Small business grant opportunities to apply for in October
Looking for funding or support to accelerate your business growth? Our October roundup features small business grants, pitch competitions, accelerators, awards, and other opportunities for entrepreneurs accepting applications this month.
Motor City Match Grant
Amount: up to $100,000
Deadline: 10/1/26
Overview: Motor City Match supports Detroit entrepreneurs opening or expanding brick-and-mortar businesses with grants and expert assistance. Eligible businesses must have a connection to Detroit through residency or a secured business location.
Startup CPG Founders & Funders
Deadline: 10/1/26
Overview: A selective New York City conference connecting emerging CPG brands with active investors through networking, panels, pitches, and potential 1:1 meetings. The program is designed primarily for brands raising pre-seed or seed capital.
Spokane Wildfires DoorDash Local Business Disaster Relief Fund
Amount: $5,000
Deadline: 10/1/26
Overview: DoorDash is offering $5,000 grants to eligible brick-and-mortar businesses affected by the Spokane wildfires. Funds can support expenses such as rent, repairs, lost inventory, and payroll.
Start Accelerator
Amount: $500 - $5,000
Deadline: 10/1/26
Overview: A free 14-week accelerator for microentrepreneurs connected to four under-resourced Metro Atlanta communities. Participants receive business training, mentorship, networking, and the opportunity to receive peer-selected grant funding.
Santa Monica Small Business Relief Microgrant Program
Amount: $5,000
Deadline: 10/1/26
Overview: The City of Santa Monica is awarding $5,000 grants to local brick-and-mortar small businesses to support retention, storefront activation, and investment in commercial corridors.
Toast Changemakers Program
Amount: $10,000
Deadline: 10/1/26
Overview: Toast will award fifteen $10,000 grants to independent U.S. restaurants, cafés, food trucks, and bars that are already addressing food insecurity in their communities and have a plan to expand that work.
WomanUp & Pitch
Amount: $500 - $10,000
Deadline: 10/4/26
Overview: Michigan Women Forward hosts pitch competitions for Michigan-based, women-owned businesses, with cash prizes ranging from $500 to $10,000. Selected finalists also receive coaching and mentorship to strengthen their business plans and pitches.
Detroit Legacy Business Project Grant
Amount: up to $50,000
Deadline: 10/5/26
Overview: This program supports businesses that have operated in Detroit for at least 30 years and contributed to the city’s cultural, economic, or social identity. Awards range from microgrants to a $50,000 citywide grant.
Detroit Startup Fund
Amount: $15,000 - $50,000
Deadline: 10/5/26
Overview: The Detroit Startup Fund provides seed and scale grants to Detroit-based founders building businesses with strong growth potential and positive impact for the city.
Wisconsin Fast Forward Worker Training Grant
Amount: $5,000 - $400,000
Deadline: 10/5/26
Overview: Wisconsin employers can receive reimbursement funding for customized workforce training that helps employees gain new skills, advance into higher-level positions, or increase wages. A 50% match is required.
Makers Mindset x The Equity Studio Grant
Amount: $10,000
Deadline: 10/9/26
Overview: Five women-owned beauty and wellness CPG businesses will each receive $10,000 in equity-free funding plus mentorship, community access, and brand exposure. Eligible businesses must have $50,000–$2 million in annual revenue.
Moving Mountains Grant
Amount: $10,000
Deadline: 10/9/26
Overview: The Leon H. Sullivan Charitable Trust offers $10,000 grants to established Philadelphia small businesses with at least three years of operations and less than $250,000 in annual revenue, with priority for North Philadelphia businesses.
Business Food Waste Mitigation Grant Program
Amount: $50,000 - $750,000
Deadline: 10/9/26
Overview: New York State funding supports equipment and infrastructure projects that collect, process, and recycle food waste. Municipalities and nonprofits apply as lead applicants, with New York businesses able to participate as project partners.
City of Raleigh Facade Rehabilitation Grant
Amount: up to $10,000
Deadline: 10/11/26
Overview: Raleigh offers matching reimbursement grants to small businesses and property owners making exterior improvements to commercial buildings in Downtown and older business districts.
For Farmers Grant
Amount: $500 - $10,000
Deadline: 10/12/26
Overview: The For Farmers Movement supports small and mid-sized U.S. farms with grants for equipment, infrastructure, irrigation, cold storage, repairs, innovation, and recovery from losses.
Lowell Facade Grant
Amount: up to $2,500
Deadline: 10/12/26
Overview: The City of Lowell, North Carolina offers matching reimbursement grants to businesses and commercial property owners making eligible exterior building improvements.
2027 Tools Competition
Amount: $50,000 - $300,000
Deadline: 10/13/26
Overview: The Learning Engineering Tools Competition funds digital education tools using technology, data, and learning science to improve outcomes across K–12, higher education, and workforce development.
Marshalls Good Stuff Accelerator Program
Amount: $5,000
Deadline: 10/13/26
Overview: A 12-month virtual program offering 40 participants a $5,000 grant, expert-led learning, and peer connections to support personal and professional goals. Applicants do not need to own a business.
Illinois Creative Accelerator Fund
Amount: $10,000
Deadline: 10/14/26
Overview: The Illinois Arts Council awards $10,000 grants to individual Illinois artists through a randomized selection process, with funding allocated across regions of the state.
New Orleans Activate Downtown Grant
Amount: up to $20,000
Deadline: 10/15/26
Overview: New Orleans offers matching grants to help property owners and tenants convert long-vacant Downtown commercial spaces into active, public-facing businesses. Funding can support build-outs, accessibility, storefront improvements, signage, and related upgrades.
Stephen L. Tadlock Veteran Business Grant
Amount: $1,000+
Deadline: 10/15/26
Overview: Founders First CDC will provide microgrants and business support to U.S. military veteran business owners leading companies with up to $5 million in annual revenue.
CFDA x Frazier Family Foundation Empowered Vision Award
Amount: $100,000
Deadline: 10/15/26
Overview: This award supports an emerging Black fashion designer with a $100,000 grant, tailored mentorship, a year of paid consultant support, and national visibility. Two additional finalists also receive cash prizes.
Houston Land Bank Third Ward Early Capacity Building Grant Fund
Amount: up to $75,000
Deadline: 10/15/26
Overview: Businesses and organizations serving Houston’s Historic Third Ward can receive capacity-building grants to strengthen internal operations. Funding supports areas including economic development, food access, workforce growth, health, and cultural preservation.
Pave HER Way Grant Program
Amount: up to $90,000
Deadline: 10/18/26
Overview: Pave HER Way funds women whose work improves conditions for other women through several tracks, including support for impactful projects and ideas benefiting women and girls.
Nosh Live Pitch Slam
Amount: $10,000 advertising package + strategy support
Deadline: 10/16/26
Overview: Emerging packaged food brands can compete for a $10,000 BevNET advertising package, strategy support, and exposure to retail buyers and investors at Nosh Live in California.
Vimeo Short Film Grant
Amount: $60,000
Deadline: 10/16/26
Overview: Vimeo will award five emerging filmmakers $60,000 each to produce original short films, along with equipment access, distribution, screening opportunities, and mentorship from established filmmakers.
One Mind Accelerator
Deadline: 10/19/26
Overview: A 10-week hybrid accelerator for pre-seed through Series A companies developing mental health solutions. Participants receive mentorship, investor introductions, fundraising support, and business development opportunities.
Downtown Houston Facade Improvement Grant
Amount: up to $250,000
Deadline: 10/23/26
Overview: Property owners and tenants in Downtown Houston’s TIRZ 3 can apply for grants supporting qualifying building facade and exterior improvements.
Main Street Rising Tour - Houston
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: 10/28/26
Overview: Texas small businesses can apply to pitch for a $1,000 cash prize at the Houston stop of the Main Street Rising Tour. The broader event also offers AI training, coaching, networking, and accelerator support.
NYC SBS Customized Training Grant Program
Amount: $10,000 - $400,000
Deadline: 10/30/26
Overview: New York City businesses can receive reimbursement funding for employee training that helps adopt new tools, expand services, solve business challenges, or upskill staff.
City of Chicago Workforce Solutions Grant
Amount: up to $250,000
Deadline: 10/30/26
Overview: Chicago businesses and organizations can receive reimbursement grants for workforce training for current employees and new hires, potentially covering up to 100% of eligible training costs.
SEED SPOT DC Launch Camp
Deadline: 10/30/26
Overview: A free one-day Washington, D.C. bootcamp for early-stage entrepreneurs offering pitch development, customer discovery, mentor feedback, and ongoing access to SEED SPOT’s alumni network.
2026 SE Michigan Small Business Pitch Competition
Amount: up to $5,000
Deadline: 10/30/26
Overview: Southeast Michigan small businesses can compete for $5,000, $3,000, and $2,000 prizes to support business growth and sustainability. Brick-and-mortar, online, and hybrid businesses are eligible.
Galaxy Grant
Amount: $2,500
Deadline: 10/31/26
Overview: Hidden Star offers a $2,500 grant to women and minority entrepreneurs to help build and grow their small businesses.
Breva Thrive Grant
Amount: $5,000
Deadline: 10/31/26
Overview: Breva awards one trade subcontractor or emerging general contractor $5,000 plus one year of access to its platform each quarter.
Hinge One More Hour Fund
Amount: approximately $5,000 - $25,000
Deadline: Rolling
Overview: Hinge’s One More Hour initiative supports established organizations and social groups creating affordable, in-person opportunities for Gen Z to connect with one another.
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