As we ease into the summer months, business optimism finally seems to have recovered from its Covid-induced slump, with a new survey from the US Chamber of Commerce revealing that 73% of US business owners expect their revenue to grow in the next year.
Despite this, rising inflation rates and systematic barriers to entry are still preventing millions of business owners from finding success. The good news? For every budding business struggling to break through, there’s probably a business grant out there to help.
If you’re interested in securing your future today, we’ve rounded up some exciting business grants accepting applications in July. If the thought of writing a proposal is making you anxious, we also explore how AI can be used to assist with the grant-writing process.
Small Business Grants to Apply For in July 2024
Securing funding for your business might be easier than you think. Here are some small business grants accepting applications in July:
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1. CO-100
- For: Small to medium-sized businesses
- Grantor: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce
- Amount: $2,000 to $25,000
Formerly known as America’s Top Business Awards, the CO-100 is a premier awards program designed to honor the achievements of small businesses and highlight their contributions to America’s economic growth. The grant program, which is backed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, awards $25,000 to the overall CO-100 winner, and $2,000 to ten runners-up that also made the list.
In addition to financial support, each successful business will gain valuable media brand exposure, be able to access business guidance from experts in their field and be invited to VIP experiences run by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. To be eligible for the grant, businesses must have fewer than 250 employees and have gross revenues under $20 million.
If you think you could be in for a chance of winning, make sure to get your application in by July 22. Also, it’s important to note that each business needs to pay a $99 application fee in order to be considered.
- Deadline: July 22 (extended from original deadline of July 8)
2. She’s Connected
- For: Female-owned businesses
- Grantor: AT&T
- Amount: $50,000
She’s Connected by AT&T is a business grant for woman-owned businesses designed to empower female entrepreneurs and business owners through financing. The lucky winner of the grant scheme receives a total of $50,000, alongside one full year of AT&T service with a brand-new device, and will be featured on an episode of AT&T’s sponsorship program She’s Connected.
If you run a US woman-owned business with under 50 employees and are aged 18 years or older, you could be in with a chance of winning. Unlike with CO-100, it’s completely free to enter, so you don’t have anything to lose. However, with it’s deadline looming close, we’d recommend sending off the application as fast as you can.
- Deadline: July 10
3. BREAKTHROUGH Program
- For: Female-owned businesses
- Grantor: digitalundivided and JPMorgan Chase & Co
- Amount: $5,000
digitalundivided and JPMorgan’s BREAKTHROUGH Program is another small business grant scheme aimed at supporting the success of female entrepreneurs. Like lots of other organizations, JPMorgan is focused on helping businesses holistically, not just by handing them a cash package. For example, alongside a grant of $5,000, successful businesses receive virtual guidance on scaling and expanding their business, feedback and insights from experienced mentors, access to digitalundivided’s community of entrepreneurs, and more.
To be eligible you need to identify as a woman, be aged 18 or older, have owned a business for over a year, generate a minimum of $50,000 annually, and have an established website or mobile app.
- Deadline: July 14
4. Spark Good Local Grants
- For: Local charities, government entities, or schools
- Grantor: Walmart
- Amount: $250 to $5,000
Spark Good is a local grant scheme run by Walmart, Sam’s Clubs, and Distribution Centers across the US. The program aims to address the local needs of communities by awarding financing to organizations that benefit the area where they operate. Successful applicants can receive anywhere from $250 to $5,000 in funding.
To be eligible, organizations need to have a Spark Good account and be verified by Deed (Walmart’s third-party verification service provider). Applicants also need to be registered organization like a public charity, government entity, or public or nonprofit school. Think you might miss the application window? Don’t panic, applications are accepted on a quarterly basis so you’ll always be able to apply for the next round.
- Deadline: July 15
5. HoneyBook Breakthrough Grant
- For: Early-stage marketing and creative consultants
- Grantor: HoneyBook
- Amount: $18,000
The HoneyBook Breakthrough Grant is a new funding opportunity targeted at early-stage marketing and creative consultants funded by the client management platform HoneyBook. The 20 lucky winners receive $18,000 in cash grants, a 3-year subscription to HoneyBook Premium, and expert services set up by HoneyBook Pros.
To be eligible, you need to be an independent business owner who is selling their skills and expertise as a consultative service, has an established digital presence, has been in business for under three years, and is making less than $100,000 in annual revenue. If you fit the criteria, you have until July 16 to apply, and winners will be announced on August 5.
- Deadline: July 16
6. Elevate Creatives Fund
- For: Small creative businesses
- Grantor: Wave & Shorty Awards
- Amount: $20,000
Are you an independent creator, or creative freelancer based in the US or Canada? If so, you should probably know about Wave & Shorty’s Elevate Creative Fund. The $120,000 fund was designed to fuel entrepreneurship by removing financial barriers for small creative business owners.
The six successful applicants receive $20,000 to grow their business, free creative or business mentorship, a feature on the Shorty Awards website, social media, and podcast, and an invitation to the live Shorty Impact Awards in November. Shortlisted applicants don’t go home empty-handed either. They get featured on the Shorty Award’s website and get free personalized bookkeeping coaching from Wave.
You have until the end of the month to apply for this grant, but if you don’t already have a Wave account you will have to pay an application fee of $49.
- Deadline: July 31
Using AI to Write Grant Proposals: The Do’s and the Don’ts
If you’ve got a serious case of writer’s block, or are applying for a large volume of grants at once, AI can help to optimize the writing process in a number of ways. For example, tools like ChatGPT can help you brainstorm ideas, crystalize your business plans, and create a clear structure for your proposal.
Platforms like ChatGPT can also act as a useful proofreader. The chatbot can check for typos, and grammatical errors, and is even capable of analyzing and improving the tone of your copy. For busy business owners, this attention to detail can be a lifesaver, and could even improve their chances of creating a successful application.
However, don’t be deceived. While AI has the power to streamline the grant-writing process, it can backfire massively for businesses that get it wrong. A grant proposal should sound human, and express as much of your personality as possible. Therefore, if you rely too much on AI, you risk the proposal sounding overly generic and detached.
AI makes mistakes too. So, before firing off your application, we recommend reading it through with a fine tooth-comb, to make sure all information is correct and up-to-date, and the rest of the proposal is as human-sounding as possible.
