These programs are built for women founders or require majority women ownership. Each one is checked on its official page. Below them are open grants and competitions any small business can apply for, because women-owned businesses qualify for those too.
5 listings open as of Oct 30, 2026.
Competition (prize money, no repayment) · Tory Burch Foundation
Amount: Fellowship program, no cash amount listed · Due Nov 17, 2026 · Nationwide
Who qualifies: Women 21 or older who own the largest stake in a for-profit US business that is at least 51% women-owned and makes at least $75,000 a year. US legal residents, English proficiency required.
Source: Official program page · Last verified Oct 30, 2026 · Apply on the official site
Equity investment (investors take ownership) · Golden Seeds
Amount: Typically $125,000 to $350,000 in a company's first round of outside capital · Rolling, apply any time · Nationwide
Who qualifies: US-domiciled women-led companies with at least one woman in an operating C-suite role, a product in beta or later, and proof-of-concept revenue or significant pilots (consumer products need over $1M trailing revenue).
Source: Official program page · Last verified Oct 30, 2026 · Apply on the official site
Grant (free money, no repayment) · WomensNet
Amount: $15,000 winner each month; monthly winners also qualify for one of three $75,000 year-end grants · Rolling, apply any time · Nationwide
Who qualifies: Women 18 or older whose business is at least 50% women-owned and based in the United States or Canada. Any business category qualifies, including revenue-generating nonprofits. There is a $15 application fee.
Source: Official program page · Last verified Oct 30, 2026 · Apply on the official site
Grant (free money, no repayment) · WomensNet
Amount: $15,000 each month for that month's business category · Rolling, apply any time · Nationwide
Who qualifies: Women-owned businesses in the month's featured category (November: STEM; December: Fashion & Interior Design). One Amber Grant application stays active for category grants for 12 months.
Source: Official program page · Last verified Oct 30, 2026 · Apply on the official site
Grant (free money, no repayment) · WomensNet
Amount: $15,000 winner each month · Rolling, apply any time · Nationwide
Who qualifies: Women-owned businesses still in the idea phase or with under $10,000 in sales. Same single application and $15 fee as the Amber Grant; US or Canada, owner 18 or older.
Source: Official program page · Last verified Oct 30, 2026 · Apply on the official site
These are not limited to one group, so you qualify on the same terms as anyone else.
Competition (prize money, no repayment) · SXSW
Amount: Amount not listed · Due Nov 11, 2026 · Nationwide
Who qualifies: Startups whose product launched on or after January 1, 2024 and that have raised no more than $10M. $225 non-refundable entry fee. Finals are in Austin in March 2027.
Source: Official program page · Last verified Oct 30, 2026 · Apply on the official site
Competition (prize money, no repayment) · Halstead Bead, Inc.
Amount: $7,500 cash grand prize plus $1,000 gift card; finalists get $1,000 cash · Due May 1, 2027 · Nationwide
Who qualifies: Emerging jewelry artists working primarily in silver. Applicants answer 15 business questions and submit a design portfolio. Full eligibility is in the downloadable application.
Source: Official program page · Last verified Oct 30, 2026 · Apply on the official site
Grant (free money, no repayment) · Freed Fellowship
Amount: $500 monthly grant; Fellows also considered for a $2,500 year-end grant · Rolling, apply any time · Nationwide
Who qualifies: Any micro or small business owner in the US; nonprofits are not currently supported. Applying costs a $19 fee.
Source: Official program page · Last verified Oct 30, 2026 · Apply on the official site
Grant (free money, no repayment) · National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE)
Amount: Up to $4,000 · Rolling, apply any time · Nationwide
Who qualifies: NASE members in good standing. Annual, Veteran and Gold members can apply right away; monthly members must wait 90 days. Applications submitted October to December are reviewed in January.
Source: Official program page · Last verified Oct 30, 2026 · Apply on the official site
Grant (free money, no repayment) · Environmental Protection Agency
Amount: Set by the agency solicitation (see the topic) · Due Nov 8, 2026 · Nationwide
Who qualifies: US small businesses (under 500 employees, majority US-owned) doing research and development. SBIR and STTR have their own eligibility rules; STTR needs a research institution partner.
Source: SBIR.gov · Last verified Oct 30, 2026 · Apply on the official site
Grant (free money, no repayment) · Environmental Protection Agency
Amount: Set by the agency solicitation (see the topic) · Due Nov 8, 2026 · Nationwide
Who qualifies: US small businesses (under 500 employees, majority US-owned) doing research and development. SBIR and STTR have their own eligibility rules; STTR needs a research institution partner.
Source: SBIR.gov · Last verified Oct 30, 2026 · Apply on the official site
Grant (free money, no repayment) · Environmental Protection Agency
Amount: Set by the agency solicitation (see the topic) · Due Nov 8, 2026 · Nationwide
Who qualifies: US small businesses (under 500 employees, majority US-owned) doing research and development. SBIR and STTR have their own eligibility rules; STTR needs a research institution partner.
Source: SBIR.gov · Last verified Oct 30, 2026 · Apply on the official site
Grant (free money, no repayment) · Environmental Protection Agency
Amount: Set by the agency solicitation (see the topic) · Due Nov 8, 2026 · Nationwide
Who qualifies: US small businesses (under 500 employees, majority US-owned) doing research and development. SBIR and STTR have their own eligibility rules; STTR needs a research institution partner.
Source: SBIR.gov · Last verified Oct 30, 2026 · Apply on the official site
Grant (free money, no repayment) · Department of War (DoD)
Amount: Set by the agency solicitation (see the topic) · Due Nov 25, 2026 · Nationwide
Who qualifies: US small businesses (under 500 employees, majority US-owned) doing research and development. SBIR and STTR have their own eligibility rules; STTR needs a research institution partner.
Fouling on the TDR sensor used for TLI is a persistent problem. The TDR is necessary to provide accurate and precise readings for fuel measurement. Over time, TDRs can experience sensor fouling through a buildup of crystallization and other contaminants on TDR...
Source: SBIR.gov · Last verified Oct 30, 2026 · Apply on the official site
Grant (free money, no repayment) · Department of War (DoD)
Amount: Set by the agency solicitation (see the topic) · Due Nov 25, 2026 · Nationwide
Who qualifies: US small businesses (under 500 employees, majority US-owned) doing research and development. SBIR and STTR have their own eligibility rules; STTR needs a research institution partner.
Inexpensive, highly maneuverable, commercially available unmanned aerial systems (UAS) threaten tactical forces, critical infrastructure, and installations. Current defenses are limited by cost, by the operator attention they require, and by their...
Source: SBIR.gov · Last verified Oct 30, 2026 · Apply on the official site
Grant (free money, no repayment) · Department of War (DoD)
Amount: Set by the agency solicitation (see the topic) · Due Nov 25, 2026 · Nationwide
Who qualifies: US small businesses (under 500 employees, majority US-owned) doing research and development. SBIR and STTR have their own eligibility rules; STTR needs a research institution partner.
The Air Force requires light weight, compactly packaged optical systems to perform critical beam control functions for airborne high energy laser systems. The purpose of this topic is not to develop new outer moldlines or turret designs for airborne systems...
Source: SBIR.gov · Last verified Oct 30, 2026 · Apply on the official site
Grant (free money, no repayment) · Department of War (DoD)
Amount: Set by the agency solicitation (see the topic) · Due Nov 25, 2026 · Nationwide
Who qualifies: US small businesses (under 500 employees, majority US-owned) doing research and development. SBIR and STTR have their own eligibility rules; STTR needs a research institution partner.
The PF300 flash bulbs, that provide high-intensity illumination for high-speed video acquisition, are no longer in production. The objective is to award a contract to a small business to engineer, design, and manufacture a modern, robust, reusable replacement...
Source: SBIR.gov · Last verified Oct 30, 2026 · Apply on the official site
Most programs ask for at least 51 percent ownership and day to day control by one or more women. Some also ask for a minimum time in business or a revenue cap. Read the official rules on each listing, since a program that looks like a fit can exclude you on one line.
There is no federal grant that pays women-owned businesses simply for being women-owned. The federal Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) program helps certified firms win government contracts, and SBA Women's Business Centers give free counseling. SBA loans are open to women-owned businesses on the same terms as everyone else.
No federal grant pays a business only for being women-owned. Women-specific grants come from private programs like the ones listed here, while federal help comes through contracting set-asides, counseling and loans.
Yes. Women-owned businesses can apply for any grant they meet the rules for, so check the full list of open grants as well.
Yes. Browsing, filtering and the weekly match email are free. You never need an account to see the listings.
Federal grants come from the Grants.gov API, SBIR and STTR topics from SBIR.gov, venture funds from the SEC Form D quarterly data set, and every other program was checked by hand on its official page. Each listing links to its source.
A refresh runs every Monday morning. It pulls the federal data again, removes anything past its deadline, re-checks every official link and hides programs whose page has gone dead.
No. KenjiAI does not take a fee or commission from any program listed in the Finder. Apply directly on the official site.
Sources: Grants.gov, SBIR.gov, the SEC Form D data set and each program's official page. KenjiAI takes no fee from any program listed here. Data refreshed Oct 30, 2026; the refresh runs every Monday. See also our funding and credit partners and other free tools.