Rural Business Development Grants
Rural Business Development Grants (RBDGs) support targeted technical assistance, training, and other activities that promote the development and expansion of small and emerging private businesses in rural areas. Eligible businesses must have fewer than 50 employees and less than $1 million in gross annual revenues. RBDG funding is separated into either enterprise or opportunity-type grant activities. LEARN MORE
Application Deadline: April 1, 2024
Grant Amount: $10,000 to $500,000
Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation
The Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation partners with organizations and networks working to alleviate poverty and increase social and economic justice in 11 Southern states. The Foundation seeks the most promising opportunities to support power building work to advance racial equity and social and economic justice, and provides support along three primary pathways: democracy and civic engagement, supportive policies and institutions, and economic opportunity. Organizations may use funds for general operating support, project support, “glue” support for networks of grassroots and partner organizations, and organizational development. LEARN MORE
Geographic scope: AL, AR, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN, VA, and WV
Application deadline: None for organizational summaries
Cisco Global Impact Cash Grant Program
Cisco’s Global Impact Cash Grant Program provides support to nonprofit and non-governmental organizations around the world with national or multinational operations that address critical social challenges. Supported organizations and programs must focus on one of the following areas:
- Crisis response, including increased capacity to access clean water, food, and shelter
- Access to education, with a focus on increasing equitable access to education while improving student performance, engagement, and career exploration
- Economic empowerment, with a focus on solutions that provide access to the knowledge, skills, and resources that people need to support themselves and their families
- Climate impact and regeneration, including programs that foster bold climate solutions as well as community education and activation.
Programs must serve an audience greater than 65 percent economically underserved relative to the average standards of the target geography and must use the internet or internet-based communications technology to improve the efficiency and reach of program services. LEARN MORE
Application deadline: None
Geographic scope: United States and internationally
TD Charitable Foundation: Regional Grants
The TD Charitable Foundation provides support to nonprofit organizations to improve the quality of life in the communities TD Bank serves, which include specific counties of CT, DE, DC, FL, ME, MD, MA, NH, NJ, NY, NC, PA, RI, SC, VT, and VA. (A list of eligible counties is available in the online application.)
The Foundation primarily funds programs aligned to one or more of the following areas: better health, with a focus on research, technology, and innovative solutions that improve access to care for all; connected communities, with a focus on increasing access to the opportunities people need to participate and feel a sense of belonging in their community, including arts and culture; financial security, including early learning, income stability, financial literacy, and affordable housing; and vibrant planet, including clean economic growth that supports the transition to a low-carbon economy and activating green spaces. Special consideration will be given to organizations delivering programs that support diverse and historically underserved communities and to programs that support low- to moderate-income individuals with services that improve the quality of life.
Application deadline: Applications are accepted on a bimonthly basis
Grant amount: The minimum amount is $5,000.
The Joyce Foundation
The Joyce Foundation invests in policies to advance racial equity and economic mobility for the next generation in the Great Lakes region, defined as Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. (National public policy efforts designed to have an impact on the Great Lakes states may also be supported.) The Foundation supports policy research, development, and advocacy in the program areas of culture, democracy, education and economic mobility, environment, gun violence prevention and justice reform, and journalism. LEARN MORE
Application deadlines: Grant inquiries are accepted throughout the year. The 2024 deadlines for formal proposals are August 1, and December 2.
Bank of America Institute for Women’s Entrepreneurship at Cornell
Bank of America has extended the opportunity for NALCAB network members and the clients they serve to participate in an online course for women entrepreneurs as part of the Bank of America Institute for Women’s Entrepreneurship at Cornell. This program will provide participants, at no cost, with access to the virtual program conducted by Ivy League Cornell faculty.
Participants who complete the 6-course program, offered in English or Spanish will receive a Certificate from Cornell University. The program is designed for women who are starting, running, or expanding a business.
Courses include:
1. Creating Your Venture: Personal readiness, and client discovery
2. Laying the Legal Building Blocks for Your Venture
3. Assessing and Obtaining Financial Resources for Your Venture
4. Growth Leadership for Female Entrepreneurs
5. Product Development and Digital Marketing
6. Communications, Negotiation and Persuasiveness
Click here for Spanish enrollment.(Accepting registraitons)
Click here for English enrollment. (Currently closed; click to be added to waitlist)
Funding & Resource Roundup
Freed Fellowship – Every month, one $500 grant is awarded to an underrepresented founder in the US to invest in their existing business. No strings attached. No equity required. Grant recipients are also eligible to receive an additional end-of-year grant of $2,500. https://www.freedfellowship.com/grant1
Juntos Crecemos Hispanic Digital & Delivery Program (PepsiCo) – PepsiCo is inviting Latina entrepreneurs who work in food service to apply for eight weeks of personalized expert consultation, including best practices across operations, technology, marketing and digital presence. https://pepsicojuntoscrecemos.com/jefaowned/
Minority Business Circle – Supportive network for diverse entrepreneurs in various industries, offering opportunities like grants, loans, significant discounts on essential business products, and a comprehensive step-by-step guide with customized tools to track progress and foster growth. See link for info – https://minoritybusinesscircle.com/
Novae Grants Database – Novae Grants database are intended for small businesses with 6-100 employees, though some are also intended for larger businesses and sole proprietor startups – https://grants.novaegrants.com/
SPUR (Shared Purpose, Unlimited Reach) Pathways – Through an integrated and collaborative approach, Macy’s, Inc. and Momentus will provide access to a range of capital options from microloans to growth capital to equity investments. This represents a commitment to underrepresented businesses and aims to galvanize the retail industry to invest in the next generation of entrepreneurs – https://www.macysinc.com/purpose/spurpathways
Start Small Think Big is a nonprofit that helps small businesses with high potential and limited access to the resources needed to create thriving businesses. They partner with small business owners, providing personalized business support and building connections with local communities. If you are interested in being considered as a “client” for free services, you can fill out this form https://partner.startsmallthinkbig.org/bofainstitute (for English) or https://partner.startsmallthinkbig.org/bofainstitute-esp (for Spanish) They also offer free webinars (in Eng and Span). See this link for their upcoming events: https://www.startsmallthinkbig.org/events-for-small-businesses
Truist NonProfit Grant – The Truist Foundation supports nonprofits with grants that target leadership development, economic mobility, thriving communities and educational equity. Quarterly deadlines – https://www.truist.com/purpose/truist-foundation/grant-application
Veterans Business Outreach Center – The Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC) program offers resources to veterans who are interested in starting or growing a small business. There are 22 locations (soon expanding to 35) and they offer workshops, training, counseling, and mentorship opportunities. – https://www.sba.gov/local-assistance/resource-partners/veterans-business-outreach-center-vboc-program
Bridge built by Citi Loan Program
Bridge built by Citi is a platform connecting small businesses seeking loans with over 65 community banks, CDFIs, and Minority Depository Institutions. There are no digital-only lenders on the platform, and no technology integration is required. Bridge’s lenders are able to respond to requests for capital for a wide range of debt financing, from working capital loans to commercial mortgages.
All NALCAB members are invited to refer small businesses seeking capital that are not able to be served by local markets to submit an application through the platform, to receive term sheets from potential lenders. In addition, NALCAB member CDFIs offering small business loans between $100,000 and $10,000,000 are invited to join this free platform to increase their reach.
Change Machine + Kaiser Permanente Financial Health Initiative
Change Machine + Kaiser Permanente have partnered to support nearly 200 nonprofits to accelerate their missions and drive impact through financial coaching. Selected nonprofits will use Change Machine’s technology platform to train and equip social service practitioners in financial coaching so that they can provide these services to their clients. Financial coaching includes: financial goal setting and budgeting; establishing and increasing savings; addressing debt; and connecting people to safe and affordable banking products. Funding from Kaiser Permanente supports training program implementation, allowing social service organizations to provide these programs sustainably.
Location requirements: Practitioners from California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Georgia, Hawaii, Maryland, Oregon, Virginia, & Washington state.
CLICK HERE for more details & application instructions.
Citizens Bank Corporate Giving
Citizens Bank Corporate Giving seeks to support opportunities for significant and measurable community impact. Corporate contributions support nonprofit organizations in the geographic areas in which Citizens has a retail bank branch presence, including Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, upstate New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Funding areas of interest include fighting hunger and reducing food insecurity; supporting financial literacy programs that provide individuals and businesses with the tools needed to be fiscally healthy; and strengthening communities through economic development, job training, and small business development. Funding is focused on projects that serve diverse, underserved populations and neighborhoods and demonstrate strong results. Sponsorship support is also available, as well as grants through the Citizens Philanthropic Foundation for organizations in the Metro New York and New Jersey areas. Applications are accepted throughout the year. Visit the Citizens website to submit an online application. Grants support programs that:
- Teach Money Management by supporting financial literacy programs that provide individuals and businesses with the tools needed to be fiscally healthy.
- Strengthen Communities through economic development, job training and small business development.
NALCAB Loans & Loan Guarantees
Did you know that NALCAB offers loans for nonprofit member lenders and member organizations that work in affordable housing? In addition, we offer loan guarantees for small business and real estate loans.
CLICK HERE to learn more about our loan products.
CLICK HERE to learn more about our Small Business Loan Guarantee.
To schedule a consultation, contact us at: impactinvesting@nalcab.org
Additional Funding Sources
Grant Station offers nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, and government agencies the opportunity to identify potential funding sources for their programs or projects as well as resources to mentor these organizations through the grant-seeking process.
Philanthropy News Digest from Candid publishes Requests for Proposals (RFPs) and notices of awards as a free service for US-based nonprofit and grantmaking organizations.
Grants.gov a searchable database of federal funding programs and grants currently available.
NACEDA – National Alliance of Community Economic Development Associations showcases funding opportunties in various areas of community development.
Candid maintains a comprehensive database on US and global grant-makers and their funding opportunities. It also operates research, education, and training programs designed to advance knowledge of philanthropy at every level.