Where is the funding? Weekly List of Funding Opportunities for Startups

Sign up for TANTV to receive weekly funding opportunities directly in your email. Finding funding opportunities for startup founders, entrepreneurs, and businesses involves a lot of research and networking. Here are some funding resources and opportunities, specifically for Black founders, within the sectors you mentioned – Retail, AI, SaaS, Non-Profits, Web3, and others:

Updated Sept 20th

Updated: July 20th
Famous Amos’ Ingredients for Success Entrepreneurs Initiative
For: Black startup founder
$$$: $50K
Deadline: August 4

Zappy Awards by Zappier
For: founders who currently use Zappier
$$$: $5K
Deadline: August 4

Vision Verde Grant by the Hispanic Heritage Foundation & Bacardi USA
For: Latine founders in the beverage/alcohol services/sales/hospitality industries
$$$: $10K
Deadline: August 25

Queer to Stay
For: LGBTQ+ small businesses
$$$: $10K
Deadline: August 31

LegalZoom small business grants
For: both established and budding business ventures
$$$: $10K grants and/or up to $500 in LegalZoom products and services
Deadline: September 13

Galaxy of Stars Galaxy Grants
For: women and historically marginalized-owned small businesses
$$$: $4,250 grants
Deadline: September 30

️ Accelerators, Programs & Competitions
DigitalUndivided Do You Fellowship
For: women founders
Deadline: July 28

Fearless Moguls Pitch Competition by Fearless Fund
For: any founder
Deadline: July 31

EforAll Business Accelerator Program
For: any founder
Deadline: August 7

Nipsey Hussle Business Grant Competition
For: any founder
$$$: $100K
Deadline: August 10

The Engine Fall 2024 Blueprint
For: aspiring entrepreneurial scientists and engineers
Deadline: August 12

Startup: NYC
For: seed to Series A health or wellness-tech founders in NYC
Deadline: August 14

Shorty Impact Awards
For: any founder
Deadline: August 29

• Cohort VI applications are open for ACT House Accelerator. ACT House’s 6-month accelerator program aims to bolster Black and Latino entrepreneurs and create innovative ecosystems. Learn more and apply here by March 20th.
• Applications are open for SOMOS Ventures’ Spring 2024 Fellowship program, which is designed to help equip Latino/a candidates with the tools and community that they need to break into the venture capital industry. Learn more and apply here by March 20th.
• The Latinas in Tech Startup Competition is aimed at discovering, supporting, and amplifying tech startups with at least one Latina co-founder. Learn more and apply here by March 22nd.
• Apply to NETI’s Climate Tech Bootcamp Cohort 2.0, a pre-accelerator program for climate tech and new energy entrepreneurs from around the world that have an interest in building in or expanding to South Louisiana. Learn more and apply here by March 22nd.
• Innovators developing novel technologies applicable to offshore wind are encouraged to apply by March 25th to the 2024 cohort of the Offshore Wind Innovation Hub Accelerator and be part of New York’s emerging industry. Learn more and apply here.
• Applications are open for the AnitaB.org Advancing Inclusion Scholarship, which provides access to career & academic workshops, networking opportunities, & role models. Learn more and apply by March 25th. 
• Applications are open for MasterCard’s Start Path In Solidarity program, which provides early-stage startups with resources to help grow their business and close the racial wealth and opportunity gap. Learn more and apply here by March 25th.
• ORS Hair Care & ORS Cares is looking to grant 10 female founders with funding to help support their business. Learn more and apply here by March 29th.
• Applications are open for the Crypto Startup Accelerator (CSX), a 10-week accelerator run by a16z crypto, designed for web3 startups. Learn more and apply here by March 29th.
• Applications are open for Samsung Mobile Advance 2024, for those developing unique mobile experiences, cutting-edge tech, or advanced solos to augment healthy lifestyles. Learn more and apply by March 29th. 
• Applications are currently open for Galaxy of Stars’ Galaxy Grant for Women and BIPOC founders. Learn more and apply here by March 31st.
• Forum Ventures, in partnership with Canva Developer Fund, is hosting a virtual pitch showcase focused on Women+ founders for the chance to win $100K investment and acceptance into our best-in-class Accelerator Program. Learn more and apply here by April 10th.
• Applications are open for YCombinator’s Summer 2024 Accelerator program. Learn more and apply here by April 22nd.
• Applications are open for Giving Joy grants, which are one-time micro-grants designed to help women establish or improve their businesses and initiatives. Learn more and apply here by April 30th.
• The Urban Future Lab’s Urban Future Prize Competition is back with support from MUFG Bank, The New York Community Trust, and the NYU Tandon School of Engineering. Climatetech startups can apply for a chance to win $50k and admittance into the ACRE Incubator. Learn more and apply here by May 1st.
• Applications for the 2024 Black Ambition Prize Competition are now open! The Black Ambition Prize competition provides a platform for Black and Hispanic founders across the nation to access growth capital, coaching, and a curated community of innovators/mentors. Learn more and apply here by May 3rd.

FEB

• Applications are open for the NorthWestern Mutual Black Founder Accelerator, which invests in companies led by Black founders. Learn more and apply here by February 25th.
• Camelback Ventures is accepting applications for its 2024 Camelback Fellowship! If you’re a BIPOC, woman, and/or non-binary founder in the education or tech sectors looking to take your venture to the next level, learn more and apply here by February 26th.
• Come join our friends at Forum Ventures as they crown the next winner of Forum’s $100K Pitch Competition! Watch the presentations, gain invaluable insight into creating a winning pitch, and meet with investors and fellow founders. Learn more and register here to attend on February 28th.
• Applications are open for Transit Tech Lab, an accelerated pathway for early to growth-stage startups to solve public transportation challenges for the largest transit agencies in the US. Learn more and apply here by February 28th. 
• Applications are open for the Black History Makers Grant from Citi Trends, which advances and supports Black founders. Learn more and apply here by February 28th.
• Applications are open for the February Amber Grant, Health & Fitness, which supports women-owned health and fitness businesses or organizations. Learn more and apply here by February 29th.
• Applications are open for The Black Girl Ventures & TikTok: Innovate Together Grant, which provides financial support for businesses to work with creators and craft captivating content resonating with target audiences. Learn more and apply here by February 29th.
• Applications to join Square One Startup School‘s 8th Cohort this Spring are officially open! The 10-week virtual pre-accelerator program helps first-time tech founders accelerate their startup journey by prepping them to build their first product, land their first customer, and/or secure their first investment. Learn more and apply here by March 1st.
• Applications are open for Venture For ClimateTech, which accelerates innovations likely to have substantial climate impact, & have potential for adoption. Learn more and apply here by March 1st.
• UnshackledVC has launched its second cohort of Residency, which supports solo immigrant founders with a $150K investment, immigration support, and a supportive community. Learn more and apply here by March 1st.
• Applications are open for PLACE (Pava LaPere Award for Cultivating Ecosystems) Builders, an intensive, 3-month fellowship program empowering change-makers to catalyze more equitable entrepreneurial ecosystems. The fellowship is inspired by the legacy of Pava LaPere, the late Co-Founder of EcoMap Technologies as a tribute to her legacy of fighting for equal access to opportunity. Learn more and apply here by March 3rd.
• Applications are open for the Small Business, Big Wins Grant from Barclays. Learn more and apply here by March 4th.
• The CTIA Wireless Foundation is searching for emerging social entrepreneurs using mobile-first wireless technologies to enhance American communities, and this year, up to six applicants will receive unrestricted grants, with a first-place award of $100K. Learn more and apply here by March 5th.
• aKrewe NOLA is hosting The Business Exchange on March 14th, an inclusive networking series for professionals, entrepreneurs, and creatives. Learn more and RSVP here.
• Applications are open for Morgan Stanley’s Inclusive Ventures Lab, an accelerator promoting financial inclusion while providing access to capital for early-stage tech & tech-enabled companies. Learn more and apply here by March 15th.
• Applications are open for the W.E. Build Accelerator by Build in Tulsa, which empowers innovative companies led by diverse women to create and launch scalable ventures in Tulsa. Learn more and apply here by March 16th.
• Innovators developing novel technologies applicable to offshore wind are encouraged to apply by March 25th to the 2024 cohort of the Offshore Wind Innovation Hub Accelerator and be part of New York’s emerging industry. Learn more and apply here.
• Applications are currently open for Galaxy of Stars’ Galaxy Grant for Women and BIPOC founders. Learn more and apply here by March 31st.
• Applications are open for YCombinator’s Summer 2024 Accelerator program. Learn more and apply here by April 22nd.
• Applications are open for Giving Joy grants, which are one-time micro-grants designed to help women establish or improve their businesses and initiatives. Learn more and apply here by April 30th.

ACCELERATOR PROGRAMS 2023:
NEW!The Workshop at Macy’sDeadline: November 30, 2023. APPLY HERE. 
Women Who Enterprise Presented by Walker’s LegacyDeadline: Rolling. APPLY HERE.

FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMS:
NEW! Ford Fund FellowshipDeadline: January 15, 2024. APPLY HERE.

NATIONAL GRANT PROGRAMS:
NEW! Aurora Tech Award $10k-$30k GrantDeadline: December 1, 2023. APPLY HERE.
NEW!Stacy’s Rise Project $25K GrantDeadline: December 1, 2023. APPLY HERE.
NEW! Passion Collective Atomic Grants Deadline: December 15, 2023. APPLY HERE.
NEW! Restaurant Disaster Relief Fund (Fall Round – 2023)Deadline: December 29, 2023.APPLY HERE.
The American Dream AwardsDeadline: April 30, 2024  APPLY HERE.
Melanin Preneurs™ Black-Owned Business Program Deadline: Rolling. APPLY HERE.
Movemeant’s BIPOC Fitness Grant ProgramDeadline: Rolling.APPLY HERE.
SoGal Foundation Black Founder Startup GrantDeadline: Rolling. APPLY HERE.
2023 Stephen L. Tadlock Veteran GrantDeadline: Not Listed. APPLY HERE.
2023 Kitty Fund GrantDeadline: Not Listed. APPLY HERE.
Wish Local Empowerment Program Deadline: Rolling.APPLY HERE.
Z Fellows $10,000, Fellowship Deadline: Rolling. APPLY HERE

Funding Opportunities: Updated Nov 17th, 2023

#BioScience- CancerX Startup Accelerator
#BrokerTech – BrokerTech Ventures Accelerator 
#AfricaHealthTech – HealthTech Innovation 
#AI – AI2030 Accelerator 2024

Oct 21st

#Creative – Banijay Accelerator Program For Women 
#Tech – Growth Academy: AI for Cybersecurity
#NewYork – $10k Founder Fellowship – VisibleHandsNYC
#Women – $50k Commonfuture 

Oct 6

#NewYork – $10k Founder Fellowship – VisibleHandsNYC
#Tech – $2M America’s Seed Fund National Science Foundation 
|#NonProfit – 20K Patagonia Corporate Grant Program
#Women – $10K Black Girl Venture
#US – $150k Lair East Labs accelerator
#Startup – Harlem Capital’s Founder Launchpad!
#Women – Women Entrepreneurs – Amex Ventures
#Tech Non-Profit –  25K Fast Forward 2024 Accelerators

Aug 30

#Startup – Harlem Capital’s Founder Launchpad!
#US –  Founders Investment Readiness Accelerator
#Tech – The gener8tor Accelerator
#B2B SAAS –  Live Pitch Competition: BIPOC Founders
#Pennsylvania – Nonprofit Security Grant Fund Program
#Africa – MEST Africa Challenge 
#Startup – Aws Build Accelerator
#Texas –  Austin’s Heritage Preservation Grant
#Tech – The gener8tor Accelerator
#Beauty –  2023 Startup Collective by Aveeno
#Web3 – Black Girl Ventures NextGen program! 
#Communities – AARP’s nationwide Livable Communities initiative 
#Texas – PEC Community Grants
#AI – Google for Startup AI First
#Game – A16z Games Speedrun accelerator 
#AI – 2024 Accounting Startup Accelerator
#Green/Energy – US-EPA Clean Energy Grant Programs
#Web3 – Energizing innovative Web3 products
#European Union – EIC Accelerator
#Impact Focused – Yale Ventures Accelerator Applications Open
#AI – Google for Startup AI First
#SaaS – Investing in Bold, Ambitious SaaS Founders
# Non-Profit – Oakland A’s Community Fund Grant
#Green/Energy – Biden-Harris Admin Launches $20 Billion Grant Competitions
#Web3 – Outlier Ventures – Base Camp consumer Accelerator
#Startup – Square One Startup School
#Impact Focused – Western Union Foundation Fellowship Application

Some organizations funding startups:

1. Backstage Capital: Backstage Capital specifically invests in companies led by underrepresented founders, including women, people of color, and LGBTQ+ individuals.
2. Collab Capital: An investment fund that provides Black founders with both capital and connections, as well as access to an engaged and supportive network.
3. Harlem Capital: A venture capital firm on a mission to change the face of entrepreneurship by investing in 1,000 diverse founders over the next 20 years.
4. Black Angel Tech Fund: This fund was created by a group of successful Black entrepreneurs and angel investors who are working to address the low percentage of Black-led companies funded by the tech industry.
5. New Voices Fund: Invests in businesses owned or managed by women of color.
6. Black Founders Fund: Created by Google for Startups, this fund provides non-dilutive funding to Black-led startups and supports them with Google resources.
7. Black Founders Exchange: A week-long immersion program hosted by Google for Startups that brings together Black startup founders from across the country.
8. Kapor Capital: An impact investment fund that invests in diverse entrepreneurs whose tech startups aim to eliminate representation gaps and expand socio-economic opportunities for underserved communities.

For Web3 (Blockchain & Cryptocurrency) specific opportunities:

1. Ethereum Foundation Grants: The Ethereum Foundation offers grants for projects that contribute to the Ethereum ecosystem.
2. Consensys Grants: Consensys, a blockchain tech company, provides funding to projects that meet their criteria, which usually involves contributing to the Ethereum ecosystem.
3. Binance Labs: The venture arm of the major cryptocurrency exchange Binance. They offer an incubation program and direct funding for startups in the blockchain and cryptocurrency spaces.

For Non-Profit specific opportunities:

1. Echoing Green: Echoing Green provides fellowships, seed-stage funding, and strategic support for emerging leaders working to bring about positive social change.
2. Black Benefactors: This giving circle is dedicated to enhancing the well-being of Black children, youth, and families by investing in community-based organizations and initiatives.
3. Black Girl Ventures: Although not exclusively non-profit, BGV provides access to community and capital to Black/Brown woman-identifying founders.

Remember, each investor and organization has their own specific criteria and application process, so be sure to thoroughly read their guidelines before applying. Also, networking plays a key role in securing funding. Attend industry events, reach out to potential investors directly, and don’t be afraid to ask for introductions.

Finally, non-traditional routes like crowdfunding and bootstrapping should not be overlooked. Sites like Kickstarter, Indiegogo, and GoFundMe, as well as self-funding, can also provide valuable capital during the early stages of a startup.