Women, mostly immigrant woman face a lot of difficulties in starting a small-scale business in foreign countries. From overcoming the financial crisis to obtaining the right open and operate a business in the USA, immigrant women had to face a lot of hardship.
Women entrepreneurs are doing well in the US as business owners. The reason behind the growing success rate – grants for immigrants to start a business or free financial assistance!
Business Grants for Immigrants
The government and private organizations come forward to help immigrant women who want to be an entrepreneur.
Women who moved to the United States for some reason can request free government grants. Suppose they have to join their family, look for job opportunities, to seek safety and refuge from war, violence, and natural disaster. This organization helps them.
Here are the ten best places where women entrepreneurs can get financial help for starting a small-scale business.
Grants.gov
Grants.gov is a database of federally sponsored grants. It provides information for all types of grants, including business grants for immigrant women. One can access 1000+ grants from this website. For application, you need to obtain a DUNS number from Dun & Bradstreet. The nine-digit identification number will allow you to manage and register your business. Go through the website to learn about the sign-up process and eligibility criteria for Grants.gov.
SBA Loans
The Small Business Administration of the USA (https://www.sba.gov/) offers business loans for small-scale business owners. An applicant can get business loans, training, expert suggestions, information on federal government contracting, and many more things. It helps naturalized citizens, lawful permanent and non-permanent residents, refugees, and asylees. SBA funds to start and expand a business in the best possible ways.
The Girlboss Foundation Grant
The Girlboss Foundation funds unique women entrepreneurs. It provides a $15,000 grant to female and female-identifying entrepreneurs for their innovative business ideas. Any women entrepreneur in the fashion, design, arts, and music industries can avail of the grant. The Grants are awarded twice a year to individuals pursuing entrepreneurial endeavors. Each of the award-winner will receive grants for the business, plus exposure to the Girlboss Community.
Women’s Business Center
The U.S Small Business Administration sponsors 100 Women’s Business Centers in the country. It helps women entrepreneurs with grants for starting a business. It provides necessary guidance and support for better business development. Women entrepreneurs can get capital for starting their businesses from the Women’s Business Center. They may lend you money directly or help you find free grants for immigrants to start a business. Find the center nearby you here: https://www.sba.gov/local-assistance/find/?type=Women%27s%20Business%20Center&pageNumber=1
Economic Development Administration
The U.S. Economic Development Administration is a non-profit organization. It is designed to boost sustainable growth and rural economic activities to contribute to federal economic development. It prepares Americans for growth and success in the business sector. The foundation gives importance to innovation, competitiveness, and regional collaboration in the economy. EDA (https://www.eda.gov/about/) encourages local businesses to partner in the country’s development and growth.
Small Business Development Center
The U.S. Small Business Administration organization has several Small Business Development Centers around the world. These development centers are mostly in colleges and universities. At the SBDC, applicants can get grants for starting a business. They are providing professional training and consultation, including developing a business plan, researching the market variation and knowing how to arrange the finance. If you are thinking of starting a business, check the list of Small Business Development Centers here.
Amber Grant
The Amber Grant is a charitable organization that helps women to start and grow their businesses. It was launched by the WomensNet foundation to honor the memory of a young entrepreneur, Amber Wigdahi. Amber grants award $2000 grants for immigrants to start a business. The top 12 winners can get an additional $25,000 grant for their business at the end of the year. There is no requirement or expectation to repay the grants. The application is relatively simple. Explain your business plan properly. Describe what you do with grant money and pay $15 as an application fee. Only women entrepreneurs from U.S. and Canada can apply for the grant.
Eileen Fisher Women-Owned Business Grants
Eileen Fisher, the leading women’s clothing retailer, awards the ten best women entrepreneurs every year. The winner will get a cash prize of $100,000. To be eligible, a woman must make up to 51% of ownership and leadership. The business needs to be in operation. It needs to earn $ 1 million every year. It should be directed towards any social or environmental challenges.
FedEx Small Business Grants
The global logistics company FedEx offers a $25,000 cash prize for the top ten entrepreneurs under FedEx Small Business Grant Contest. It’s a grant contest. Winners can get grants, awards, and insight from FedEx experts. All U.S based small-businesses having 99 employees or lesser are eligible for the contest. Ten fully-driven and dedicated entrepreneurs are selected through the competition.
The global business leader appreciates the hard work and sincerity of the entrepreneur. It has awarded $778,000 to the winners. You can apply for the next year if you are eligible for the FedEx Small Business Grant Contest (https://www.fedex.com/en-us/small-business/grant-contest/contest-details.html).
National Association for the Self-Employed
The National Association for the Self-Employed is a non-profit making trade organization that provides educational resources, financial benefits, and others. It gives $4,000 to every small scale business through the NASE Growth Program. Women entrepreneurs can use the grant for marketing purposes, advertising, hiring employees, expanding facilities and meet other specific needs of the business. A selection committee is set to select and finalize the number of applicants. The applicant becomes a member of the NASE and eligible for the free business grant. Know about the program and NASE eligibility criteria (https://www.nase.org/become-a-member/member-benefits/business-resources/growth-grants).
What’s next?
Prepare a proper plan to start a business using free government and private grants. Know what the other facilities available are for an immigrant woman in the USA. Have complete information in hand. Read more articles and blogs on the latest government reforms for immigrants. It may help you tackle your financial problems after being relocated to a new and unknown place.
PS: For Muslim, please avoid credit cards or loans with interest rates, it’s RIBA!!
Read more-
- A Step-By-Step Guide To Help Immigrants Start A New Business
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- 10 Business Grants That Can Help Convicted Felons To Restart Life
