Women Founders Growth Award

About this opportunity

Women start businesses at a faster rate than men yet receive a tiny fraction of startup funding. The Women Founders Growth Award exists to close that gap. Each year, women-led companies receive growth-stage grants they can spend on hiring, product development, marketing, certifications, or export readiness — with no equity taken and no repayment owed. Winners join a year-long sisterhood circle: monthly video workshops on pricing, fundraising, and leadership; a private network of fellow founders; and spotlight features that have landed past winners in regional press and on retail shelves. The award especially seeks founders outside the big coastal tech hubs, in industries from manufacturing to beauty to business services, where recognition — and capital — are hardest to find.

Eligibility requirements — read before applying

Business at least 51% owned and led by one or more women
Registered and operating in the United States for at least 6 months
Annual revenue under $1,000,000
Able to show how the funds create growth: a hire, a launch, a new market
Founders from underrepresented backgrounds and non-coastal states encouraged
Nonprofits and franchises are not eligible for this award

How to apply

1. Build your Grant Well profile and choose the Women Founders Growth Award.
2. Upload business registration and your most recent 12 months of revenue figures.
3. Submit a 2-page growth plan: what you will spend, what it unlocks, how you will measure it.
4. Record a 3-minute video introducing yourself and your customers.
5. Semi-finalists meet two judges for a 30-minute conversation.
6. Winners are announced each spring and funds disburse within 10 business days.

Eligible applicants: Women, Businesses · All U.S. states · Last verified Oct 14, 2026