Small Business Grants Benefit Former Professional Athletes, Minority Business Owners, and More


Business ownership can be an attractive option for former athletes and those transitioning to new career paths. This week, a new program was launched to help former professional athletes who are interested in becoming entrepreneurs. Read about this small business grant opportunity and more in the roundup below.

Angel City Player 22 Program

Angel City is expanding its Player 22 Program in support of female and non-binary former soccer players. Previously, the program focused on career development for former players. But it will now also include small business grants to support eligible former players interested in entrepreneurship. The Los Angeles-based football club launched the program in 2022 to empower athletes as they transition to life off the field. The team will announce grant recipients in the coming weeks on its social media accounts. IFundWomen is partnering with the team to facilitate the program. In addition to funding, each participant in the 12-month program will receive coaching and educational resources. Program sponsor PNC Bank will also offer financial coaching and support to participants.

grants for former professional athletes and minority business owners

Gwinnett Small Business Grant Program

Gwinnett County, Georgia is offering a new round of grant funding for small businesses that were negatively affected by the pandemic. With $6 million in funding from the county’s allocation of American Rescue Plan Act funds, the county will provide grants of between $3,000 and $15,000. To qualify, businesses must be able to prove lost income or increased costs while continuing operations during the pandemic. The county plans to open the application portal for eligible businesses on September 5.

Humana Foundation Mental Health Grants

Humana Foundation is partnering with Greater Louisville Inc. to support mental health resources and small businesses around the Louisville, Kentucky area. This is part of Humana’s initiative to support victims of trauma following April’s mass shooting at Old National Bank. The foundation has allocated $1 million to the program, which will include grants for small business mental health providers who support trauma survivors and provide mental health resources throughout the city. Providers looking to expand their services can apply for grants of between $50,000 and $100,000. The program will prioritize psychologists, psychiatrists and youth counselors, along with those serving underserved populations.

Charlottesville-Albemarle Minority Business Grants

The Charlottesville-Albemarle Chamber’s Minority Business Alliance Partnership is teaming up with United Way to support minority-owned businesses in the Charlottesville, Virginia area. The program will provide $5,000 grants to ten businesses. To qualify, businesses have to be at least 51% minority-owned. The application period will close at noon on August 15.

Warren County Small Business Grant Contest

The annual Warren County Small Business Grant Contest recently opened its application period. The program offers grants for both existing small businesses and start-ups. The program provides awards for first, second, and third place in each category. For existing businesses, the first-place prize is $6,000, the second-place prize is $3,000, and the third-place business will receive $1,500. In the startup category, the first-place business will receive $5,000, the second-place will receive $2,500, and the third-place will receive $1,500. August 31 is the deadline to apply.

Ishpeming Start-Up Assistance Grant

The Ishpeming Downtown Development Authority is accepting applications for its Start-Up Assistance Grant. The program will award $2,500 to four entrepreneurs looking to open new businesses in downtown Ishpeming, Michigan. In addition to the monetary award, recipients will also receive a year of service with the Greater Ishpeming and Negaunee Chamber of Commerce and the Lake Superior Community Partnership. Applications will be reviewed in the order they are received. And the city only has funding to provide up to four grants per year.

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Annie Pilon Annie Pilon is a Senior Staff Writer for Small Business Trends and has been a member of the team for 12 years. Annie covers feature stories, community news and in-depth, expert-based guides. She has a bachelor’s degree from Columbia College Chicago in Journalism and Marketing Communications.