Grants for startup founders
Non-dilutive grant money for founders means cash you keep without giving up equity. These are open to founders at any stage, most with a short written application. Bursary reads who you are and ranks the ones you actually qualify for.
Check what you qualify for →Start here · fastest to claim
No company needed, rolling deadlines, low effort — the quickest wins on this list.
31 programs · updated 2026-07-12
Supply Chain Acceleration and Logistics Enablement (SCALE) Program
Up to $500,000
Small Business Administration. Federal grant (opp SB-OIIGA-26-001); typically requires SAM.gov registration and an entity. Verify full eligibility on the official page.
Needs company
SBIR (America's Seed Fund)
Up to $323,090 Phase I (equity-free)
The largest source of early-stage non-dilutive US funding. Federal agencies (DoD, NSF, NIH, DOE, NASA and more) award equity-free Phase I R&D grants up to $323,090 (2026 cap), with larger Phase II follow-ons. For US for-profit small businesses under 500 employees, over 50% US-owned, building innovative tech. Solicitations are agency-specific on rolling schedules; browse open topics at the link.
Needs company
Thiel Fellowship
$250,000 over two years
Truly non-dilutive (no equity), but you must be 22 or younger and skip or leave school; about 20-30 spots a year. Award raised to $250K (verified 2026).
No company needed
Federal and State Technology (FAST) Partnership Program
Up to $180,000
Small Business Administration. Federal grant (opp SB-OIIFT-26-001); typically requires SAM.gov registration and an entity. Verify full eligibility on the official page.
Needs company
O'Shaughnessy Fellowship
up to $100,000
Equity-free, open worldwide to individuals 13+ with no entity required; annual cycle (2026 round closed Apr 30) so apply when the next opens, expect ~40+ hrs/week.
No company needed
Echoing Green Fellowship
up to $100,000
Seed funding for social entrepreneurs; requires an independent startup-stage venture (2 years or less), full-time commitment, 18+, English proficiency; annual cycle.
Needs company
Emergent Ventures
$1,000 - $50,000
Mercatus/Tyler Cowen grants + fellowships for ambitious "zero to one" ideas, ages 13+. For-profit OK, a quick path to revenue is a plus. Short written rolling app; dedicated tracks for India, Africa, the Caribbean, and Ukraine.
No company needed
OpenAI Codex Open-Source Fund
up to $25,000
No entity. You need an active public open-source repo to qualify.
No company neededNeeds repo
Gold House Futures (Gold Art Prize)
Up to $25,000
Applicants must identify as Asian and/or Pacific Islander; cash lives in the Gold Art Prize track, not base membership.
No company needed
U.S. Chamber CO-100 Small Business Award
$25,000 top prize ($2,000 to honorees)
Open now; has a $300 entry fee; for-profit, 1+ year operating, under 250 employees, under $20M revenue.
Needs company
Warrior Rising Business Shower
up to $20,000
Veterans only: must be a US military veteran or immediate family and complete the free Warrior University program to pitch for the non-dilutive grant; rolling.
No company needed
Verizon Small Business Digital Ready
$10,000
No revenue gate. Finish 2 free courses to unlock the application.
No company needed
Amber Grant (WomensNet)
$10,000
Women-owned only (50%+); US/Canada; pre-revenue and idea-stage OK; $15 application fee; three $10K monthly + year-end $50K.
No company needed
IFundWomen Universal Grant
Varies ($10,000+ typical)
Women-founders only; one 10-minute application matches you to rotating partner grants; free.
No company needed
Hello Alice Small Business Grants
$5,000 to $25,000 (varies)
Rotating hub of partner grants (open ones change weekly); free account required; some need prior-year revenue.
No company needed
SoGal Black Founder Startup Grant
$5,000 to $10,000
Black women / Black nonbinary founders only; needs a registered business + intent to raise; apply by emailing sogal@iamsogal.com.
Needs company
DoorDash Accelerator for Local Restaurants
$10,000 grant + 8-week accelerator
Restaurants/food businesses only, 2+ years operating, up to 3 locations; runs in city-specific cohorts, check the page for an open one.
Needs company
Skip $10,000 Grants
$10,000
Recurring grant (two $10K awards per round, multiple rounds yearly) open to any US entrepreneur 18+; no entity, no fee, lightweight application.
No company needed
Halstead Grant
$7,500 cash + $1,000 merchandise
Silver jewelry designers only, within 5 years of first sale; portfolio plus 15 business questions.
No company needed
CitizensNYC Neighborhood Business Grants
up to $5,000
NYC only: microgrants for neighborhood small businesses running a community initiative; must operate in one of the five boroughs and benefit the community.
Needs company
Galaxy Grant (Hidden Star)
$4,250
Women and minority business owners only (any stage incl. idea); US-only.
No company needed
NASE Growth Grant
Up to $4,000
For the self-employed; requires a paid NASE membership (~$120/yr) first; quarterly review cycles.
No company needed
The Awesome Foundation
$1,000
$1,000 micro-grant, no strings attached, awarded monthly by autonomous local chapters worldwide (many cities plus a global online chapter) to anyone with a project. For-profit OK, no incorporation or nonprofit status required — one short form. Highest odds per minute.
No company needed
HerRise MicroGrant
$1,000 per month
Women only (incl. women of color), US-registered 51%+ women-owned business under $1M revenue; $15 admin fee.
Needs company
1517 Fund Medici Project Grant
$1,000+ cash grant
Truly non-dilutive; high-school, college students or dropouts in North America only; apply by emailing a 5-minute Loom video.
No company needed
The Freed Fellowship Grant
$500 (+ $2,500 year-end)
Any US micro/small business; $19 application fee; one $500 monthly, all fellows eligible for year-end $2,500; no nonprofits.
No company needed
The Pollination Project Seed Grant
Up to $500 seed grant
Social-impact/community-benefit project, volunteer-led with no paid staff, total budget under $10K; no fee, reviewed monthly.
No company needed
NIH, CDC and FDA Small Business Innovation Research Grant
Federal grant (award varies)
National Institutes of Health. Federal grant (opp PA-27-100); typically requires SAM.gov registration and an entity. Verify full eligibility on the official page.
Needs company
NIH Small Business Technology Transfer Grant
Federal grant (award varies)
National Institutes of Health. Federal grant (opp PA-27-102); typically requires SAM.gov registration and an entity. Verify full eligibility on the official page.
Needs company
NIH Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase IIB Strategic Breakthrough Award
Federal grant (award varies)
National Institutes of Health. Federal grant (opp PA-27-101); typically requires SAM.gov registration and an entity. Verify full eligibility on the official page.
Needs company
SBIR/STTR Commercialization Readiness Pilot (CRP) Program
Federal grant (award varies)
National Institutes of Health. Federal grant (opp PAR-27-098); typically requires SAM.gov registration and an entity. Verify full eligibility on the official page.
Needs company
Find the ones you qualify for
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Find my money →Frequently asked questions
Who qualifies for grants for founders?
Non-dilutive grant money for founders means cash you keep without giving up equity. These are open to founders at any stage, most with a short written application. Bursary reads who you are and ranks the ones you actually qualify for.
Are startup grants really free money?
Yes. A non-dilutive grant is cash you keep with no equity and nothing to repay, unlike a loan or investment. The cost is a written application and sometimes light reporting. Bursary flags any fee or condition before you start.
How much funding is available?
Programs on this list go up to $500,000. Bursary ranks them by what you actually qualify for.
How many programs are on this list?
31 verified programs, re-checked continuously.
Is it free to apply?
Most are free to apply. Bursary reads the fine print and flags any program that charges a fee before you start.
Do I need a registered company?
Not for all of them. Bursary matches programs to your situation and tells you which require a registered entity and which accept individuals.