Freed Fellowship Grant
Freed Studio
$500/mo + $2,500 year-end
Researched for this program: 5 rejection traps · 5 required documentsWhat decides this award ↓
Monthly micro-grant with year-end bonus for small business owners
Monthly rolling grant of $500 for one US micro or small business owner, with all Fellows automatically considered for a year-end $2,500 bonus award. Applications accepted on a rolling basis with a $19 application fee. Funds are completely unrestricted. Especially encourages women, minorities, and underrepresented entrepreneurs to apply. Non-profits are not eligible.
- Funding type
- Grant
- Level
- Private
- Amount range
- $500 – $2,500
- Realistic amount
- $500 for monthly Fellows; $2,500 year-end for standout Fellows
- Deadline
- Rolling — submit by midnight ET on the last day of each month to be considered in that month's cycle
- Status
- active
- States
- Nationwide
- Payment model
- lump sum
Who qualifies
- Any micro or small business owner in the United States
- For-profit businesses only (non-profits currently ineligible)
- Women, minorities, and underrepresented entrepreneurs especially encouraged to apply
- No minimum revenue or years-in-operation requirement specified
- $19 non-refundable application fee required
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- Any business expense — funds are completely unrestricted
- Marketing and advertising
- Equipment and tools
- Software and subscriptions
- Inventory and supplies
- Professional development
- Hiring or contractor costs
Ineligible expenses
- Non-profit organizations (explicitly excluded)
- Personal non-business expenses
How to apply
-
1
Review the 5C Framework criteria
Understand what reviewers evaluate: Context (market positioning), Content (business narrative), Community (audience), Chemistry (competitive advantage), Commerce (revenue model). Prepare notes on each.
~1 hrs
-
2
Complete online application form
Answer questions about your business through the online form — described as taking 'just a few minutes.' Describe your business, revenue model, and how you'd use the $500.
~1 hrs
-
3
Pay $19 application fee
Non-refundable $19 fee paid at submission. Covers platform and administrative costs.
~0.1 hrs
-
4
Submit by month-end deadline
Applications must be submitted by midnight ET on the last day of the month to be considered in that month's cycle.
~0 hrs
-
5
Receive feedback and award decision
One Fellow selected per month. All Fellows are automatically considered for the year-end $2,500 bonus. Feedback typically arrives by end of the following month.
~0 hrs
The $19 fee filters casual applicants — treat it as a signal to submit a polished narrative. The 5C Framework is the rubric: nail Commerce (show real revenue) and Chemistry (what makes you different). Year-end $2,500 bonus goes to standout monthly Fellows, so monthly winners have a second shot at larger money.
Deadline & timing
Applications accepted year-round on a rolling monthly basis. Submit by end-of-month to be reviewed in that cycle. Feedback typically provided by end of the following month.
Applications are open — don’t lose the window
GrantCompass tracks Freed Fellowship 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.
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Programs that stack well
Freed Fellowship 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 (this page) · 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 | $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 August 15, 2026. GrantCompass is an independent funding-discovery tool and is not affiliated with any government agency. Always confirm details on the official program page.