VA Small Business Investment Grant

The Asheville Recovers Together Grant provides Asheville, North Carolina small businesses impacted by Tropical Storm Helene with reimbursement grants of $5,000 to $75,000 to support recovery and ongoing operations. Funded by the City of Asheville and jointly administered by ArtsAVL, Eagle Market Streets Development Corporation, and Mountain BizWorks in collaboration with community partners across the city, the program is designed to help local businesses stabilize, recover, and grow following the storm's economic impact. Grant funds may be used for payroll, rent and utilities, inventory, supplies and equipment, marketing, and other eligible business operating expenses, and may also support efforts to rehire staff, replace lost inventory, add jobs, or launch new products and services. Eligible applicants must have a primary location within Asheville city limits, have been operating before September 27, 2024, have experienced financial losses due to Hurricane Helene that were not fully covered by insurance or other funding, have owners who are legal U.S. residents, have generated at least $20,000 in revenue in one of the last three years, and be currently open or have a plan to reopen. Businesses must also be in good standing with no active bankruptcies, tax liens, or federal funding bans. Nonprofits, cannabis-related operations, passive real estate or investment holdings, political or lobbying organizations, adult entertainment businesses, corporate-owned national franchises or chains, and residential short-term rentals are not eligible. Awards are issued as reimbursements, requiring applicants to pay eligible expenses upfront and then submit receipts or proof of payment for review and approval.

The Business Initiation Grant provides qualifying, new business startups with a "leg up" at their most critical time. The grant offers up to $5,000 for startup costs to qualified applicants. The entrepreneur is required to participate in a business planning workshop through one of Englewood's economic partners. The business owner must have a fully developed business plan which will be reviewed by the experts at the Aurora-South Small Business Development Center. Grant funding may be used for any valid purpose and a physical storefront or business presence in a commercial or industrial district is required. Capital improvements are permanent investments in the building or on the property, which are generally associated with a building permit. Businesses opened in Englewood within the last 12 months are eligible to apply. Grant funding is limited, and not all businesses that apply may be funded.

The Hiring Our Heroes Small Business Grant Program awards five veteran and military spouse-owned small businesses with one-time cash grants to help grow and support their businesses. Administered by Hiring Our Heroes, the program distributes a total of $65,000 in grant funding each cycle: one business receives a $25,000 grant and four additional businesses each receive $10,000. The program is supported by the FedEx Founder's Fund through the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis. Eligible applicants are for-profit small businesses with at least 51% veteran or military spouse ownership, 3 to 20 employees, annual revenue under $5 million, and a location in an economically vulnerable community (or otherwise demonstrating financial need). The grant honors the contributions of veteran and military spouse entrepreneurs while providing capital to fuel continued growth and community impact.

Eligible businesses can receive up to $10,000 per year to reimburse 50% of the expenses they incur while expanding their export sales. Businesses must be for-profit, have an exportable product or service and be in operation for at least a year (among other requirements) in order to be eligible for this grant.

The UPS Store Small Biz Challenge offers entrepreneurs the chance to win a grand prize, including a cash award from the $35,000 prize pool and a spotlight in Inc. magazine. The competition involves several phases: an initial application, a mentoring phase, and a public vote to narrow the field to three finalists, who will pitch their businesses to a panel of judges.