Business Freedom Grant
Darcy's Business
$1,000
$1,000 grant for entrepreneurs at any stage. Open until December 31, 2026; the next review round closes November 15. No fee.
The Business Freedom Grant awards $1,000 to ambitious entrepreneurs looking to start, launch, or scale a business. The program is open to anyone with a business idea or existing small business, regardless of industry, location, experience level, or background. There is no application fee. Applications are reviewed in phases: the early (September 30) round has passed, and the second (November 15) and final (December 31, 2026) deadlines remain.
- Funding type
- Grant
- Level
- Private
- Amount range
- $1,000 – $1,000
- Realistic amount
- $1,000 unrestricted cash grant
- Deadline
- December 31, 2026 (next review round closes November 15)
- Status
- active
- States
- Nationwide
Who qualifies
- Anyone with a business idea or existing small business
- No restrictions on industry, location, experience level, or background
- Must complete the brief application
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- Startup costs, marketing, equipment, digital tools, or other business needs
Ineligible expenses
- See official program guidance
How to apply
-
1
Complete the application
Answer the brief questions honestly and explain how the funding will help your business.
~0.5 hrs
-
2
Optional: join GrantHouse
Applicants who join GrantHouse before the deadline receive 2 bonus evaluation points.
~0.25 hrs
-
3
Submit by a deadline
Submit by December 31, 2026 at 11:59 PM EDT. The September 30 review round has passed; the next closes November 15, and entries not picked early stay in for the final round.
~0.25 hrs
No application fee, but joining GrantHouse before the deadline adds 2 points to your score. Apply before the November 15 round rather than waiting for the final deadline.
Deadline & timing
Remaining deadlines: November 15, 2026 and December 31, 2026 (the September 30 round has passed). Each deadline closes at 11:59 PM EDT.
Deadline: December 31, 2026 — put it in your calendar before you close this tab.
Includes reminders one week and one day before. Verify on the official program page — funders move dates.
Applications are open — don’t lose the window
GrantCompass tracks Business Freedom Grant’s application windows in the live catalog. Leave an email and we’ll warn you before this window closes — and tell you when the next round opens.
Free. One email when the window moves, deadline warnings on your watchlist, and the monthly closing-soon digest. Unsubscribe anytime.
Required documents
- Brief application describing business idea or existing business
- Explanation of how grant funds will be used
Business Freedom Grant compared with 11 other microgrants women founders apply to
Business Freedom Grant, Coach K Legacy Grant, Galaxy Grant and IFundWomen grants cost $0 to enter. Amber Grant, HerRise MicroGrant, Hey Helen Grant, SecretSoS Grant, The Hustle Grant and YippityDoo Big Idea Grant each charge $15, Freed Fellowship charges $19 and Women Founders Grant charges $25 per entry. Amber Grant and Hey Helen Grant pay the largest monthly award, $10,000; Coach K Legacy Grant is the only monthly award in this table with no entry fee.
| Program | Award | Entry fee | Cadence | Next close | Who it is for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coach K Legacy Grant · review | $1,000 | $0 | Monthly | Aspiring and existing business owners | |
| Amber Grant · review | $10,000 (3 a month) + $50,000 year-end | $15 | Monthly | Women-owned businesses, US and Canada | |
| Freed Fellowship · review | $500 + $2,500 year-end | $19 | Monthly | Any US small business; women encouraged | |
| Galaxy Grant · review | $2,500 | $0 | About quarterly | Women and minority business owners | |
| HerRise MicroGrant · review | $1,000 | $15 | Monthly | Women-owned, under $1M revenue | |
| Hey Helen Grant | $10,000 | $15 | Monthly | Women-owned, under $1M revenue | |
| Women Founders Grant · review | $5,000 | $25 | Rolling, posted deadlines | Women founders, any stage | |
| YippityDoo Big Idea Grant | $1,000 | $15 | Monthly | Women-owned, idea stage welcome | |
| Business Freedom Grant (this page) | $1,000 | $0 | Review rounds | Any founder, any stage | |
| SecretSoS Grant | $2,500 | $15 | Quarterly | Operating US businesses; underserved preferred | |
| IFundWomen grants · review | $10,000–$25,000 (by sponsor) | $0 | Rolling | Rolling, by sponsor | Women-owned for-profit businesses |
| The Hustle Grant | $1,000 | $15 | Monthly | Monthly; cutoff by newsletter | Women-owned businesses and ideas |
Table updated October 7, 2026 from the GrantCompass catalog. Entry fees are verified against each funder’s published rules; confirm the date on the funder’s own page before you apply.
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Last updated October 1, 2026. GrantCompass is an independent funding-discovery tool and is not affiliated with any government agency. Always confirm details on the official program page.