The Awesome Foundation Micro-Grant
The Awesome Foundation
$1,000 monthly
Researched for this program: 4 rejection traps · 2 required documentsWhat decides this award ↓
$1,000 for something awesome
The Awesome Foundation is a global, decentralized network of independently run chapters that each award $1,000 micro-grants every month to projects and their creators — with no strings attached and no ownership claimed over the work. Funding comes from each chapter's trustees, who typically pool $100 apiece (about ten per chapter) to fund a monthly grant. Anyone is eligible — individuals, groups, organizations, and small businesses — and applications are open to a wide range of project types, from arts and technology to community development and entrepreneurship; each chapter defines 'awesome' for itself. The foundation comprises roughly 80+ active chapters (many in US cities plus thematic chapters like Disability and Conservation & Climate), and applicants can apply to one or several chapters. The application is short, the funds are not repaid, and there are no reporting or equity requirements.
- Funding type
- Grant
- Level
- Foundation
- Amount
- $1,000
- Realistic amount
- A successful applicant receives $1,000 from a chapter, with no conditions on use. Applying to multiple relevant chapters can compound the odds, but each award is a flat $1,000.
- Deadline
- Rolling — monthly; most chapters review applications and award once per month
- Status
- active
- States
- Nationwide
- Payment model
- lump-sum
Who qualifies
- Anyone is eligible — individuals, groups, organizations, and small businesses
- Project should have a clear, positive community or creative impact (each chapter interprets 'awesome' for itself)
- Apply to a chapter where you have roots or that fits your project's theme/location; multiple chapter applications allowed
- No fee, no repayment, no equity, and no formal reporting requirement
- Projects that are purely personal with limited community impact, or established efforts that wouldn't benefit meaningfully from a small grant, are typically not funded
Is the Awesome Foundation Grant legit?
Yes. The Awesome Foundation started in Boston in 2009. Volunteer chapters each give $1,000, no strings attached and nothing to repay, and anyone can apply.
- Who runs it: Volunteer chapters of the Awesome Foundation, started in Boston in 2009
- Where the money comes from: Each local chapter funds its own grants
- Repayment: None; grants are no strings attached
Sources: awesomefoundation.org · page 2. Last checked at the funder on October 18, 2026.
Past Awesome Foundation Grant winners
Projects chapters funded in October 2026:
- Nikita Mtulu, The Baltimore Tree Zine Project, Baltimore, MD · Funded project, listed 2026-10-13 (chapter grant of $1,000)
- Kelsey Hull Simerly, Rats Don't Do Deliveries (Groceries for Seniors), San Francisco, CA · Funded project, listed 2026-10-13 (chapter grant of $1,000)
- Kirsten Anderson, St. Paul First Whistle Initiative, St. Paul, MN · Funded project, listed 2026-10-08 (chapter grant of $1,000)
- Zooey Kim Conner, home/body, Rhode Island · Funded project, listed 2026-10-07 (chapter grant of $1,000)
- Sal Zerilli, The Haystack Mural, Rockport, MA · Funded project, listed 2026-10-01 (chapter grant of $1,000)
- Cassius Babuse Moyo, The Solar "E-Trash to Treasure" Mobile Repair & Up, Conservation and Climate chapter · Funded project, listed 2026-10-10 (chapter grant of $1,000)
Names as published by the Awesome Foundation (source). GrantCompass is not affiliated with the Awesome Foundation.
New grants like this every week: see this week's list or get it by email on Mondays.
What the Awesome Foundation Micro-Grant application asks
The Awesome Foundation Micro-Grant application asks three written questions, alongside your contact and business details. There is no entry fee. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and most chapters choose a project each month, and you submit on the funder’s own form at awesomefoundation.org. These are the questions as they appear on the form:
-
1
Tell us about your awesome project!
Form limit: 2000 characters
-
2
How will you use the money?
Form limit: 500 characters
-
3
Tell us a little about yourself
Form limit: 500 characters
What the judges look for
- A clear, specific project people can picture
- Something new or experimental that delights or inspires
- Benefit to the chapter's community, not only to you
- A visible difference made by $1,000
- Roots in the community you're applying to
GrantCompass drafts the Awesome Foundation Micro-Grant application from your own answers. You answer four short questions about your business and we write all three answers around what the judges look for, to fit the form. We use only what you tell us: nothing is invented, and anything a stronger answer needs is left as a marked blank for you to fill. The preview is free with no card. The full draft is $9, refunded in full within 7 days if it doesn’t make your application stronger. You review it and submit it yourself; GrantCompass is independent and not affiliated with the Awesome Foundation. Start a free draft on this page (grantcompass.co/grants/awesome-foundation-micro-grant), or read how the drafting works.
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- Any project or business expense — funds are unrestricted
- Materials and supplies
- Equipment
- Launching a new product, event, or community initiative
- Marketing
Ineligible expenses
- No published ineligible-expense list — grants are no-strings-attached
How to apply
-
1
Pick the right chapter(s)
Browse the chapter directory (city-based and thematic, e.g. Disability, Conservation & Climate) and choose one or more where you have roots or strong thematic fit. You can also select 'Any'.
~30 min
-
2
Write a short, vivid pitch
Submit a brief pitch describing your project and why it's awesome, a short bio, and any supporting photos/materials. Keep it concrete and community-oriented.
~1 hrs
-
3
Submit and (optionally) apply to more chapters
Submit through the chapter's form during its monthly window. Applying to several well-matched chapters increases your chances; each can award a separate $1,000.
~30 min
Because each chapter is fully autonomous and funds just one $1,000 grant a month, fit-to-chapter is everything — apply to thematic chapters (Disability, Conservation & Climate, etc.) or your home city where your project lands squarely in what those trustees care about. A specific, photogenic, community-benefiting project beats a generic business ask; trustees explicitly avoid funding purely personal projects. Apply to several well-matched chapters in the same month to multiply your odds.
Deadline & timing
Each chapter operates autonomously and most meet monthly to review applications and select a recipient. Some chapters accept submissions within a set window each month (e.g. the 1st–10th). Applicants can apply to one or multiple chapters (or select 'Any'). If you haven't heard back within a few months, your project was likely not selected; you can reapply.
Applications are open — don’t lose the window
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Last updated October 27, 2026. GrantCompass is an independent funding-discovery tool and is not affiliated with any government agency. Always confirm details on the official program page.