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Grants and Opportunities to Apply for in March

Repost from Dallas Innovates and Small Business Trends


Spring is a time of change for many small businesses. And grant opportunities can help many ventures start new projects or support new stages of growth. If you’re interested in applying for any small business grants this month, here are several opportunities with a March deadline.


Delaware EDGE Grants

The Delaware EDGE Grant program is accepting applications from STEM-based companies across the state. Eligible entrepreneurs can apply for up to $50,000 each. To qualify, businesses must be in business for less than seven years and have ten or fewer employees. Recipients are also financially responsible for at least a quarter of the total project cost. March 1 is the deadline to apply for this funding round.


Washington D.C. Dream Pitch Program

Washington D.C. is currently running its Dream Pitch Program to support small business owners in Wards 7 and 8. The program develops a cohort of entrepreneurs who gain access to community and expert resources as they grow their businesses. The end of the program features a pitch competition and grant award for the winner. Applications for the program are due by March 1.

Canton CARES Small Business Grant Program

Canton, New York is still accepting applications for its Canton CARES Small Business Grant Program. The CCSBGP is open to small businesses in the Village with less than 25 employees that were negatively impacted by the pandemic. To qualify, businesses must also demonstrate efforts to retain or create jobs, with at least 51 percent of jobs available to low-moderate income persons. March 5 is the final day to apply.


Salt Lake City Solar Powered Communities Grant

The Salt Lake City Sustainability Department and Utah Clean Energy are partnering on a new grant program for businesses looking to install solar power systems. During this funding round, the organizations plan to support two to four small or medium-sized businesses with funding from Salt Lake Solar Powered Communities. The application period will remain open until March 9.


GM Moving Flint Forward

General Motors is launching a new funding round of its Moving Flint Forward grant program. This round will award 17 grants of up to $10,000 to eligible businesses in Flint that haven’t received funding during past rounds. Additionally, seven alumni of the program may receive up to $5,000 each. In addition to funding, grantees also gain access to educational resources and cohort meetings. To qualify, businesses must be located in Flint, not be affiliated with a franchise, and have 20 or fewer employees. Applications are due by March 15.

Oklahoma Rural Energy for America Program

The USDA Office in Oklahoma is supporting farms and other rural businesses throughout the state through its Rural Energy for America program. The program provides funding for businesses looking to invest in energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy projects. Businesses with projects that meet the criteria can apply for up to 50 percent of the total cost. The deadline to apply for this funding round is March 31.

Middlesex Business Operating Grants Program

Middlesex, Connecticut, is offering funds to local businesses through its 2024 Business Operating Grants Program. The program is funded through the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development and provides grants of up to $25,000 to qualified businesses throughout the County. This is the second year of the five-year program. Applications opened March 1 and are due by March 31.


DEADLINE: MARCH 10

UT Dallas Big Idea Competition

The University of Texas at Dallas’ Big Idea Competition (BIC) is one of the most celebrated events of entrepreneurship in North Texas. Hosted annually by the Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship the BIC brings the best undergraduate and graduate students together from all disciplines, alongside top research faculty and alumni to pitch the most innovative startups and ideas in front of their peers and a panel of esteemed judges for cash and scholarship awards. Over 1,000 people participate and $100,000 in prize money and scholarships are awarded. There are three tracks: Student, Alumni, and Research Commercialization. The Student Track deadline was February 6. March 10 is the deadline for Alumni and Research Commercialization. For the Alumni track, the startup team must have a UTD alumni serving as founder, co-founder, C-suite leader, or significant shareholder. The Research Commercialization track requires a UTD staff or faculty member who intends to commercialize UT Dallas-owned technology/research IP via a new business venture or a startup that has a UT Dallas student, staff, faculty, or alumni serving as the founder, co-founder, C-suite leader, officer, and/or significant shareholder (i.e., founder’s shares) on the team. The Big Idea Finals are in April.

Learn more and apply here.


DEADLINE: MARCH 15

Moody Foundation’s Education M-Pact Fund Cycle 1

The Moody Foundation’s Education M-Pact Fund is an annual grantmaking process and a key component of the Foundation’s commitment of $1 billion for Texas education over 20 years. The name of the “M-Pact” fund reflects the trustees’ vision of a mutual promise and partnership between the Foundation and its grantees to support student success. With benefits extending beyond grant funding, the Education M-Pact Fund will cultivate a comprehensive network of grantees who are fueling student success in areas of deepest impact and greatest need. Through an open Request for Proposals (RFP), The Moody Foundation will distribute grants annually to education institutions and nonprofits whose work aligns with the Foundation’s strategic priorities of Early Learning and Postsecondary Success.


To be eligible, organizations must be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit or a public entity (e.g. a municipality, health department, or university/school), be located and funds used within the state of Texas, and provide services directly related to the priorities of Early Learning and Postsecondary Success. Moody Foundation priorities include serving low-income or at-risk populations; supporting research/evidence-based programs; are collaborative in nature; and address one or more focus areas of educator workforce talent, mental health and wellbeing of students and educators, special education, and wraparound services.

There will be two funding cycles, the first with the March 15 deadline and a second with an application period from April 15 to June 14. There will be an informational webinar on the Education M-Pact Fund Cycle 1 on January 31.

Learn more about the grants here. Register for the webinar here.

DEADLINE: MARCH 22


Inc. 5000 List

For nearly 40 years, the Inc. 5000 List highlights exceptional American growth stories and entrepreneurial success. Be recognized as one of America’s fastest-growing private companies. Companies are ranked according to the percentage growth of their annual revenue over a three-year period. To assess this, Inc. asks for your base year and recent year revenue figures, offering a three-year growth period. For the 2024 Inc. 5000, the base year is 2020 and the recent year is 2023. March 22 is the early rate deadline with an application fee of $295. The final deadline is April 26. Between March 22 and April 26, the fee is $395.

Learn more and apply here.

DEADLINE: MARCH 29


UTD Community Business Booster Program: Service-Oriented Companies

Funded in part through a grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Community Business Booster Program aims to boost opportunities and resources to historically excluded and underrepresented individuals, helping them make their businesses even better. Starting April 8, the group meets once a week for 6 weeks at the Richardson IQHQ where experts will give you guidance, resources, and individualized assistance to make your business successful. Free dinner will be provided at each cohort gathering. The program is open to entrepreneurial-minded teams with two to three founders. This group focuses on Service Providers (consultants, transportation, beauty, healthcare, hospitality, health and wellness). Other Community Business Booster programs later this year assist social services and nonprofits (class begins in July), and startups (class begins in October).

Learn more and apply here.



Hello Alice and DoorDash Restaurant Disaster Relief Fund

The average small business loses $3,000 every day they remain closed due to a natural disaster. To help restaurants recover in times of critical need, DoorDash has partnered with Hello Alice to create the Restaurant Disaster Relief Fund. The fund supports restaurants impacted by natural disasters like fires, floods, and hurricanes, and provides relief through $10,000 grants. Small-business owners with less than $3 million in revenue that have been hit by a natural disaster are eligible. The business must have a brick-and-mortar location in the United States or Puerto Rico, three or fewer locations, $3 million or less in revenue per location, and fewer than 50 employees per location. Businesses must be experiencing hardship because of a state or federally declared natural disaster.


DEADLINE: MARCH 31

Start. Pivot. Grow. Small Business Grant

Start. Pivot. Grow. Accelerator is offering a $2,500 small business grant. The winner also will receive a copy of the digital business growth plan and will be announced during National Small Business Week. To be eligible, the business must have been operating for two years or more.



Galaxy Grants

Calling minority and women entrepreneurs in the United States, Nonprofit Hidden Star offers $2,750 Galaxy Grants to help women and minority entrepreneurs succeed throughout their small business journey by providing important resources, tools, funding, and knowledge. Beyond the grants, Hidden Star offers the Galaxy of Stars program, with most of its services available for free, including educational resources, networking, support, and more.

Learn more and apply here.


DEADLINE: APRIL 1

FedEx Small Business Grant Competition

Every year FedEx gives one small business a $50,000 grant and nine others a $20,000 grant to help grow their businesses. Another 100 businesses will be selected as Honorable Mentions and receive a $300 My FedEx Rewards Voucher. So far, the company has given away about $1.9 million in grants since 2012. Applicants must be existing FedEx customers with a valid shipping account that has been open at least six months, be based in the United States, have fewer than 99 employees, in business for at least six months, and ship with FedEx. Winners will be announced May 16.


DEADLINE: APRIL 9

Lone Star Film Festival

The 18th annual Lone Star Film Festival in Fort Worth is seeking entries in a variety of categories, including feature films, documentaries, narrative short films, documentary short films, student films and more. They are encouraging submissions in the form of narrative feature films (90-120 minutes recommended), documentary feature-length films (60-120 minutes recommended), and narrative and documentary short-length films (under 60 minutes recommended). International films are also welcome but must either be in English or have English subtitles. Entered films must be available for screening during the festival in November 2024. April 9 is the early bird deadline, the regular deadline is July 29, and the late deadline is August 26. Winners will be notified on September 25. The festival will take place in early November, with details released later this month.



Vizient Innovative Technology Exchange

Vizient, Inc., a provider-driven healthcare performance improvement company, is seeking applicants for its 2024 Innovative Technology Exchange. Suppliers of medical equipment and technology who want to showcase their products for health care decision makers from across the country are encouraged to participate. Selected suppliers can demonstrate their technology on Sept. 18 in Las Vegas during the Vizient Connections Summit. Vizient defines Innovative Technology as an innovative device or product that is unique to the market, offers incremental clinical care or safety benefit to patients or health-care workers, and/or improves an organization’s care or business model over existing products or devices currently available for sale in the U.S.



 






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