Cash flow issues are one of the biggest headaches for business owners. For good reason too, with financial strain making it harder for entrepreneurs to meet payments, maintain positive credit stores, and invest further into their business.
While there is no magic wand when it comes to funding, business grants are the next best thing. Whether you’re nurturing the seeds of your business, or looking to expand into a new market, grants can help take you to the next level. And the best part? You don’t have to pay back a cent.
You don’t need to wait until 2025 to boost your finances either, with these exciting grants that are currently accepting applications this November.
Small Business Grants to Apply For in November 2024
No matter what stage you are on your business journey, grants are designed to give you a helping hand. Take a look at these opportunities below to see if they’re a good match for you.
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1. Verizon Digital Ready Superfan Grant
- For: Small businesses
- Grantor: Verizon and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation
- Amount: $25,000 and a trip to the Super Bowl
Telecommunications company and provider of the Small Business Digital Ready grant program, Verizon, is introducing a new opportunity for small businesses – the Digital Ready Superfan grant. The new program will be awarding three lucky businesses $25,000 in cash to help them develop the skills they need to compete in today’s digital world. As if that wasn’t enough, they’ll also be throwing in a free ticket to the Super Bowl – LIX tickets to be precise – and will cover the airfare and accommodation for the business owner and one guest.
All small US businesses are welcome to apply. However, to be in for a chance of running you’ll have to be a member of Verizon’s free Digital Ready program – a resource that gives you access to courses and expert-led workshops. After you’ve joined the program, you’ll have to complete five courses or virtual events before the grant deadline, alongside a grant application.
- Deadline: November 22
2. Small Business Hurricane Recovery Grant Program
- For: Small businesses impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton
- Grantor: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation
- Amount: $5,000
The Small Business Hurricane Recovery Grant Program is an initiative that has recently been launched by the US Chamber of Commerce Foundation and American Express in response to the destruction caused by Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
The reactionary grant program will be awarding $5,000 to 1,000 eligible businesses, from its $5 million kitty. The grant can be used for various purposes, including to cover rent, utilities, inventory, or payroll expenses.
To be in for a chance of receiving funding, your business needs to have 1-25 employees, be located in SBA disaster-declared countries affected by Hurricanes Helena and Milton, and have been unable to cover costs due to the weather events. However, with the deadline fast approaching you’ll have to act first to be in for a chance of success.
- Deadline: November 17
3. Gusto Impact Award
- For: Small businesses in Charlotte, Dallas/Forth Worth, Denver, Houston, and Miami
- Grantor: Gusto
- Amount: $10,000 in cash, and $40,000 in advertising
The Gusto Impact Awards is a funding initiative recently launched by the HR, benefits, and payroll provider Gusto. The unique scheme was designed to honor small businesses that want to make an impact in southern states.
What makes it stand out, is its focus on improving brand visibility through advertising. In addition to receiving $10,000 in funding, the lucky winner will receive $40,000 advertising package and a year of free Gusto payroll services – bringing its total value to over $5,000. The scheme is also reserving 30 $500 Visa gift cards for runner-ups.
To be eligible for the grant, your business must be located in the greater metropolitan areas of Charlotte, North Carolina; Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas; Denver, Colorado; Houston, Texas; or Miami, Florida, have no more than 75 employees, and must have earned no more than $7 million in annual revenue in 2023.
- Deadline: November 20
4. Small Business Catalyst Grant Fund
- For: Small businesses in select cities
- Grantor: The Small Business Catalyst Fund
- Amount: $5,300
The Small Business Catalyst Fund is a grant program launched recently by the Fifth Third Bank, in partnership with the Community Reinvestment Fund (CRF). The scheme has put aside an impressive total of $7.85 million to support businesses across Fifth Third’s 11-state region, which includes: Ohio, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia.
To be in with a chance of winning $5,300, you need to be based in one of the above states, have taken in less than $2 million between 2022 and 2023, and have been in operation on or before January 1, 2023.
- Deadline: November 24
5. Galaxy Grants
- For: Woman and minority entrepreneurs
- Grantor: Galaxy of Starts
- Amount: $2,750
Galaxy Grants is grant program provided by Galaxy of Starts, in partnership with Hidden Star (a 501(c)(3) nonprofit). The scheme was designed to support women and minority entrepreneurs by removing barriers to accessing capital. The program is eligible for established business owners, as well as entrepreneurs that are just starting out. Businesses of any industry are also welcome to apply.
If you’re interested in throwing your hat in the ring, you have until the end of the month to apply. It’s completely free to send off a proposal, and Galaxy of Starts has taken the headache out of the application process, by making it quick and easy for applicants to apply.
- Deadline: November 30
How to Generate Convincing Grant Proposals Using AI
Business owners are required to wear many hats. So, if you don’t have the time to write proposals from scratch AI can be a helping hand – as long as you use it correctly, and not to create your application from start to finish.
If you’re interested in using AI to streamline the process, we recommend providing a chatbot with very clear and specific prompts. For example, if you’re not sure how to structure your grant proposal, you can enter information about the grant and your business, before asking what sections to include. Alternatively, if you’re struggling with how to word a specific section, you can input the relevant information, and use the chatbot’s response to inspire your own proposal.
Generally, we advise entering as much information as possible, to make results more targeted. And if you’ve sent out proposals you’re proud of in the past, you can also enter these examples into the chatbot to make its answers more accurate and relevant to your business.
A word of warning: while AI chatbots have come a long way in recent years, they’re still prone to errors and mistakes. So, while AI tools can be massive time savers, don’t rely on them too heavily when writing your grant proposal. Also, before firing off your application, triple-check it for errors, and make sure it still has a human touch.
