If you’re looking for something to kickstart your business growth, grant funding may go a long way toward your goals. There are several programs currently running that offer funds for everything from pandemic recovery to historic building preservation. Here’s a selection of small business grants with a March deadline that you can apply for today.
American Express Backing Historic Small Restaurants Program
American Express is partnering with the National Trust for Historic Preservation for the third round of its Backing Historic Small Restaurants Grant Program. This funding round will award $1 million in total funds to 25 small restaurants. Recipients will also get access to restaurant management software ResyOS for a year to help streamline operations. To be eligible for a grant, U.S. To qualify, restaurants must not be part of a chain and must operate in a historic building or neighborhood, contributing to their communities through unique food options and diverse programs. Restaurants can apply online, and individuals can even nominate their favorite restaurants now through March 12.
Greensboro Capital Connects
Greensboro, North Carolina will host its Capital Connects even on March 15 at Union Square Campus. The event is Launch Greensboro’s annual pitch competition, where entrepreneurs can share their ideas with investors in the hopes of receiving funds. This is not a grant program, but it is an opportunity for local startups and entrepreneurs to get funding for various projects. The event has run for more than 20 years. And Launch Greensboro even offers support to entrepreneurs preparing their pitches for the event.
Kingston ARPA Small Business Grant Program
Kingston, New York is currently running its ARPA Small Business Grant Program to support small businesses negatively impacted by the pandemic. The city has set aside $1 million of its allocation of American Rescue Plan Act funds. Eligible businesses can apply for up to $10,000 The city hopes to award grants to about 100 businesses to keep their doors open and retain employees. The grant application and full eligibility criteria are available online now through March 17.
BGE Energizing Small Business Grant
Baltimore Gas and Electric Company is offering grants to help small business customers in its service area. BGE is partnering with online platform Hello Alice to award the funds. Eligible businesses can apply for up to $20,000. Since the program began back in 2021, the company has awarded nearly $8 million in grants to about 400 small businesses across its service area in Maryland. The deadline to apply for this funding round is March 24.
Los Angeles County Economic Opportunity Grant
Los Angeles County is offering Economic Opportunity Grants to small businesses across the county that were negatively affected by the pandemic. There are multiple funding programs in the works to help various types of businesses and organizations. But the first is a microbusiness grant program that will award $2,500 grants to businesses with less than $50,000 in revenue as of 2019. Businesses must also have five or fewer employees, have been in business at least since December 1, 2019, and have not received a California Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant. The deadline to apply for microbusiness grants is March 25.
Ladies Who Launch
Ladies Who Launch is an annual grant and mentorship program that supports women and non-binary small business owners. This year, the program will provide 20 grants of $10,000, along with six months of educational programming. To qualify, businesses must be owned by a woman or non-binary entrepreneur, have annual revenues between $100,000 and $499,000, and operate a consumer packaged goods business. The deadline to apply for this year’s funding program is March 31.
Image: Depositphotos