Fearless Fund Strivers Grant
Fearless Fund
$20,000 (program enjoined)
Grant PERMANENTLY TERMINATED (Sept 2024 settlement)
PERMANENTLY CLOSED: The Fearless Fund Strivers Grant was a $20,000 grant for Black women-owned small businesses. In September 2023, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit enjoined the program for its race-based eligibility restriction. In September 2024, Fearless Fund reached a settlement with the American Alliance for Equal Rights and permanently terminated the Strivers Grant as part of that settlement. The program will not relaunch. Fearless Fund's venture capital activities continue and are not affected. Black women founders should seek currently active alternatives listed below.
- Funding type
- Grant
- Level
- Private
- Amount range
- $20,000 – $20,000
- Realistic amount
- N/A — program is enjoined. Historically, the grant was $20,000 to each recipient; approximately 24 businesses were award…
- Deadline
- Program permanently closed — terminated September 2024 via legal settlement. Not accepting applications.
- Status
- discontinued
- States
- Nationwide
- Payment model
- lump sum
Who qualifies
- PROGRAM IS CURRENTLY ENJOINED — eligibility criteria below reflect the historical program; they cannot currently be applied
- Business must be at least 51% owned by a woman of color (Black, Latina, Asian American Pacific Islander, or other non-white women)
- For-profit businesses only
- Business must be at least one year old
- Business must have between 0–20 employees
- Annual revenue must be between $0 and $3 million
- Must be based in the United States
Hard requirements
- Women ownership required
- Minority ownership required
- Demographic eligibility: black-owned
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- Grant was unrestricted for any legitimate business purpose
- Historically used for: inventory, equipment, marketing, staffing, and working capital
Ineligible expenses
- Personal expenses unrelated to the business
How to apply
-
1
Monitor Fearless Fund for program updates
Visit fearlessfund.com and subscribe to the mailing list. As of May 2026, the grant program is legally enjoined and not accepting applications. A relaunch — potentially in revised form without a race-based restriction — is possible but not confirmed.
~0.5 hrs
-
2
If relaunched — apply through online portal
Historically, the Strivers Grant accepted applications through an online portal with short-answer questions about the business, financials, and founder background. No business plan was required. If the program relaunches, expect a similar short-form application process.
~2 hrs
The Strivers Grant is permanently closed. Black women founders should explore Camelback Ventures Fellowship, iFundWomen Universal Grants, Accion Opportunity Fund, and LISC small business grants as active alternatives. Do not monitor fearlessfund.com for a relaunch — the program has been formally ended by legal settlement.
Deadline & timing
The Strivers Grant program was enjoined by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit in September 2023 (American Alliance for Equal Rights v. Fearless Fund, No. 23-13138). In September 2024, Fearless Fund permanently terminated the Strivers Grant as part of a settlement agreement with the plaintiff. This is not a temporary pause — the program has been formally and permanently discontinued. There is no relaunch planned.
Programs that stack well
Related programs
Last reviewed 2026. GrantCompass is an independent funding-discovery tool and is not affiliated with any government agency. Always confirm details on the official program page.