Entrepreneur Grant Program

The State Forty Eight Foundation Entrepreneur Grant Program supports eligible Arizona entrepreneurs and for-profit businesses through a competitive grant application process. The program is administered by the State Forty Eight Foundation and is closely connected to its Entrepreneur Speaker Series. The application emphasizes entrepreneurs' stories, businesses, visions, connection to Arizona, and willingness to remain engaged with the Foundation community. Applicants are asked to provide substantial information about both the entrepreneur and the underlying business so the Foundation can evaluate business health, purpose, community connection, growth potential, and the expected impact of grant funding. Eligibility is limited by four mandatory conditions, all of which must be satisfied. The applicant must be a for-profit business registered in Arizona, have annual revenue of $1,000,000 or less, have been generating sales for at least six months, and have attended at least one qualifying Entrepreneur Speaker Series session in 2026. The application preview identifies the qualifying sessions as August 8 and August 22 and permits attendance in person or online. The program webpage additionally states that attendees must attend one of the two days live, either in person or by virtual livestream, and complete one post-session survey. Applicants must use the email address associated with their Entrepreneur Speaker Series registration and post-event survey so attendance can be verified. A relationship with State Forty Eight Foundation board members, staff, or prior grant recipients must be disclosed, but disclosure itself does not disqualify an applicant. The application requests applicant and business information including name, contact details, business name and location, founding year, business structure, industry or sector, approximate 2025 annual revenue, and a required headshot. Applicants then respond to narrative questions addressing the community's need for the business, what loving Arizona means through the business, the entrepreneur's journey and the role of the grant, a business achievement or challenge overcome, Arizona supporters and plans to pay that support forward, and community involvement. Applicants must also provide links to a 60-second day-in-the-life business video and a 60-second video explaining the entrepreneur's business why. A detailed business plan section covers the business description, mission or purpose, main products or services, competitive differentiation, target customers, customer problem and solution, market opportunity and competitors, revenue sources, pricing strategy, sales and distribution, team members, operations, optional key partners, current status, and goals for the next 12 to 36 months. Financial documentation includes a required year-to-date 2026 Profit and Loss or Income Statement. A 2025 Profit and Loss or Income Statement or 2025 Schedule C tax return is optional and may be skipped when applicable for businesses that operated less than a full year in 2025. Applicants must explain specifically how grant funding would be used. The provided materials do not state an award minimum, award maximum, total program funding amount, number of awards, required matching contribution, or a defined performance period. Applications are evaluated using a grading rubric covering Business Viability, Business Identity, Business "Why," Foundation Involvement, Grant Impact, and Rooted in AZ. Strong applications demonstrate financial and operational health and a defined business plan; cohesive branding through a logo, website, messaging, and social media; a clear and precise business purpose; willingness and ability to collaborate with State Forty Eight Foundation; a thoughtful and specific plan for spending grant funds to create impact; and a strong connection to Arizona, including an understanding of the market gap the business fills and its place in the local business community. The highest rubric ratings emphasize exceptional financial health, clear identity and purpose, strong Foundation engagement, impactful use of funds, and an exceptional connection to Arizona. For the current cycle, the supplied grant timeline shows an eligibility period from September 12 through September 26, with grant applications opening online September 27. Applications close October 11 at 11:59 PM. Because no time zone is supplied, the stored deadline is October 11 under the applicable data-entry convention. The application review period runs October 11 through October 30. Grant recipients are scheduled to be announced November 14 at the Winners' Circle Celebration, with grantees notified in advance. Optional virtual grant workshops are identified for September 15 and September 30; attendance at those workshops is expressly not required for grant eligibility. The materials provided do not explicitly establish that the grant recurs annually or otherwise specify a future application cycle, so recurrence is not recorded.

Demonstrate strong financial and operational health and a defined business plan; present cohesive branding across logo, website, messaging and social media; state a clear and precise business why; show a strong willingness to collaborate with State Forty Eight Foundation; provide a specific and thoughtful plan for spending grant funds and demonstrating impact; explain a strong connection to Arizona, the market gap the business fills, and its place in the local business community.