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Santander Cultivate Small Business

Santander (with ICIC and Babson College)

$2,500 on completion; up to $20,000 for top graduates

See if you qualify — free Visit official program ↗
The short version

Free 12-week program for early-stage food businesses with a $2,500 grant on completion and up to $20,000 for exemplary graduates. Spring 2027 applications open soon.

Santander Cultivate Small Business is a free 12-week program for early-stage food industry businesses (retail, processing, technology, manufacturing or food services). Participants who complete the program receive a $2,500 grant, and exemplary graduates are eligible for awards of up to $20,000. Eligible businesses have revenues between $25,000 and $1,000,000 in the last calendar year and 1 to 10 full-time equivalent employees including the entrepreneur. The program runs two cohorts a year. Applications for the Spring 2027 cohort, running April to June, will open soon.

Funding type
Grant
Level
Private
Amount range
$2,500 – $20,000
Realistic amount
$2,500 for every graduate; up to $20,000 for exemplary graduates.
Deadline
Spring 2027 application not yet open (cohort runs April to June)
Status
upcoming
States
Nationwide

Who qualifies

What it covers

Eligible expenses

  • Business growth after completing the program (specific rules not published)

Ineligible expenses

  • See official program guidance

How to apply

  1. 1

    Wait for the Spring 2027 call

    Opens before an April cohort start; no dates posted.

    ~0.2 hrs

  2. 2

    Apply on the Santander X platform

    JS app; questions were not seen.

    ~3 hrs

  3. 3

    Complete the 12-week program

    Grant paid on completion.

    ~36 hrs

Insider tip

Check your last-year revenue against the $25,000 to $1,000,000 band and your headcount before the call opens.

Deadline & timing

"Applications for the Spring 2027 cohort, running April to June, will open soon. Stay tuned!" Two cohorts a year. The application link on the page is the previous call. Grant is paid on completing the 12-week program.

Not accepting applications right now — get one email when it reopens

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Last updated October 17, 2026. GrantCompass is an independent funding-discovery tool and is not affiliated with any government agency. Always confirm details on the official program page.