spring 2025.
8. High Five Grant for Moms
Offered by The Mama Ladder organization, the High Five Grant is an annual competition for entrepreneurial mothers (including expecting moms, foster moms, and stepmoms).
Applicants submit their business story and, if selected as finalists, participate in a public vote. The top three winners receive $10,000 (first place), $5,000 (second), and $2,500 (third), and an additional five finalists earn $1,000 honourable mention grants.
Eligibility: Must identify as a mom and own at least 51% of a for-profit business (with at least one year of revenue).
Timeline: This is a yearly grant contest; for instance, the 2025 application cycle will run September 1–30, 2025, with winners announced thereafter.
9. Women Founders Network Fast Pitch Competition
The Women Founders Network (WFN) hosts an annual Fast Pitch Competition now in its second decade.
It’s open to early-stage, women-founded companies across the U.S. Selected finalists pitch live to a panel of investors and judges. The winners receive cash grants (in 2025, the top prize is $25,000) plus potential investment offers.
Eligibility: The startup must be woman-founded or majority woman-owned, have raised no more than $750,000 in outside funding to date, and be prepared to pitch in person (WFN is based in Los Angeles).
Deadline: The competition runs annually – for example, applications for the 2025 pitch contest will be accepted from April 1 to May 31, 2025.
10. She’s Connected by AT&T
She’s Connected is a grant contest launched by AT&T for women-led small businesses in the U.S. In its most recent iteration, the grand prize winner received a $50,000 grant plus a year of free AT&T business service and a new device, while four runners-up each received $5,000.
Eligibility: Applicants must be women who own at least 50% of a U.S.-based business with no more than 50 employees.
Status: The next application cycle had not been announced as of 2025, but interested entrepreneurs should watch AT&T’s announcements for updates, as this program has been recurring.
11. StartHER Grant (Texas Woman’s University)
Texas Woman’s University’s Center for Women Entrepreneurs offers the StartHER Grant to support women-owned small businesses in Texas.
Each year, the program awards $5,000 grants to 10 businesses for expansion or projects that will spur growth.
Eligibility: The business must be at least 51% woman-owned, Texas-based, for-profit, and in operation (startups are allowed if registered in Texas). There are also size limits (e.g. 5 or fewer employees).
Deadline: This grant opens once a year; the 2025 cycle will accept applications from August 26 to September 26, 2025. (TWU also runs a separate Texas Rural Woman Grant for businesses in certain rural counties.)
12. FedEx E-Commerce Learning Lab (with Accion Opportunity Fund)
The FedEx E-Commerce Learning Lab is a hybrid program providing both education and funding to selected entrepreneurs.
It is a five-month program created by FedEx and Accion Opportunity Fund specifically to help women and entrepreneurs of colour build successful e-commerce businesses.
Participants receive coaching, networking opportunities, and a $5,000 business grant to support their growth plans.
Eligibility: Must own at least 51% of a U.S.-based small business that produces and sells a physical product, have been in business at least 6 months, and have annual revenue under $500,000.
Status: This program typically opens applications annually; interested founders should check Accion Opportunity Fund for announcements (past cohorts have been run in 2021 and 2022, for example).
13. Publish Her Business Impact Grant
The Publish Her Business Impact Grant is a yearly $5,000 grant for women of colour entrepreneurs who are making a positive impact in their communities or industries.
This grant, organized by Publish Her (a platform amplifying women’s voices), selects a top 10 which then go to a public vote to choose the final grant recipient.
Eligibility: Open to U.S. women of colour who own 100% of their business, are 21 or older, and have at least $50,000 in annual revenue.
Deadline: Annual – applications and voting typically occur each year (the exact timeline can vary; applicants should follow Publish Her for the yearly announcement).
14. Enthuse Foundation Annual Pitch Competition
The Enthuse Foundation, based in New York, hosts an annual pitch competition for female founders of early-stage businesses.
Entrepreneurs compete live, and the grand prize winner receives a $15,000 grant (the runner-up receives $10,000). Beyond the cash, finalists often gain mentorship and exposure through the event.
Eligibility: Open to U.S. businesses that are majority woman-owned; past competitions have targeted consumer packaged goods and other industries.
Status: The pitch competition is held once a year (usually in the fall). For 2025, application details were not yet announced as of early 2025, but the program has run annually since 2019, so interested founders should anticipate a call for applications later in the year.
Grants for Women Entrepreneurs in Canada
15. RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards (Women of Influence)
Presented by Women of Influence and Royal Bank of Canada, the RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards is an annual program recognizing top women business owners across Canada.
In addition to the prestige of various award categories, the program offers financial support: winners in certain categories receive grants ranging from $5,000 to $10,000.
Eligibility: Nominees must be women entrepreneurs leading for-profit businesses in Canada. There are multiple award categories (from start-up stage to excellence in entrepreneurship) and an independent judging process.
Deadline: The awards run on an annual cycle; nominations typically open in late winter, with finalists announced mid-year and winners celebrated in the fall. (Exact grant amounts and categories can vary by year, so check the latest details when applying.)
16. BMO Celebrating Women Grant Program
Bank of Montreal’s Celebrating Women Grant provides direct support to women-owned businesses in Canada (and select U.S. states). In Canada, the 2025 program will award ten grants of $10,000 CAD each to women-led businesses that align with certain sustainability and social good criteria.
BMO launched this program in 2020 to help women entrepreneurs during the pandemic and has continued it annually.
Eligibility: Must be a for-profit business at least 51% owned by women (or non-binary/trans women), actively operating in Canada, with at least 2 years in business and $50,000+ in annual revenue. (Previous BMO grant recipients are ineligible.)
Deadline: The application period usually opens in the summer. For example, in 2025 it opened on August 5 and closed by August 19, 2025.
Note: BMO also offers a similar grant program for women-owned businesses in parts of the United States.
17. Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards
The Cartier Women’s Initiative is a prestigious global entrepreneurship program that supports early-stage, impact-driven businesses led by women.
Each year, Cartier grants awards in multiple categories and regions. In the main regional awards, 21 women entrepreneurs (from 9 regions, including North America) receive funding — with the top in each region getting $100,000 and two runners-up receiving $60,000 and $30,000 respectively. Winners also gain access to coaching, training and networking through the Cartier program.
Eligibility: Open to women-led, for-profit startups from any country (Canada and the U.S. are eligible under the North America region) that are early-stage and tackling social or environmental challenges. The founder must be the lead of the company and own a significant share.
Deadline: The competition is annual. For example, the call for the 2025 cycle opened in April 2024 and closed June 24, 2024. (Exact dates vary each year but typically mid-spring to early summer.)
18. Mastercard x Pier Five Small Business Fund (Canada)
This partnership between Mastercard and Pier Five offers grants to empower women entrepreneurs in Canada.
In 2024, the program invited applications for ten grants of $10,000 CAD each, plus a “Priceless” business mentorship experience in Toronto. The fund has been running for several years, creating a growing community of women small-business owners.
Eligibility: Women who own and lead small businesses in Canada (typically defined as fewer than a certain number of employees and under a revenue cap). Mastercard has emphasized reaching diverse women entrepreneurs and helping them overcome funding barriers.
Deadline: Usually an annual program – for instance, the 2024 application window closed on November 3, 2024. Keep an eye out each fall for announcements of the next round.
19. Visa She’s Next Grant Program (Canada)
Visa’s She’s Next program, in partnership with IFundWomen, has provided multiple rounds of grants to women-owned small businesses around the world, including Canada.
In its most recent Canadian edition, women entrepreneurs could apply for a chance to win a $10,000 CAD grant plus one year of business coaching through IFundWomen.
Past cycles have focused on specific regions or communities (for example, Visa has run She’s Next grants in the U.S., Canada, India, Ireland, etc.).
Eligibility: Women majority-owners of small businesses in Canada. Specific criteria (like business size or stage) may vary with each cohort.
Status: The latest Canadian round is currently closed, but Visa frequently announces new She’s Next initiatives; interested applicants should watch for updates in 2025 and beyond.
20. Canada’s Total Mom Pitch
Canada’s Total Mom Pitch is the country’s largest small business pitch competition specifically for mom entrepreneurs.
This annual program provides funding and support to the winner, including a grant valued at $50,000 in funding and services to help grow her business.
Beyond the top prize, participants benefit from exposure, training, and networking (the Top 100 and Top 5 finalists receive mentorship, media opportunities, and other resources through the process).
Eligibility: Applicants must be mothers (a woman entrepreneur with at least one child) and own a business in Canada. All types of for-profit businesses at various stages have been welcomed.
Deadline: The competition is held yearly. Applications typically open late in the year with multiple rounds (Top 100, then finalists, then a live pitch event in front of judges).
For example, the 2024 Total Mom Pitch ran through early 2024 culminating in a finals event where the winner took home the $50K prize. Interested mompreneurs can join the waitlist via the website to be notified when the next pitch opens.
The truth is, building a business as a woman entrepreneur takes grit, creativity, and way too much unpaid labour.
But you don’t have to do it all on your own — there are resources out there to help you grow without draining your bank account.
These 20 grants for women entrepreneurs are proof that funding does exist for women-led small businesses in the U.S. and Canada — especially for those who’ve historically been left out of the conversation.
Whether you’re a founder of colour, a mompreneur balancing two worlds, or a creative finally ready to scale, there’s money on the table to support you.
So apply boldly. Pitch imperfectly. And remember: securing funding isn’t just about keeping the lights on — it’s about giving your business the fuel it needs to thrive.
