Grants LibraryFor-profit grants — Texas & United States.
Curated for small for-profit businesses like Waffles On Waffles. Every grant below has its own downloadable one-page brief covering eligibility, deadlines, application steps, and a "fit for WOW" notes section.
⚠️ Grant programs change. Always confirm details on the funder's official page before applying.
National (private)Amber Grant for Women
WomensNet
One of the most accessible monthly grants for women-owned businesses. Includes specialty categories such as food & beverage.
- Deadline
- Last day of each month (rolling)
- Eligibility
- For-profit businesses majority-owned by women (US-based).
National (private)Hello Alice Small Business Grants
Hello Alice + corporate partners
Umbrella platform aggregating funded grants from Mastercard, FedEx, Antares Capital, Progressive and others.
- Deadline
- Rolling — multiple programs per year
- Eligibility
- For-profit US small businesses; varies by program (some women-, Black-, LGBTQ+-, veteran-focused).
CorporateFedEx Small Business Grant Contest
FedEx
Flagship corporate grant with a strong consumer brand storytelling angle — well-suited to visual food brands.
- Deadline
- Annual — typically opens spring
- Eligibility
- For-profit US small business in operation 6+ months with a FedEx shipping account (or willing to create one).
CorporateComcast RISE Investment Fund
Comcast NBCUniversal
Combines cash with media airtime, creative production, technology makeovers, and marketing consulting.
- Deadline
- Rolling application windows by city/region
- Eligibility
- For-profit small businesses owned by people of color, women, veterans, LGBTQ+, persons with disabilities, in select markets (Dallas-Fort Worth has been included).
CorporateVerizon Small Business Digital Ready Grant
Verizon + LISC
Cash grants delivered after completing free digital-skills coursework through Verizon's platform.
- Deadline
- Quarterly cycles
- Eligibility
- US for-profit businesses with fewer than 10 employees that complete two Digital Ready learning credits.
National (private)NASE Growth Grant
National Association for the Self-Employed
Small but highly winnable grant aimed at specific growth-related purchases (equipment, marketing, hiring).
- Deadline
- Rolling (monthly)
- Eligibility
- NASE members (membership ~ $120/yr) operating a US for-profit small business.
CorporateVisa She's Next Grant Program
Visa + IFundWomen
Pairs cash with year-long mentorship through IFundWomen. Often targets specific metros each cycle.
- Deadline
- Annual, typically opens summer/fall
- Eligibility
- Women-owned for-profit small businesses in participating US cities.
CorporateGoDaddy Empower Grant
GoDaddy
A year-long entrepreneurship program with grant, coaching, and tools.
- Deadline
- Annual cohort applications
- Eligibility
- Entrepreneurs from under-resourced communities, US-based for-profit businesses.
National (private)Skip Small Business Grant
Skip (formerly StreetShares Foundation)
Aggregator + funder of multiple small business grants including military-veteran focused programs.
- Deadline
- Rolling — monthly winners
- Eligibility
- US for-profit small businesses; Skip membership required for some programs.
National (private)Lendio Small Business Grant
Lendio
Quarterly cash grant with light application requirements aimed at growing main-street businesses.
- Deadline
- Quarterly
- Eligibility
- US for-profit small businesses, all industries.
FederalUSDA Rural Business Development Grant (RBDG)
USDA Rural Development
Indirect grant — apply through a partner public/nonprofit entity to fund equipment, training, or facility upgrades for a rural-serving for-profit.
- Deadline
- Annual NOFA (typically spring)
- Eligibility
- Public bodies, nonprofits, and federally-recognized tribes that pass through funding to small for-profit rural businesses. Project must benefit a small business in a rural community (population under 50,000).
FederalSBIR / STTR (America's Seed Fund)
11 federal agencies (USDA, NSF, DOE, etc.)
Non-dilutive federal R&D funding. USDA SBIR routinely funds food-tech, processing innovation, and shelf-life/packaging research.
- Deadline
- Multiple solicitations per year
- Eligibility
- US for-profit small businesses (<500 employees) performing R&D with commercialization potential.
TexasTexas Enterprise Fund (TEF)
Office of the Texas Governor
Texas's primary deal-closing fund. Realistically fits a multi-trailer commissary or HQ expansion that creates 25+ full-time Texas jobs.
- Deadline
- Rolling — by project
- Eligibility
- Texas projects creating significant new jobs and capital investment, with a competing out-of-state offer.
TexasTexas Product Development & Small Business Incubator Fund
Texas Economic Development Bank
Technically a low-interest financing program (often grouped with grants) for Texas product commercialization — applicable to packaged retail-ready WOW SKUs.
- Deadline
- Rolling
- Eligibility
- Texas-based small businesses commercializing new or improved products, or operating in approved incubators.
TexasTexas Community Small Business Grant (BiG Austin / LiftFund partners)
BiG Austin, LiftFund and Texas CDFI partners
Cycle of micro-grants and grant-loan blends from Texas Community Development Financial Institutions.
- Deadline
- Rolling, by partner
- Eligibility
- Texas for-profit small businesses, often with low-to-moderate income owner or in underserved area.
National (private)IFundWomen Universal Grant Application
IFundWomen + brand partners (Caress, American Express, etc.)
Single application matches you to multiple active grants sponsored by corporate partners.
- Deadline
- Rolling
- Eligibility
- Women-owned US for-profit small businesses.
National (private)Galaxy Grants (HiddenStartup)
HiddenStartup
Quarterly drawing-style grant with one of the highest win-rate-per-effort ratios on this list.
- Deadline
- Quarterly drawings
- Eligibility
- US for-profit small businesses; light application.
