NAACP Powershift Entrepreneur Grant

Fund Her Future, a grant program from Block Advisors by H&R Block, is open to women business owners nationwide. One grand prize winner receives a $50,000 grant, while five additional small businesses get $10,000 each. Winners also receive a year of free small-business services, including bookkeeping, payroll and tax support. To be eligible, you must have an established business that generated a minimum of $20,000 in revenue in 2024.

The Downtown Houston+ Property Improvement Grants offer property owners, businesses, and developers in Downtown Houston multiple funding opportunities to revitalize buildings, activate storefronts, and enhance street-level vibrancy. Administered by Downtown Houston+ in partnership with the Houston Downtown Management District and the Downtown Redevelopment Authority, the program currently includes four grant pathways tailored to different types of improvements: the Thrive Storefront Grant Program, which offers 1:2 matching grants of up to $50,000 to fund ground-level storefront improvements that increase retail activity and street-level vibrancy; the Facade Improvement Grant, which provides up to $250,000 to help property owners and tenants within the TIRZ #3 boundaries revitalize building facades; the Alfresco Grant, which provides up to $10,000 for non-permanent outdoor furnishings such as seating, umbrellas, and planters, with an additional $5,000 available for permanent fixtures like awnings and lighting; and the Fresh Start Market Grant, which works with existing grocery-offering businesses to enhance fresh food offerings, staff training, and physical improvements to their space. All grant applications are evaluated against the Downtown Houston+ Design Standards, and awards are subject to available budget and organizational priorities.

The Registered Apprenticeship Incentive is designed to offset the extraordinary costs of utilizing a Registered Apprenticeship training program. Applications are reviewed quarterly by the WDC Grant Review Committee. Funds for this grant are distributed after apprentice completes 500 hours of on-the-job training (175 hours for Youth Apprenticeship)

The Maryland Technology Internship Program (MTIP) helps Maryland retain top tech talent by increasing the number of paid technical internships offered in the state. Administered by UMBC and funded by the State of Maryland, the program offers financial assistance to small businesses, start-ups, non-profits and state and local agencies, to hire more interns. The Maryland Technology Internship Program can reimburse employers for up to 50% of an intern’s wage, up to $5,500 annually per intern ($3,000 for the first semester and $2,500 for subsequent semester).

The Downtown Raleigh Storefront Upfit Grant provides new and expanding storefront businesses in Downtown Raleigh with reimbursement grants of up to $10,000 to help cover the cost of build-outs, improvements, and one-time stand-up expenses associated with starting or growing a storefront business. Administered by Raleigh Civic Ventures and currently funded by the Duke Energy Foundation, the program is designed to attract new retail, restaurant, and service businesses to downtown, support the expansion of existing retail, and direct support to strategic areas of the commercial core. Maximum award amounts vary by location and business type: businesses opening in the program's Priority Area (including new retail, restaurant, service, experiential, and pop-up uses) are eligible for up to $10,000, while businesses in the broader grant boundary (retail uses and existing retail businesses expanding by at least 30%) are eligible for up to $5,000. Businesses with 50% or more ownership by individuals who identify as minority, women, LGBTQ+, veteran, or a person with a disability can qualify for an additional $2,500 Diverse Business Enterprise (DBE) booster within their applicable maximum. Eligible expenses include hard costs to physically upfit the space (such as construction, paint, and lighting), soft costs related to design and construction, and one-time stand-up expenses such as furniture, shelving, signage, POS systems, and décor. Recurring operating costs — rent, utilities, payroll, inventory, and cost of goods sold — are not eligible. Professional office and bar uses (defined as businesses deriving 70% or more of revenue from onsite alcohol sales) are explicitly ineligible, though breweries and distilleries with onsite production are eligible. Locally-owned and independently-operated businesses, new businesses occupying first-floor street-front space, and applications with strong matching private investment receive funding priority.