Giving Joy Microgrants for Women Entrepreneurs
Giving Joy
Up to $500
Up to $500 microgrant for women entrepreneurs; the Fall 2026 cycle closed Sept 30, and the next cycle is not yet announced.
Giving Joy awards microgrants of up to $500 to women entrepreneurs worldwide. In 2026 the program moved to two global cycles per year. The Fall 2026 cycle ran September 1 to September 30, 2026 and has closed; the next cycle has not been announced yet. Grants can start or expand a business, nonprofit, NGO, or specific project, provided the work benefits women, girls, and/or families.
- Funding type
- Grant
- Level
- Foundation
- Amount range
- $500 – $500
- Realistic amount
- Up to $500 per recipient
- Deadline
- Fall 2026 cycle closed September 30, 2026; next cycle not yet announced (two cycles per year)
- Status
- between-intakes
- States
- Nationwide
Who qualifies
- Women ages 18 and up
- Business, nonprofit, NGO, charity, or project idea that benefits women, girls, and/or families
- Activities must be legal
- Applicants may apply once per cycle; prior winners cannot apply again
- Applications accepted in any language translatable by Google Translate
Who is not eligible
- Men-only applicants
- Activities primarily focused on purchasing merchandise/inventory for resale without broader community impact
- Advertising or marketing-focused activities without community impact
- Personal expenses not connected to broader community impact
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- Equipment, materials, or supplies
- Training or workshops
- Community events or programs
- Other project costs that benefit women and communities
Ineligible expenses
- Merchandise or inventory for resale without community impact
- Advertising or marketing without community benefit
- Personal expenses
How to apply
-
1
Review FAQs and cycle dates
Read the 2026 Grant Cycle information and FAQs on givingjoygrants.org to understand evaluation criteria.
~0.5 hrs
-
2
Prepare project description and budget
Clearly describe what you plan to do, who will benefit, and provide a concrete $500 budget.
~1 hrs
-
3
Submit online application
Complete and submit the online application form when the next cycle opens (dates not yet announced).
~0.5 hrs
-
4
Await shortlist notification
Shortlisted applicants are contacted by June 30 for interviews; final winners notified individually by email.
Be specific: show exactly what the $500 will purchase and how multiple women or families will benefit; vague community-impact statements are the main reason applications fail.
Deadline & timing
Cycle 2 (Fall 2026) ran September 1 to September 30, 2026 (11:59 p.m. EST) and is now closed; awards are announced in December 2026. Giving Joy runs two cycles a year, and the next one has not been announced yet.
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Required documents
- Online application with project description
- Concrete $500 budget
- Photos of applicant and business/organization if requested during review
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This program is not taking applications today — these are
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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.