Grants for Small businesses - Diversity Equity and Inclusion

This funding opportunity supports innovative research aimed at reducing the risk and preventing Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, particularly focusing on military health, traumatic brain injury, and health disparities.

This funding opportunity supports a wide range of fundamental scientific research projects across various disciplines, including energy, environment, and national security, aimed at advancing knowledge and innovation in the United States.

This funding initiative provides financial support to Black-owned small businesses in the U.S. to help them sustain or rebuild their operations and foster local economic empowerment.

This funding opportunity supports innovative clinical research projects aimed at improving treatments and care for individuals with spinal cord injuries, particularly those involving military Service Members, Veterans, and civilians.

This funding initiative provides financial assistance to eligible small businesses in Washington, DC, to help them acquire commercial properties, promoting long-term ownership and stability for historically disadvantaged entrepreneurs.

This initiative provides cash awards and support to Black-led startups in Brazil, helping them overcome barriers to entrepreneurship and grow their businesses without giving up equity.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to Door County businesses, non-profits, and local governments to improve accessibility for the public through various enhancements and services.

This program provides funding to nonprofit organizations in Pennsylvania to support high-growth companies and foster innovation through technology commercialization and strategic partnerships.

This funding opportunity supports research on how social isolation and loneliness affect suicide risk in older adults, aiming to identify protective factors and inform interventions for vulnerable populations.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to small community organizations and Tribal entities in New England to tackle environmental and public health issues in disadvantaged communities.

This grant provides funding for collaborative projects in the planning phase that seek to create systemic change in community health by addressing complex issues through equity-focused solutions.

This funding opportunity supports researchers working on innovative spinal cord injury treatments and interventions that can improve the lives of military personnel, veterans, and their families.

Beyond Open is a competitive small business grant program focused on enhancing economic mobility within Charlotte's Corridors of Opportunity. It aims to support diverse-owned small businesses, including those owned by minorities, women, veterans, LGBTQ individuals, and persons with disabilities. The grant can be used for capital assets such as equipment, technology, inventory, and real estate, and does not require repayment. Administered by FFTC Partners For Empowering Communities, a supporting organization of the Foundation For The Carolinas, and funded by the Wells Fargo Open for Business Fund, Beyond Open has awarded over $10 million in grants to nearly 300 small businesses during its first two rounds. The third round will distribute approximately $5 million in grants. The program aims to retain jobs, encourage job growth, and inspire new entrepreneurial endeavors in areas with low economic mobility and among historically underrepresented groups. It also seeks to create opportunities for small businesses to provide goods or services in affluent areas where minority business owners have been under-represented.

The Outdoor Equity Fund aims to enhance safe, equitable access to outdoor spaces and nature-based learning for Wabanaki, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) in Maine, unceded land of the Wabanaki. The fund addresses systemic barriers that BIPOC communities face in accessing outdoor spaces by supporting organizations working on land-based cultural preservation, land-back projects, leadership development, farming and gardening programs, outdoor accessibility, expeditions, learning, and therapeutic programs. It operates with a Community Advisory Committee guiding its efforts and employs a participatory grantmaking process. Selected organizations for the 2023 cohort will receive $30,000 over three years for general operating support, alongside opportunities for peer learning and capacity-building activities.

The Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky's Shaping a Healthy and Inclusive Future Together (SHIFT) Grant Program aims to transform fragmented communities in Kentucky into inclusive environments for individuals engaging in substance use or experiencing chemical dependence. This program directly aligns with the foundation's mission to build a healthy, inclusive, and connected Kentucky by addressing the critical need for harm reduction and racial equity. The foundation seeks to foster a culture of acceptance and support, moving away from punitive approaches and integrating more compassionate, effective strategies into mainstream services. The SHIFT program targets community-based organizations that primarily serve under-resourced communities of color. These organizations must demonstrate a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion through BIPOC leadership within their staff and board. A crucial eligibility criterion is that applicants must not mandate sobriety for individuals to receive services, emphasizing an inclusive approach. The primary impact goal is to shift communities towards greater inclusion and better support for individuals with substance use challenges, particularly those who have experienced systemic oppression due to the War on Drugs. The grant program prioritizes the integration of harm reduction programming into communities. This includes a variety of project examples such as distributing naloxone, safe use kits, syringe exchanges, and testing strips, as well as community organizing and advocacy that empower individuals with lived experiences. Stigma reduction trainings are also a focus, aimed at helping the public understand and articulate the importance of harm reduction models. Other priorities include developing coalitions of local businesses to provide harm reduction supplies, building partnerships with medication-assisted treatment providers, and integrating peer support professionals into staff positions. Expected outcomes of the grant program include the introduction of new harm reduction service modalities into mainstream services and the increased inclusion of people who use substances into these services. The program offers 10-15 grants, ranging from $10,000 for piloting new programming to $50,000 for supporting ongoing harm reduction and racial equity work. This funding structure supports both innovative new initiatives and the sustained growth of existing effective programs, demonstrating the foundation's strategic commitment to long-term impact and systemic change within Kentucky's communities.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to organizations in Illinois to establish a peer-staffed phone line that offers free, confidential emotional support and resources for individuals facing mental health challenges.

This funding initiative provides technical assistance and support to organizations that help high-barrier populations, such as youth, veterans, and justice-involved individuals, improve their workforce readiness and economic mobility in California.

The Heartland Regional Food Business Center is offering Business Builder Subawards ranging from $5,000 to $50,000 to support small food and farm businesses in selected states and counties, aiming to expand local and regional food markets, increase business acumen, and strengthen food systems in response to COVID-19, with projects to be completed within a year.

This program provides financial support to Worcester-based minority, women, veteran, LGBTQ+, and disability-owned businesses that achieve certification with the Massachusetts Supplier Diversity Office, prioritizing those from disproportionately impacted communities.

In alignment with the Square mission of economic empowerment, we began the Black Equity Grant Program to support the growth of Black developers after recognizing that many technologies founded by historically underrepresented communities were also underresourced, lacking the necessary funding and resources to build on Square. This program will provide Black-led platform partners with both financial support as well as increased exposure and visibility.