TRANSFORM Business Grant

The TRANSFORM Business Grant is a private grant program designed to redistribute wealth to impact-focused entrepreneurs and support people from systemically marginalized groups. TRANSFORM describes itself as actively anticapitalist and antiracist and works to identify and dismantle oppressive systems of power. Its stated purpose is to create opportunities for entrepreneurial success without participating in systems of harm. The program supports social-impact-focused individuals whose businesses or business ideas align with TRANSFORM's values and who demonstrate financial need. Each selected grantee receives a $1,000 microgrant together with a customized, year-long business strategy, development, and mentorship program. The mentorship component provides pro bono access to experts and resources in areas that may include brand development, business establishment, financial planning, graphic design, mentorship, board development, marketing strategy, business coaching, website development, project management, product development, public speaking, negotiation, networking, community building, human resources and staffing, event planning and logistics, and sales strategy. Applicants explain how the $1,000 will be used and how the funding will enable short-term and long-term business growth that is not currently available to them. The program is open to applicants who live in the United States regardless of citizenship or immigration status, while the applicant's project may operate anywhere worldwide. Individuals and teams or groups may apply, and applicants do not need to operate a fully established business. Businesses at all stages of development are welcome, including nonprofit businesses. Applicants must satisfy four core requirements: they must identify as part of at least one systemically marginalized group; their idea or business must align with TRANSFORM's values, including antiracism and anticapitalism, in its operations; the idea or business must be social-impact-oriented and challenge systems of oppression or address social injustices; and the applicant must demonstrate financial need. Examples of systemically marginalized groups identified by TRANSFORM include BIPOC individuals, people with disabilities, formerly incarcerated individuals, and queer, trans, and nonbinary people. TRANSFORM does not fund political organizations or political activities, religious organizations for religious purposes, student loans, or other debt payments. Business activities focused on medicinal or clinical practices also cannot be considered because TRANSFORM states that it does not have the capacity or expertise to consult or advise in these areas. Financial need is defined by TRANSFORM as not being able to obtain the things an applicant needs with the resources the applicant currently has. Applicants must describe their financial need and provide information about business funding and revenue, including applicable personal contributions, income, special projects, crowdsourcing, equity-related funding, gifts, and grants. Applications are submitted through TRANSFORM's JotForm application, which is available only during the designated application windows. The 2026 application windows are March 9 through March 20, 2026, and September 8 through September 18, 2026. Applications cannot be accepted outside these windows. The application covers personal and business information, the applicant's identity and its influence on their worldview and business, the business or business idea, goals, differentiation, the problem or need addressed, social impact, theory of change, anticapitalist values, indicators of success, workforce and team relationships, financial need and financial history, the proposed use of the $1,000 grant, and desired areas of mentorship. Conditional questions also apply to team applicants and returning applicants. Applicants may select up to five areas in which they would benefit from mentorship support. TRANSFORM emphasizes that applicants should provide enough information for reviewers to understand what they do, how they do it, their values, and the significant change they seek to make. One-sentence responses that do not meaningfully address prompts may not provide reviewers with enough information. TRANSFORM specifically needs to understand how applicants apply relevant ideas to their work, incorporate anticapitalist values into their businesses, and clearly create social impact. The four core eligibility areas are described as mandatory, non-negotiable qualifications, and applications failing to meet all four will not move forward in the review process. Character limits are provided for narrative questions in the application, and all questions are required except the two conditional questions relating to team applicants and returning applicants. For the upcoming 2026 application period, applications open September 8, 2026 and close September 18, 2026. No separate letter of intent, concept paper, pre-proposal, or other pre-application gating requirement is identified in the supplied material. No award notification date or separate performance period for use of the $1,000 is stated, although selected grantees participate in a year-long customized business development and mentorship program. Applicants with questions before applying may contact TRANSFORM at info@transformgrant.org. The supplied material does not identify a named individual contact, telephone number, matching or cost-share requirement, total program funding, or number of grants to be awarded.

Provide enough information for reviewers to understand what you do, how you do it, your values, and the significant change you are making. Address all four mandatory eligibility areas clearly. Explain how anticapitalist values are integrated into the business rather than supplying a textbook definition. Clearly demonstrate social impact and how the work challenges systems of oppression or addresses social injustices. Avoid one-sentence answers that do not meaningfully respond to the prompts.