6 Places to Find Grants That You Probably Didn’t Know About

As you already know, grants are a great way to get free money into your business. You can use this money to pay off debt, pay employees, scale your business, and so much more. However, have you ever wondered where small business owners are finding all of these grants? It may seem that you’re on the internet all day but somehow aren’t finding these opportunities. Don’t worry; we’ll tell you about 6 different places where you can find grants that you probably didn’t know about. 

6 BEST PLACES TO FIND FREE (GRANT) MONEY FOR SMALL BUSINESS | SHE BOSS TALK

1. She Boss Talk

She Boss Talk takes grants and grant applications seriously. We use our platform to make sure small business owners are aware of and prepared for grants. We do the heavy lifting for you so we can be the first stop in your grant research. Here is how we can support you:

• Grant tracker- We provide a grant tracker with free money programs, which include grants, pitch competitions, accelerators, and incubators. Our grant tracker is updated regularly and is one of the best places to check if you need a grant for your small business. You can sign up on our website if you want to access it. For just $10 dollars a month or $99 dollars for the year, you can access countless grants without spending hours researching.
• Subscribe to our YouTube channel- We regularly do YouTube videos on our channel, She Boss Talk discussing upcoming grants. If you subscribe, you’re less likely to miss out on grant opportunities. 
• Apply to our grants- She Boss Talk has been providing grants for women within the past couple of years with She Boss Up Grants. Last month, we awarded 10 women with microgrants to support their businesses. Even though we only accept applications once yearly, we hope to do it more often.

In addition to the She Boss Up Grants, we have other ways of getting money into the hands of small business owners. For example, we usually have a pitch competition for Black History Month. Our pitch competition allows Black-owned businesses to tell us about their business, and we’ll award grants to the winners. 

2. Chambers of Commerce

These non-profit organizations are great places to find grants or free money. They have tons of resources to support your business. Besides providing grants, they have scholarships, networking opportunities, pitch competitions, and more. 

You can check out the US Chambers of Commerce website and sign up for their email list. They also run a website called CO with a ton of important business information. For example, here is an article called 48 Grants, Loans, and Programs to Benefit Your Small Business.

There are also many different types of Chambers of Commerce to meet you where you are. For example, there are chambers of commerce at the local level. This means you should definitely check out the US Chambers of Commerce Directory to find your local branch. 

There is also a Black Chambers of Commerce, Hispanic Chambers of Commerce, and Asian American Chambers of Commerce to support minorities. 

If you want to make the best of the resources offered by the various Chambers of Commerce, we recommend:

• Signing up to be a member for a nominal fee
• Attending an event to get access to contract opportunities
• Look into the various Chambers of Commerce and decide which ones fit you best. Assess how active they are and what their contributions are to the community

Even if you don’t get grant opportunities frequently, the right Chambers of Commerce can provide you with many opportunities. 

3. Local Business Centers

Did you know there are many business centers all over the United States? Get connected with your local business centers. They not only provide grant opportunities, but they have tools and resources to help your business. 

The Small Business Administration (SBA) also has local Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) with resources just for you. The SBDC can help you with:

• Business and technical assistance tailored to your business
• Accessing capital
• Problem-solving assistance
• And more

Follow this link to find your local SBDC. 

Another great organization you might want to check out is SCORE. One of the biggest advantages of SCORE is finding a business mentor. Mentorship is definitely important when it comes to developing and scaling a business.

In addition to mentorship, you can access free workshops that you can use to improve your business. 

And yes, SCORE has partnered with others to launch pitch competitions to grant business owners free money. Sign up with them so you can be an insider and be privy to these grants and other opportunities first. 

Finally, we want to encourage you to connect with your local National Urban League and Minority Business Assistance Center for funding opportunities and business assistance. 

4. Networking and Crowdsourcing Platforms

Networking and crowdsourcing platforms are awesome places to go to get free money and access to funding. 

One of our favorite networking platforms is Hello Alice. They’re great at providing funding opportunities, access to new customers, and a community. 

You can also check out iFundWomen and iFundWomenofColor. They are both networking and crowdsourcing platforms that give out grants to successful applicants. 

Don’t underestimate your need for a community as a business owner. Trust us. 

5. Government Agencies 

Get in touch with government agencies from every level; local, state, and federal. The government provides grants outside of COVID-19 relief. These grants have always existed. One government agency that has grants available is the SBA.

A great place to start for federal grants is grants.gov. There are many grants and grant resources available to you. 

Another great resource is usa.gov. They have a small business arm that has not only grant-information but can help you with taxes and government contracts. 

6. Social Media

All social media platforms have free money programs. These programs may come in the form of grants, scholarships, accelerator programs, and ad credits. For example, Facebook had a grant program for small business owners and another for Black businesses. Both grant programs are now closed, but they could have another opportunity to win free money soon. 

PS, Facebook is paying some creators to create reels, so you can look into that. 

In addition to that, you can actually find grants on social media. You can follow platforms that advocate for small businesses, like She Boss Talk. We openly share grants on our social media platforms. That way, you’ll be able to see grants that you probably didn’t even know about. 

How to Prepare for Grant Applications 

Now that you know where to find grants, your next job is to ace the grant applications. We have a step-by-step guide for helping you get prepared for grant applications. 

In addition to that, we have our The Winning Grant Application Cheat Sheet & Checklist. This digital product dives deeper into our process for winning grants with ease. Grants have been integral to our business, and we recorded the process just for you. We’ve helped countless others just like you get the grants their business needed. Grab it today so you can start winning and spending your free money.