Grants for Individuals - Business and Commerce

This funding opportunity supports projects that foster cultural, educational, economic, and environmental collaboration between the United States and New Zealand, the Cook Islands, Niue, and Tokelau, targeting a diverse range of applicants including individuals, non-profits, and educational institutions.

The Level Up LB: Extreme Small Business Makeover and Grant Program is an initiative designed to propel small businesses towards both success and long-term sustainability. The core of the program is a structured, 12-week series of comprehensive workshops that guide participating entrepreneurs through the essential process of crafting new business and marketing plans. Upon the successful completion of this training component, businesses become eligible to apply for substantial $10,000 grants. This integrated approach of education and capital infusion aims to empower participants to expand their operational capacity and enhance overall business resilience. This program targets small businesses, aiming for significant positive impact within the local entrepreneurial ecosystem. The initiative is structured to fully support 25 businesses, who will participate in the workshops and automatically receive grant awards upon completion. An additional 10 businesses will be selected to participate in the workshop series only, with a potential for grant awards should extra funding become available. The primary impact goals, as stated by the program, are to provide access to essential support resources and ultimately drive the expansion of business capacity and the enhancement of resilience among the selected enterprises. Program selection and the distribution of grant awards are determined by a selection committee based on specific criteria that reflect the program’s community-focused priorities. The initiative places a strong focus on ensuring representation of businesses across all parts of the city, with specific priority given to enterprises located in low-to-moderate income areas. Furthermore, the selection process is designed to ensure a balanced representation of businesses across multiple economic sectors. Finally, key focuses include assessing the business's current readiness level and the potential positive impact that participation in the program is expected to generate. The program's implied theory of change is that by connecting small businesses with essential support resources and mandatory, comprehensive training, they will be positioned for accelerated growth. The expected outcomes are measurable: all participants will complete new, detailed business and marketing plans as a result of the 12-week workshops. For the grant recipients, the direct measurable result is the successful application of the $10,000 capital, which is intended to facilitate the expansion of business capacity and increase long-term operational resilience, ultimately leading to more successful and sustainable enterprises across the city.

This grant provides $5,000 to U.S.-based entrepreneurs and small business owners who submit a structured business plan to support their growth and development.

This funding opportunity supports alumni of U.S. government-sponsored exchange programs in Mexico to create projects that celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States while addressing community challenges related to democratic values, economic growth, and innovation.

This funding opportunity supports projects that empower young Rwandans through education, cultural exchange, and economic development, focusing on areas like STEM, media literacy, and sports diplomacy.

This program provides entrepreneurial training and resources to aspiring business owners in the Bradford, Pennsylvania area, helping them develop ventures that positively impact their community.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to teams of alumni from U.S. government-sponsored exchange programs to create projects in Indonesia that promote U.S. interests and celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States.

The Chautauqua County Tourism Product Development Grant Program, with a deadline of 10/01/2024, offers $10,000 to $100,000 for projects that enhance tourism and recreation opportunities, increase visibility, and promote overnight stays in the county, with a focus on event development, marketing, and attraction enhancement.

This initiative provides up to $100,000 in technical assistance vouchers to businesses and organizations seeking to commercialize scientific innovations through collaboration with experts at U.S. Department of Energy National Laboratories.

This funding opportunity provides financial support for U.S. government exchange program alumni in Benin to develop projects that empower local youth in technology, entrepreneurship, and civic engagement.

It is well documented that many investments in Africa, including in Liberia, fail to meet internationally accepted standards. This trend continues in part because of host countries lack of awareness, capacity, and governance. This project aims to address these weaknesses by bringing together government, civil society, journalists, academics, and other key stakeholders to build Liberias internal capacity to ensure further investments and projects have improved standards and mechanisms in place to monitor and penalize non-compliance. The project will include components that offer stakeholders: investment best global practices; case studies involving how to advance transparency in negotiating large investment deals in Africa; training/advising government officials on developing legal and regulatory investment frameworks; mentoring on public awareness campaigns around investment standards; and seminars in investigating investment-related challenges and successes in the African context. Projects should target: Countering lending and investment projects that fail to adhere to internationally accepted investment practices and as a result put at risk Liberias sovereignty, socio-economic well-being, and biodiversity.

This program provides training and financial support to early-stage entrepreneurs in Minnesota who are dedicated to creating socially impactful and sustainable businesses.

The 2024 Beautification Awards, offered by the City of Livermore, aim to enhance and increase the aesthetic attraction of Livermore. This program is designed to recognize community members' efforts in promoting creativity, community pride, and economic vitality through improvements to their properties. The awards align with the city's broader mission of fostering a visually appealing and vibrant community. The target beneficiaries of this program are property owners within the corporate limits of the City of Livermore who undertake projects to improve their outdoor spaces. The impact goals include beautifying the city, encouraging community engagement in local aesthetics, and boosting local economic vitality through enhanced visual appeal. The program implicitly promotes a theory of change where local beautification efforts directly lead to increased community pride and economic benefits. The program prioritizes various types of projects, including residential site improvements, retail or commercial upgrades, water-wise or native plant landscapes, historical renovations, and other structural renovations, restorations, and new builds with noteworthy landscape design. Projects must be visible from a public street or trail, have the consent of the owner, and not have won in the previous five years. Self-nominations are encouraged. Award selection criteria focus on how a project visually enhances the property, how the home or business incorporates design, maintenance, color, organization, and creativity to complement and enrich the visual appeal of the existing community, and how the structure, architectural design, and landscaping are combined for maximum visual effect. The expected outcomes are a more aesthetically pleasing Livermore and increased community pride, with measurable results being the number and quality of beautification projects undertaken and recognized.

This funding opportunity provides financial support for U.S. and Japanese organizations, educational institutions, and individuals to develop projects that strengthen U.S.-Japan relations through cultural, educational, and strategic initiatives.

This program provides funding for cultural and educational projects that strengthen ties between the U.S. and Türkiye, encouraging collaboration in areas like security, innovation, democratic values, and cultural exchange.

This initiative provides financial support and resources to women entrepreneurs running small businesses, helping them navigate transitions and achieve sustainable success without compromising their well-being.

This initiative provides $500 to support African and Caribbean women engaged in entrepreneurship, nonprofit leadership, or creative projects, fostering community empowerment and cultural expression.

This program provides funding to nonprofits, community organizations, municipalities, and businesses in Northampton County, Virginia, to develop tourism-related projects that enhance the region's appeal and attract visitors, especially during off-peak seasons.

This grant provides financial support and resources to female entrepreneurs in the U.S. who are running socially impactful businesses and need assistance to grow and sustain their ventures.

This grant provides funding for projects that promote historic preservation, community development, and the arts in Wheeling, West Virginia, supporting individuals, businesses, and organizations working to enhance the city's cultural and historical identity.