Start.Pivot.Grow Grant

The Main Street Acquisition Support Grant product is a pilot product under the Main Street Recovery Fund that will offer a grant of up to $50,000 to reimburse an eligible NJ small business for closing costs related to a New Jersey commercial property that the business purchased to operate from.

Through this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), the National Cancer Institute (NCI) intends to stimulate translation of scientific discoveries and engineering developments in imaging, data science and/or spectroscopic technologies into methods or tools that address contemporary problems in understanding the fundamental biology, potential risk of development, diagnosis, treatment, and/or disease status for cancer or other disease.

This Notice of Funding Opportunity Announcement (NOFO) is designed to encourage and facilitate the entry of investigators to the area of brain imaging research. This NOFO will support both newly independent investigators and established investigators who are seeking to develop and adopt neuroimaging tools and methodologies in their research programs and conduct small "proof-of-concept" studies relevant to substance use disorders and addiction. This NOFO is intended to support Small Research Grant (R03) projects that can be carried out in a short period of time with limited resources.

The Raleigh Impact Partner Grant awards $20,000 grants to entrepreneurs, nonprofits, and small businesses in Raleigh for innovative pilot projects that promote environmental resilience and sustainable, community-based solutions. Administered by the City of Raleigh's Strategy and Innovation department, the program is designed to fuel economic opportunity through sustainable innovation and support new ideas that improve Raleigh's business ecosystem. Awardees receive grant funding along with technical support, citywide visibility, and connections to local networks that help accelerate the impact of their projects. The grant prioritizes proposals across a range of focus areas, including climate resilience and environmental protection; repair, reuse, and zero-waste models; clean energy and sustainable infrastructure; and sustainable business practices and community well-being. Topics of particular interest include reducing urban heat islands, flood mitigation, low-emission transportation, energy savings and battery storage, e-waste reduction, the circular economy, sustainable jobs and skill-building, and the integration of sustainability into health and wellness.

The South Side Pitch is an annual Shark Tank-style pitch competition that awards over $40,000 in total cash prizes to small business owners on the South Side of Chicago. Hosted by the Institute for Justice (IJ) Clinic on Entrepreneurship at the University of Chicago Law School (a nonprofit clinic that provides free legal assistance, resources, and advocacy for underserved Chicago-area entrepreneurs), the competition is now in its 12th year and has awarded more than $291,000 to over 1,300 South Side businesses since launching. Each year, over 100 applicants compete for one of five finalist spots, and all five finalists are guaranteed a cash prize at the end of the live event. The prize structure includes a $15,000 first place award, $10,000 for second place, $6,000 for third place, $3,000 for fourth place, and $1,500 for fifth place. Additional cash awards include the Audience Favorite Award ($1,500 for the finalist who receives the highest audience score), the South Side Sensation Award ($3,000 for the finalist who demonstrates exemplary social impact and showmanship), and the Rustandy Center Social Impact Award ($2,500 for a finalist selected by staff from the Rustandy Center for Social Sector Innovation at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business). Applicants apply during an open window each summer, with semifinalists selected from the applicant pool and asked to submit a video pitch. The public votes on the semifinalist videos to determine the People's Choice, who receives a guaranteed spot to compete in the final live event alongside the other finalists selected by IJ. Finalists receive pitch coaching from the IJ Clinic and pitching experts before delivering their pitches live to a citywide audience and a panel of judges at the Polsky Exchange North on the University of Chicago campus.