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Small Business Grants in Alabama

Any small business grant can help those who are planning to put up a business. In Alabama, there are several small business grants from different organizations to ensure that starting up, expansion or development will not be as difficult as it may seem.

Putting up a small business can be challenging. From staying afloat to ensuring the company can keep food on the table for your family, those are just some of the many challenges.

There are several types of small business grants. The state funds some, and others are from private institutions.

In Alabama, grants are available for small businesses and even for agencies, higher education institutions, nonprofit organizations, and many more.

In this list of small business grants in Alabama, you will find the eligibility requirements, the application process, and needs. 

This list of small business grants in Alabama follows categories. This is according to the funding each grant has.

Small Business Grants in Alabama (Foundation-Funded Grants)

Large companies provide these grants. Corporation-funded small business grants are usually the ones that are ideal for those businesses looking for startup funds. 

Some of the small business grants in Alabama that companies fund are the following:

Innovation Prize: Grants to the USA. Nonprofits and For-Profits to Address Environmental and Social NeedsJ.M. Kaplan Fund funds this small business grant in Alabama.

Small businesses in Alabama that are focused on protecting the environment, preserving history, and fighting social justice, should seriously consider applying for this grant.

This foundation-funded small business grant in Alabama looks for small businesses. These businesses are those challenged during the pandemic and the recent political upheavals.

This grant looks for projects that have the following ideas:

  • an answer to a classified need
  • innovative projects that focuses on social justice, environment, and history preservation
  • pledges to provide multiple benefits to communities, individuals, or sectors that need the identified change
  • is a potential actionable pilot or prototype

There could be a lot of deserving small businesses in Alabama. However, there is no need to worry since the organization would confer this grant to ten chosen small businesses.

The cash award for the winners will be $150,000 for three years. Also, there will be $25,000 of special assistance funds. The organization will allot a total of $175,000 to each of the winners.

This grant has a three-year term contract.

The eligible applicants for this grant are those who are representing nonprofit or mission-driven for-profit groups.

Although the conference for this grant was don last March 30, the grant proposal’s submission is until April 30, 2023.

There will be two rounds of application. Those who will pass the first-round submissions are going to submit a more detailed application in late spring. The chosen finalists is also going to confer their ideas to the J.M. Kaplan Fund trustees.

The organization will release the names of awardees in November this year.

Those who are interested may check the full text for the grant or email JMKInnovationPrize@JMKFund.org.

J.M. Kaplan Fund is a company that hopes to build an ideal society by providing early-stage support to entrepreneurs who have plans to solve 21st-century problems.

2023 Top 40 Under 40: Awards to Alabama Young Business Leaders to Recognize Community and Business Contributions

This foundation-funded small business grant in Alabama is funded by the Birmingham Business Journal (BBJ).

This grant is also an award-giving body that recognizes business people who have contributed significantly to their organization or the community. One of the essential requirements for this grant is that the applicant should be nominated and have made their immense contribution before celebrating their 40th birthday.

The Birmingham Business Journal (BBJ) is also looking for awardees expected to play a vital role in the future business community.

There will be 40 grant winners that the organization has chosen.

Part of the eligibility criteria for this grant is that the applicant must be born after February 19, 1981.

The nomination for the grant is open until May 21, 2023. Those who plan to nominate someone should submit the online nomination through the online system. Letters of recommendation are also highly appreciated for the grant application so that the organization will have an idea of the candidate’s personality.

The full details of the grant are available online. Also, for further clarifications, interested people may address the queries through Ms. Stephanie Rebman at srebman@bizjournals.com.

WE Empower United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Challenge: Opportunity for USA, Canada, and International Women to Participate in Business Training and Networking Sessions

The Arizona State University – Global Institute of Sustainability and Innovation is funding this grant.

This small business grant in Alabama is intended for women in business training and networking sessions. This funding would like to promote more female entrepreneurs to be in the business.

WE Empower Challenge is a competition for women social entrepreneurs. It aims to push forward sustainable business practices.

Once granted the funds from the organization, the awardees will be participating in a pitch competition. This competition will be hosted by Vital Voices Board Member Diane von Furstenberg.

The estimated grant size for this program is 20,000 US Dollars.

Those who will be granted funds are expected to be available to travel to New York from September 17 to 25, 2023.

Applicants for this grant should be 21 years old and have a business that generates at least 100,000 US dollars a year in revenue or sales.

In the application, interested applicants should indicate the vision for a sustainable future and how the business relates to UN’s SDGs. They should also submit a two-minute video with the following details:

  • Full name,
  • Name of organization and applicant’s job title,
  • Country/state where the applicant is located,
  • The mission of the organization,
  • Objectives of the organization ones granted with the funds, and
  • Impact of the business on the UN SDGs

For further details regarding this grant, interested applicants may go through the details’ full text or email info@weempowerchallenge.org.

Movement Infrastructure Fund: Grants to USA Nonprofits and Businesses to Advance Systemic Change

This small business grant in Alabama is also a foundation-funded one. This time, it is funded by Solidaire.

This grant aims to help businesses to have a progressive systemic change. Mainly, the funds that Solidaire will provide to awardees are aimed to be directed to the improvement of organizational structure and capacity.

The grants that Solidaire will provide to awardees will range from 20,000 US Dollars to 200,000 US Dollars. The difference between this grant from other grants is that it has a term of the contract. Ideally, awardees of this small business grant in Alabama are requested to have time-bound work for a 12-24 month period or multi-year support, which might take three to five years.

For the timeline of the application process, interested applicant should take note of the following dates:

  • April 23, 2023, is the deadline for application
  • June 7, 2023, is the notification of application status
  • June 30, 2023, is the confirmation of the granted recipients of the funding.

Application may be submitted as a written grant proposal and video application.

There was a Grantmaking Opportunites Webinar which may be helpful for interested applicants. However, since it has already commenced, a recording of the webinar is still available.

Applicants may find the full details of this grant here. For further information or clarification, applicants may email ada@solidairenetwork.org.

Small Business Grants in Alabama (Corporation-Funded Grants)

Foam Recycling Coalition’s (FRC) Grant Program: Grants to USA and Canada Nonprofits and Businesses to Start or Expand Eligible Recycling Programs

Foodservice Packaging Institute (FPI) is funding this grant.

This grant intends to expand recycling programs among small businesses. That is why the organization will be providing up to 50,000 US Dollars among deserving companies. 

The following are the intended businesses that the funding targets:

  • residential curbside recycling programs, 
  • convenience site or drop-off recycling programs, and 
  • operations of recycling facilities

Those who will receive the grants will be asked to sign a contract. This contract will detail the activities which will address foam polystyrene recycling.

Before being granted the funds, all applicants will go through a selection process. The FRC will be reviewing the applications.

This small business grant in Alabama is also available in other states of the US and even Canada. As long as the business of the applicant is engaged in the following, then they are eligible to apply:

  • A material recovery facility operator
  •  A firm that manages residential curbside recycling programs
  • Affiliated in managing drop-off or convenience site recycling programs.

Although the grant is not yet open for application, the deadline is already set for May 1, 2023. That is why eligible applicants should keep an eye on this one.

For further details regarding the grant and the application process, applicants may check it out here. Also, those interested may email recyclefoam@fpi.org for clarifications.

The IFundWomen X Neutrogena® Fund: Grants to USA Women-Owned Health and Wellness Businesses for COVID-19 Relief

IFundWomen (IFW) and Neutrogena® are funding this foundation-funded grant.

This small business grant in Alabama aims to help women entrepreneurs who suffered because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The funds that IFundWomen will provide to chosen applicants who have health and wellness businesses intend to fight the coronavirus pandemic’s impacts.

The grant for the winners is estimated to have $10,000 each.

This grant is a project in partnership with Neutrogena Fund. The way it works is that Neutrogena® offers a $1 off on WIpes. For every coupon redeemed, the company will be contributing $1 to IFundWomen X Neutrogena® Fund.

Part of the eligibility criteria is that the business must have a product or service in health or wellness.

For the application, interested applicants are open until April 26, at 11:59 pm.

Also, applicants are required to provide imagery of their business. Applicants are also asked to submit a 60-second video that shows more about their business.

For more details on the grant, applicants may check the full text about the grant. Also, they may email support@ifundwomen.zendesk.com.

Small Business Global Grants Fund: Grants to USA, Canada, and International Small Businesses in the Brand Licensing Sector for Assistance During COVID-19

Licensing Internations is the funding source of this foundation-funded small business grant in Alabama.

This grant is for international small businesses that are in the brand licensing sector. Like many grants nowadays, this small business grant aims to provide help to those affected by the coronavirus pandemic. It aims to make work environments healthy, safe, and sustainable despite the coronavirus pandemic.

Part of the reason why Licensing International created this grant was to help business expenses covered for small businesses while going through a pandemic.

The grant for the chosen applicants is 5,000 US Dollars.

Those who would like to apply for this grant should have at least 3 to 20 people and is in the brand licensing business.

Part of the application for this grant is the submission of a short narrative. This narrative should explain the impact of COVID-19 on the business.

Application for this grant is until April 15, 2023.

The Foundation Board will review the applications for this small business grant in Alabama. Fraction of the board’s criteria will be a business that will be positively affected by the grants provided.

Those who would like to know more about the grant may get information by checking the full text of the grant’s details. They may also email info@licensing.org for clarifications.

Licensing International is a multi-billion-dollar international company that provides help to companies who are growing their businesses.

Besides providing small business grants in Alabama, it is also available in other states in the United States.

Marketing Services and Tech Makeovers: In-Kind Marketing and Technology Services to USA

Another small business grant in Alabama is this foundation-funded grant. It is funded by Comcast NBCUniversal – Comcast RISE.

This grant is for BIPOC-owned small businesses or Black, Indigenous, and People of Color-owned small businesses.

Those whom NBCUniversal – Comcast RISE will choose to receive this in-kind grant will receive any of the following:

  • consulting
  • media
  • creative production
  • Technology makeover.

The small business may receive one or more of the mentioned services.

There will be 470 Effectv Winners and 700 Tech Makeover Winners.

Those who will win the media consultation grant will receive advertising, marketing, and creative analysis services for their small business. FOr media campaign winners, they will be receiving a 90-day linear TV media schedule.

For the small business grant in Alabama, grant winners are qualified to receive media consultation, media campaigns, or creative campaign in-kind grants.

Additional qualification for the applicants of this small business grant in Alabama is that the business owner should identify as black, indigenous, or a person of color.

BIPOC-Owned Small Businesses in the Eligible States

Besides, the small business in Alabama should have less than 100 employees. Another eligibility criteria are that the business should fall under one of the categories provided by the organization.

The deadline for application for this small business grant in Alabama is o. May 7, 2023. NBCUniversal – Comcast RISE has already started accepting applications since last February 8, 2023.

Interested applicants may first acquaint themselves with further details by checking the full text of the grant. Also, they may contact an NBCUniversal – Comcast RISE representative by calling 844-963-0234 for clarification and application submission queries.

According to Comcast RISE’s website, they are also planning to provide monetary grants in the future.

Small Business Grant in Alabama (Federal-Funded Grant)

Federal small business grants are those that federal agencies distribute. Sometimes, federal-funded grants are given to small businesses in industries like scientific research, conservation, and technology.

Here are some of the federal-funded small business grants in Alabama:

Shuttered Venue Operators Grant: Grants to the USA. Venues, Museums, Theaters, and Zoos to Mitigate Financial Loss Caused by the COVID-19 Crisis

This federal-funded small business grant in Alabama is funded through the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA.)

This grant mainly wants to provide help to establishments or small businesses in Alabama. The COVID-19 pandemic greatly affected these businesses. The venues which may qualify for this grant are theaters, performing arts operators, zoos, and museums.

The funds which may be awarded to the small business in Alabama can be used for expenses like the following:

  • payments for rent, payroll, utility, 
  • scheduled mortgage
  • scheduled debt payments
  • expenditures for worker protection
  • state and local taxes and fees
  • administrative costs, maintenance costs, business expenses

This small business grant in Alabama has a total program funding of about $15,000,000,000

Eligible applicants for this grant are supposed to be in operation as of February 29, 2020. Also, they must not have received a loan on or after December 27, 2020.

If given the grant, awardees are not allowed to use the prize on the following to:

  • make investments or loans, 
  • buy real estate, or 
  • make payments for loans that originated after February 15, 2020.

This small business grant in Alabama already had a pre-proposal conference.

However, the deadline for application is still not provided by SVOG.

For more details about this small business grant in Alabama, entrepreneurs may check the grant’s full text or email SVOGrant@sba.gov.

U.S. Small Business Administration aims to help American entrepreneurs to start, build, and grow their businesses.

It was established in 1953 and has since been an independent agency of the federal government.

America’s Seed Fund – Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program Phase I: Grants to USA Small Businesses for High-Risk Technology Research

The federal government funds this small business grant in Alabama. Mainly the National Science Foundation spearheads this grant.

Small businesses that are focused on high-risk technologies are qualified for this grant. This program is focused on supporting scientific excellence and technological innovation.

There are expected 60 small businesses granted funds by the National Science Foundation (NSF).

Additionally, as part of the application process, those interested must first submit a letter of intent before submitting their application.

The deadline for application for this grant is on June 3, 2023.

Moreover, small businesses in Alabama may also attach a project pitch to the application.

The winners of the grant will be notified four to six months after the submission deadline.

Those who would like to know more about the grant application may check out the grant’s full text. Furthermore, they may also send in other queries or clarifications to the email: fastlane@nsf.gov, or call the FastLane Help Desk at 1-800-673-6188.