Grants for Women-Owned Businesses: Federal, State, and Private Options

Grants for women-owned businesses do exist, but almost none of them come from the federal government. The SBA states plainly that it “does not provide grants for starting and expanding a business.” The cash grants written only for women business owners come from foundations, companies and nonprofits.

That matters because many lists you will find mix real grants with loans, fellowships, pitch prizes and certifications. This guide sorts them. Every program below was checked on its own website on October 30, 2026, and each one is labeled open, opening soon or closed.

You will also see where the federal and state routes really are. They exist, but they look more like research funding, contracting set-asides and free advising than a check in the mail. Start with the GrantsHubUSA small business hub if you want the wider picture of loans and counseling.

Key Takeaways

• The SBA does not give grants to start or grow a business. Its grants go to nonprofits, resource partners and schools, plus research awards through SBIR and STTR.
• On October 30, 2026, four private programs were open or about to open: the monthly Amber Grant, the Tory Burch Foundation Fellows program, EmpowHer (opens November 1) and the IFW Startup Accelerator Grant, which is open to any U.S. owner, not only women.
• The WOSB program is not a grant. It is a free SBA certification that lets you bid on federal contracts set aside for women-owned small businesses.
• Most state “women’s business” programs are certifications for state contracts, not cash. Real state grant money tends to be tied to exporting, research or a specific industry.
• Never pay anyone to “unlock” a government grant. The FTC says the government will not contact you out of the blue about grants.

Does the government give grants to women-owned businesses?

Not in the way most people hope. The SBA says it “does not provide grants for starting and expanding a business.” Its grants go to nonprofits, resource partners and schools. No federal program pays startup cash because the owner is a woman; the money comes through research awards, contracts and free training.

Grants.gov, the official list of every federal grant, says the same thing in a different way: “Most of the funding opportunities on Grants.gov are for organizations, not individuals.” It adds that few are open to individuals and none provide personal financial assistance.

Small businesses can apply for some federal grants, but those are usually narrow. Think research contracts, export promotion or a defined industry. They are open to any qualifying small company, not reserved for women. Your sex does not make you eligible, and it does not shut you out.

So when a website promises “free federal grants for women to start a business,” read it as a warning sign. The real federal options are covered later in this guide: SBIR and STTR for research companies, the WOSB contracting program, Women’s Business Centers and SBA loans.

Which grants for women-owned businesses are open right now?

As of October 30, 2026, the Amber Grant runs every month, the IFW Startup Accelerator Grant is open through November 30, Tory Burch Fellows closes November 17, and EmpowHer opens November 1. Cartier, H&R Block’s Fund Her Future and Giving Joy are closed. Each sets its own rules and dates.

Program	Top award	Who can apply (short version)	Status on Oct 30, 2026	Cost to apply
Amber Grant (WomensNet)	$15,000 monthly; three $75,000 year-end grants	Women-owned businesses, startups included	Open; new round each month (cutoff shown on Oct 30: Oct 31, 2026)	$15 fee
IFW Startup Accelerator Grant	$5,000, one winner	U.S. owners 18+ who own at least 50% of the business	Open through Nov 30, 2026	None listed
Tory Burch Foundation Fellows	$2,000 education grant plus coaching	Woman with largest stake, 51% women-owned, $75,000+ yearly revenue	Open through Nov 17, 2026	Free
EmpowHer Grants	Request up to $50,000, paid as reimbursement	Women 22+, social-impact business, earning revenue, five years old or less	Fall round opens Nov 1, 2026	Check status
Cartier Women’s Initiative	$100,000 first place per region	Women-owned, women-led impact firms, $50,000 to $5 million revenue	Closed for the 2027 edition	Check status
Fund Her Future (H&R Block)	$45,000 to each of four winners	Woman-owned, $20,000+ revenue in 2025	Closed Sept 22, 2026	Check status
Giving Joy	Up to $500	Women 18+, any country, community-impact idea	Closed; 2027 cycle opens April 1, 2027	Check status

“Check status” means the program’s page did not state a fee or a date we could confirm. Read the official rules before you apply, since sponsors change amounts and windows from round to round.

The chart shows the largest single award, not your chances. Most of these programs choose a small number of winners from large applicant pools, so plan on applying to several.

What each private program really asks of you

Women business grant programs differ more than their headlines suggest. Some want revenue, some want social impact, some charge a fee, and one is open to men too. Here is what each live page said on October 30, 2026.

Amber Grant from WomensNet

WomensNet started the Amber Grant in 1998. Its page says it gives away “at least $45,000 every month” and that one application makes you eligible for all of its related grants, including three $75,000 year-end grants for monthly winners. Winners are announced “by the 21st of the following month.”

There is a “standard $15 application fee.” That is unusual, and it is disclosed up front, which is the difference from a scam. Still, a fee each month adds up if you reapply often, so decide in advance how many rounds you will enter.

One detail to check yourself: the page lists the next monthly Amber Grant at $15,000, but its posts announcing the May through September 2026 winners show $10,000 badges. Confirm the current amount on the official Amber Grant page when you apply.

IFW Startup Accelerator Grant

IFW (IFundWomen, now IFW by Honeycomb) is offering “$5,000 in unrestricted funding” to one founder. Applications are open “through November 30, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. ET.” Idea-stage and pre-revenue businesses are welcome, and IFW says it is not a loan and takes no equity.

Read the eligibility line closely. It says “U.S.-based business owners, 18 or older, who own at least 50% of their business.” That wording does not limit it to women, so you may be competing with a wider pool than the brand name suggests.

Tory Burch Foundation Fellows

This is a fellowship first and a grant second. The foundation picks about 160 Fellows, who get coaching, advisors, workshops and a “$2,000 education grant.” Applying is free, and the deadline is November 17, 2026. Fellows are selected in May 2027.

The bar is higher than most lists admit. Your business must already earn at least $75,000 a year, be 51% or more owned and run by women, and you must own the largest or an equal stake. Pre-revenue ideas do not qualify.

EmpowHer Grants

Boundless Futures Foundation runs EmpowHer for women founders 22 and older whose U.S. businesses are “earning revenue, and not be more than five years old.”

The business must tackle one of two areas through its product or business model: poverty, hunger or humanitarian aid, or sustainability and the environment. You may “request up to $50,000.”

The money arrives as reimbursement, not a lump sum. You pay a business expense, send proof, and the foundation pays you back. Applicants also self-report a credit score and agree to a background check. The fall 2026 round opens November 1, with awards in spring 2027.

Cartier Women’s Initiative

Cartier’s Regional Awards pay a “$100,000 USD grant for each first-place awardee,” with $60,000 for second and $30,000 for third, in each of nine world regions. The program targets women-owned, women-led impact companies with $50,000 to $5 million in yearly revenue and 5 to 250 team members.

Applications for the 2027 edition ran from April 16 to June 16, 2026, and the page now says they are closed. Winners also commit to a fellowship that runs from January to December 2027. Dates for the next edition were not posted on October 30, 2026, so watch the Regional Awards page next spring.

Fund Her Future and Giving Joy (both closed for 2026)

H&R Block’s Fund Her Future is awarding four $45,000 grants in 2026 to woman-owned businesses with at least $20,000 in 2025 revenue. The window ran September 1 to September 22, 2026, and recipients are being told in October.

Giving Joy offers microgrants of up to $500 to women 18 and older in any country. Its 2026 rounds are closed, and the page says the 2027 cycle opens April 1, 2027. The money is small, but the idea must help other women or families, not only your own sales.

Can a women-led startup get SBIR or STTR funding?

Yes, if the company does research and development that a federal agency wants. SBIR and STTR are the main grant route the SBA points small companies to. Phase I awards run $50,000 to $275,000 over 6 to 12 months, and Phase II awards run $750,000 to $1.8 million over about 24 months, according to SBIR.gov.

These awards are not limited to women, and they are not for a bakery or a salon. They fund scientific research and development that helps meet federal research goals and has strong potential to become a product. SBIR.gov stresses the government takes no equity or IP ownership.

The programs had a rough year. Their authority lapsed after September 30, 2025, pausing new awards. Congress passed the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act of 2026, and it was signed on April 13, 2026, extending both programs through September 30, 2031, per a Crowell & Moring client alert.

If your company builds technology, start at SBIR.gov. Participating agencies post their own topics and deadlines. A Women’s Business Center or Small Business Development Center can help you read a solicitation before you spend weeks writing a proposal.

What is the WOSB program, and is it a grant?

No, it is a certification. The Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Federal Contract program lets certified firms bid on federal contracts set aside for them. The SBA says its benefits “only apply to federal contracting opportunities.” Certification is free for small firms that are at least 51% owned and run by women.

The federal government’s goal is to award 5% of contracting dollars to women-owned small businesses each year, inside a wider goal of at least 23% for small businesses overall. That makes contracting a bigger money pool than any private grant, but you earn it by delivering work.

To qualify as a WOSB, the SBA certifications page says the business must:

• Be small under SBA size standards for its industry
• Be at least 51% owned and controlled by women who are U.S. citizens
• Have women managing daily operations and making long-term decisions

Some set-asides are reserved for economically disadvantaged WOSBs (EDWOSBs). Each qualifying woman owner must have a personal net worth under $850,000, average adjusted gross income of $400,000 or less over three years, and $6.5 million or less in personal assets.

Third-party certifiers exist too, but the SBA route costs nothing, so be wary of anyone charging to “get you WOSB certified” without explaining the free option.

How can a Women’s Business Center help you find money?

Women’s Business Centers are SBA resource partners that give “free, to low-cost counseling and training” to women starting or growing a business. They rarely hand out grants themselves, but advisors can help you build a plan, prepare applications and find local funding. Ask which grants opened in your area this year.

Use the SBA’s resource partner finder and enter your ZIP code. It also shows Small Business Development Centers and SCORE mentors, which are open to anyone and free or low cost.

A good first visit is practical. Bring your numbers, your idea of how much you need, and a list of any grants you plan to try. Ask the advisor which local lenders, city programs and certification steps fit your stage.

Women who served in the military have one more route. The SBA funds a Women Veteran Entrepreneurship Training Program through partner groups, and its Veterans Business Outreach Centers serve veterans and military spouses. Our veterans benefits hub covers the wider benefits picture.

Do states offer grants for women business owners?

Rarely as straight cash. Most state “women’s business” programs certify you so you can win state contracts. New York’s Division of Minority and Women’s Business Development centers on MWBE certification and state agency contracts. Where states do offer cash, it is often tied to exporting, research or a single industry.

The clearest state grant money for small firms is often export funding. The SBA’s State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) gives money to states, which then award grants to established small businesses for trade missions, trade shows, translation and similar costs.

The amounts sent to states are real. The SBA’s table shows fiscal year 2024 STEP awards of $900,000 each to California, New York, Virginia and Michigan, among others. Your state’s STEP office decides who gets a share, so contact it directly.

State programs also change without much notice. The Texas Comptroller’s page at the old HUB address now describes VetHUB, which “focuses on certification of service-disabled veterans.” That is a good reason to check any state program on its own government page before you plan around it.

A simple way to find what your state offers right now:

1. Search your state economic development agency’s site for “small business grant” and “certification.”
2. Ask your local Women’s Business Center or SBDC what opened this year.
3. Check your city and county, since many small grants are local and short-lived.
4. Look at the STEP office if you sell, or plan to sell, outside the U.S.

Our state guides cover assistance programs by state and can help if your household also needs help while the business grows.

Why are lists of grants for women-owned businesses so padded?

Long lists rank well, so many of them stretch. A typical long list includes loans, crowdfunding sites, accelerators that take equity, pitch contests, certifications and programs that ended years ago. Some are not limited to women at all.

That is not always dishonest, since loans and contracts can be the better deal. But the label matters, because a loan must be repaid and a certification only opens a door. Use this table to sort any program you find.

What it is called	What you actually get	Repay?	Example
Grant	Cash you keep, usually through a competition	No	Amber Grant, EmpowHer
Fellowship or award	Coaching and network, sometimes with cash	No	Tory Burch Fellows, Cartier
Research award	Funding for R&D work an agency wants	No	SBIR, STTR
Certification	The right to bid on set-aside contracts	Nothing to repay; you earn it by doing the work	WOSB, EDWOSB, state MWBE
Loan	Money at an interest rate	Yes	SBA microloans, SBA 7(a)

Loans deserve a fair look even in a grant search. SBA microloans go up to $50,000, with an average of about $13,000 and terms up to seven years, made through nonprofit community lenders. For larger needs, see our SBA 7(a) loan guide.

Giving Joy picked 10 winners from 6,423 applicants in its spring 2026 round, about 1 in 640. A grant you are that unlikely to win is worth less than a loan you can actually get and afford. Many owners apply for a few grants while lining up a modest loan, so the business does not stall waiting on a contest.

How do you tell a real grant from a scam?

Real grants are applied for, not offered out of the blue. The FTC says the government “won’t get in touch out of the blue about grants” and warns you not to pay for a list of grants or “any up-front fees.” The only complete, free list of federal grants is Grants.gov.

The SBA adds that it only emails from addresses ending in @sba.gov. If someone claiming to be from the SBA uses any other address, treat it as fraud and report it.

Red flags to watch for:

• A call, text or social media message saying you “qualify” for a grant you never applied for
• A request for your bank login, Social Security number or a card number to “deposit” funds
• Payment by gift card, wire transfer, cash reload card or cryptocurrency
• A “processing” or “release” fee after you have already been told you won

A small application fee that a private program states up front, like the Amber Grant’s $15, is not the same thing. Still, check who runs the program, how long it has existed and whether past winners are named. Report scams at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, and see our scam watch page for more patterns.

What should you apply for first?

Match the program to your stage. An idea or brand-new business has the fewest options, while a firm with steady sales can reach the larger awards. Here is one sensible order for the weeks after October 30, 2026.

1. Pre-revenue or idea stage: the IFW Startup Accelerator Grant (open to November 30) and the monthly Amber Grant if the $15 fee fits your budget.
2. Earning revenue, under five years old, with a social mission: EmpowHer when it opens November 1. Have a business plan and itemized budget ready.
3. $75,000 or more in yearly revenue: the Tory Burch Foundation Fellows program before November 17, 2026.
4. Selling to government, or want to: register for WOSB certification through SBA Certifications. It is free and does not expire after one contest.
5. Building technology: watch agency SBIR and STTR topics now that the programs are reauthorized through 2031.

Whatever you choose, book a session with a Women’s Business Center or SBDC. Advisors know which local grants opened this season, and that local knowledge is often where small, winnable money hides.

Write one strong core application, a short story of your business, what the money will buy and what changes once you have it, and adapt it for each program. WomensNet asks applicants to be specific about how they would use the money, and Boundless Futures asks for an itemized list of where each dollar will go.

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