The Artists Respond grant program awards funds to Connecticut artists for community-based projects that range from large audience events to small group activities. Artist-led projects use the arts to inspire, empower, educate, and transform Connecticut communities.

Connecticut artists may apply for a grant of $3,000 to support artist fees and project related expenses. Apply by October 25, 2023 at 11:59pm. Click here for more information.

Beginning July 26 through September 1, 2023, eligible small businesses can apply for a $5,000 grant through the Keep It Local Business Fund. In addition to the grant, recipients will receive resources and tools to grow their business including pro bono advertising on the Nextdoor (NYSE: KIND) platform and access to personalized training. Click here to apply by September 1 @ 6PM ET.

A celebration of women who are making their mark on the food, beverage, and CPG industries.  Five entrepreneurs pitch their business live in New York City in front of a panel of industry experts. $10,000 no strings attached grand prize + 20 hours of in-kind business services from Enthuse Marketing. Applications open August 21st and are due by October 2nd. Click here for more information.

To help restaurants recover in times of critical need, DoorDash has partnered with Hello Alice to create the Restaurant Disaster Relief Fund. The fund supports restaurants impacted by natural disasters like fires, floods, and hurricanes, and provides relief through $10,000 grants. Click here to apply.

Applications are now being accepted for the Publish Her Business Impact Grant (BIG) program for women of color business owners. With support from community partner BankCherokee, Publish Her will award a $5,000 grant to a woman of color whose business is making a difference in the lives of others and the world. Apply here by August 31st.

The Pepper Startup Grant is specifically for Black women business owners, a dynamic group that has been systematically disenfranchised when seeking to acquire the necessary venture capital funding to expand their businesses. One recipient will receive a zero strings attached $5,000 financial grant and the following benefits:

• Mentorship calls with the Founders of Pepper
• Dedicated promotion on Pepper’s social media accounts
• Access to consultations with experts in legal, fundraising, finance, marketing, website, and relevant fields as needed, to address your specific needs

Applications are now open and close on August 23, 2023 11:59pm MT. Apply here.

Bold Beginnings is for women under 30 with big ideas. Those chosen to attend from across North America share their vision. One leaves with $25,000. Bold Beginnings will select one woman out of 8-10 every year to receive a $25,000 grant. All participants will leave the experience with a network of peer support that they can lean on as they navigate their lives and careers. Apply here by Thursday, August 31, 2023.

Through two separate Prize tracks, the Black Ambition Prize competition provides a platform for Black, Hispanic and HBCU-affiliated founders across the nation to access growth capital, pitch feedback, and mentorship. Applications are open now and will be accepted until May 8th. Applications are now closed. Visit blackambitionprize.com for updates on the 2024 Black Ambition Prize timeline

The Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) awarded $7.2 million to The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven in support of work to make the small business landscape more equitable. The grant is part of a $46.6 million statewide initiative to help underserved entrepreneurs and small businesses owners. The NHE3 will provide a continuum of grants, business consulting and technical services in Greater New Haven, with a focus on serving Black, Latinx, women and immigrant business owners.

To view full eligibility requirements and instructions for applying for this grant click here

To apply for the grant, register and then log back into eCenter and upload the completed questions from Section A and Section B in a single PDF. Next, upload each of the 10 requirements in Section C as a single PDF into the grant system.

Link to eCenter can be found here.
Please email info@bbusinessalliance.org with any questions

Through Community Micro-Grants, CTNext aims to support events, projects and/or organizations that bolster Connecticut’s entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystem. This includes assistance for for-profit companies, nonprofit organizations and consortia based in Connecticut.  Microgrant Applications are currently closed. They will reopen on September 1st, 2023. Check back here for updates.

CommCap serves as a partner to all. From small business to affordable housing to nonprofits to participation in big developments, CommCap loans are providing the financing for a Greater Bridgeport. Click here to apply.

The Connecticut Small Business Boost Fund gives small business owners access to flexible funding for capital expenditures and working capital and connects them with support services. Pre-apply here.

Click here to view financial opportunities available to Norwalk based businesses.

The R&D tax credit is available to companies developing new or improved business components or processes. It is calculated as a percentage of the company’s expenses related to R&D activities. Qualified R&D expenditures can include operating expenses such as wages, materials, and payments to third-party contractors if the activity that gives rise to the expenditure is a qualified research activity. Click here to complete the Research & Development Survey and find out if your business qualifies for the R&D tax credit.

Through its Opportunity Fund, WBDC is providing the resources needed to help Connecticut’s small businesses thrive. The current grant programs available satisfy a variety of needs for small businesses. View them here.

City-Specific Small Business Grant Programs – New London, Torrington, Waterbury

• $2,500 to $10,000 grants available to qualified small businesses located in each municipality​
• Businesses do NOT need to be women-owned to qualify​
• Grants awarded for clearly-defined projects that will have a measurable impact on the business, its growth, and profitability
• Applications open June 21, 2023 and will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis until funds are exhausted

NAACP believes in the power of Black entrepreneurship. NAACP partners with several organizations to provide grants for Black-owned businesses. Click here to view available grants.

LegalZoom has teamed up with the NBA, WNBA, and NBA G League to assist communities by helping small business owners. Fast Break for Small Business is a $6 million commitment in grants and LegalZoom services to help thousands of small businesses all over the country. LegalZoom, the NBA, WNBA and NBA G League are committed to helping small business owners everywhere, especially those who face obstacles because of who they are, who they love, or how they identify. Applications will reopen during the 2023 WNBA season. Updates will be posted here. here.

WomensNet gives away at least $10,000 every month to Women-Owned businesses. Whether you’re starting or growing a business, WomensNet can help! Click here to view all grants offered by WomensNet.

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Every month, Emma Johnson gives out $500 cash to one single mom, no strings attached. The 2023 Kickass Single Mom Stimulus Grant has one goal: Give a hand to single moms struggling with money, health, stress, child care, illness, and loneliness. Qualifications are simple: 1. You’re a single mom. 2. You need the money right now. Click here to learn more.

America’s Seed Fund powered by NSF has helped startups and small businesses transform their ideas into marketable products and services. Project Pitches are accepted at any time (24/7) and 365 days a year. Typically, it takes about one month to get an official response from NSF staff. For more information and to apply, click here.

For the past five years, Sephora Accelerate has been dedicated to building a community of innovative, inspirational founders in beauty. This year we are focused on incubating founders who are people of color. In line with our 15% pledge, and to ensure there are brands representative of the colors, races, and ethnicities that make up America, our commitment this year will be to help bring these brands along. Founders will embark on a six-month journey inclusive of an intensive boot camp where they’ll gain the necessary skills to create a successful business and eventual launch at Sephora, the world’s largest beauty retailer. Applications for Sephora Accelerate 2023 are now closed.

The Coalition to Back Black Businesses is a multi-year initiative to support Black small business owners and the communities they serve as they recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and chart a path forward. Small businesses are critical parts of communities – the strength of these businesses is essential to the vibrancy of their communities. Applications for the 2023-2024 cohort will open in August. Click here for more information.

Collab Capital was built to invest financial, human, and network capital to effectively support, grow, and sustain Black-owned innovative businesses. Collab Capital’s mission is to decrease the racial wealth gap by helping Black businesses overcome the funding and network challenges that often stifle their growth. For more information on this initiative click here.

SoGal Foundation has teamed up with Winky Lux, bluemercury, twelveNYC, Twilio, and other sponsors to make a small step towards progress by providing several $10K and $5K cash grants to Black women or nonbinary entrepreneurs. For more information and to apply for this grant click here.

Sage and The BOSS Network are partnering to offer 25, $10,000 grants to Black women entrepreneurs to grow their businesses. The Sage Invest in Progress grant will award the funding to help support Black women during their first five years of business. For more information on this grant click here.

The FedEx Small Business Grant Contest is a grant program by FedEx to award ten (10) U.S. based small businesses with grants up to $50,000 and up to $4,000 in FedEx Office print and business services. Entries for 2023 have closed. Future updates will be posted here.

The Power Forward Small Business Grant program aims to create a lasting impact through the economic empowerment of Black-owned small businesses across New England. Apply here. Applications are open now through June 30, 2023 at 6 PM

The HerRise Micro-Grant provides financial support to women of color creating innovative solutions that impact their community and that are often unable to secure funding for their small business. Each month a $500 micro-grant will be awarded to a small business owned by women of color. 2023 applications will be open soon. Apply here.

Fearless Fund invests in women of color led businesses seeking pre-seed, seed level or series A financing. The mission is to bridge the gap in venture capital funding for women of color founders building scalable, growth aggressive companies. Fearless Fund is built by women of color for women of color. For more information click here.

Corporate Counsel Women of Color will award five (5) $5,000.00 Grants to women of color entrepreneurs. The CCWC review committee will review submissions on a rolling basis, and grants will be awarded to winners and finalists in January 2023 and September 2023.. Click here to learn more.