Listen, February is already a short month—28 days if you’re lucky, 29 if you’re living your leap year best life. And March? It flies by even faster when you’re drowning in quarterly deadlines. The last thing you need is to miss out on free money because you were too busy pretending you have your life together.
So consider this your friendly nudge (okay, aggressive shove) to get those small business grant applications in before these months disappear faster than your New Year’s resolutions. Here are 10 small business grants with February and March 2026 deadlines that could give your company the financial boost it desperately needs.
1. Zoom Solopreneur 50
Deadline: February 13, 2026 at 5:00 PM ET
Award Amount: $150,000 prize pool (top 5 honorees receive grants)
Who It’s For: Independent entrepreneurs with no full-time employees
Apply: zoom.com/solo50
If you’re a solo operator shaping the future of work, this recognition program could change your game. Whether you’re in tech, creative services, wellness, education, media, or social impact, the Zoom Solopreneur 50 offers national visibility, access to a curated peer and mentor network, and business resources. The top five honorees split a $150,000 grant pool. Contractors and partners are fine—just no full-time employees.
Why apply: Recognition, networking, and cold hard cash for the modern solopreneur.
2. Intuit QuickBooks x Mailchimp Small Business Hero Program
Deadline: February 14, 2026
Award Amount: $20,000
Who It’s For: U.S. small businesses demonstrating courage, perseverance, and integrity
Apply: quickbooks.intuit.com/offers/small-business-hero-program
Finally, a Valentine’s Day deadline that won’t make you cry. Three businesses win each quarter, and nominations are open to anyone—so yes, you can nominate yourself (we encourage the confidence). Winners get $20,000 in funding plus resources to help scale their business. It’s basically a love letter to small business owners who refuse to give up, even when their bank account says otherwise.
Why apply: Because $20,000 and validation are better than overpriced chocolate.
3. M&F Bank Empowering Growth Grant
Deadline: February 22, 2026
Award Amount: Varies
Who It’s For: Small businesses in Wake or Durham County, North Carolina
Apply: mfbonline.com/small-business-grant
If you’re a small business operating in North Carolina’s Research Triangle with fewer than 25 employees and less than $750,000 in revenue, this grant is calling your name. You need to be an M&F Bank customer in good standing, have been in business for 10 years or less, and you can’t have won before (one and done, people). Past winners range from counseling services to urban forestry companies, so don’t self-reject.
Why apply: Because local businesses make communities thrive, and local banks want to help.
4. Faire Small Business Grant
Deadline: March 31, 2026 (quarterly, apply in February or March)
Award Amount: $5,000 in Faire.com credit
Who It’s For: New independent retail store owners in the U.S. or Canada
Apply: faire.com/small-business-grant
New to retail? This grant gives you $5,000 in wholesale inventory credit on Faire.com to stock your shelves without the upfront cost nightmare. Your store must have opened within the last year or be planning to open this year. You’ll need to provide business details and a short video about your vision. Credit must be used within six months, so make sure you’re ready to actually open that boutique you’ve been dreaming about.
Why apply: Free inventory is basically free money when you’re starting out.
5. UPS Store Small Biz Challenge
Deadline: February 22, 2026
Award Amount: Share of $35,000 prize pool
Who It’s For: Entrepreneurs with growth potential
Apply: inc.com/theupsstore/small-biz-challenge
Think “Shark Tank” but with more mentoring and less dramatic music. This multi-phase competition starts with an application, moves to mentorship for nine semifinalists, and ends with a public vote and in-person pitch in Nashville. The grand prize winner gets cash and a feature in Inc. magazine. Fair warning: this isn’t a quick process, but if you love a good entrepreneurial challenge and aren’t afraid of public pitching, this is your jam.
Why apply: National recognition, serious mentorship, and bragging rights.
6. Queens Startup Org Grant Program
Deadline: February 28, 2026
Award Amount: $5,000 plus program benefits
Who It’s For: Early-stage entrepreneurs in Queens, New York
Apply: queensstartup.org/grant
Presented by Queens Borough President Donovan Richards and Queens Economic Development Corporation, this multi-week program is specifically designed for early-stage entrepreneurs looking to grow their businesses. You’ll get high-level entrepreneurial classes, one-on-one office hours with QEDC mentors and advisors, networking events with successful startup founders, and cash prizes. The program combines education with funding, making it perfect for entrepreneurs who need both money and mentorship.
Why apply: Because $5,000 plus expert guidance is better than $10,000 alone.
7. eBay Circular Fashion Fund
Deadline: March 2, 2026
Award Amount: Varies
Who It’s For: Fashion businesses focused on circular economy solutions
Apply: ebay.com/circular-fashion-fund
If your business champions circular fashion ideas and pushes sustainable fashion forward, eBay wants to hear from you. Eligible businesses are six months to six years old and based in the US, EU, UK, Australia, Canada, or Switzerland. They’re looking for ideas that solve real problems in fashion sustainability, support circular fashion principles, and align with eBay’s commitment to reducing fashion waste. Your business should demonstrate a strong drive to make a positive impact for people and the planet.
Why apply: Because sustainable fashion is the future, and this grant helps you lead the way.
8. Shophand Small Business Boost Grant
Deadline: March 8, 2026
Award Amount: $5,000
Who It’s For: Small business owners facing tech or operational challenges
Apply: shophand.com/boost-grant
Running a small business is a full-time juggling act—operations, marketing, systems, customers, finances, content, and somehow remembering to eat lunch. Technology should make that easier, but most small business owners don’t have the time (or desire!) to learn it all. The Shophand Small Business Boost Grant is awarded three times a year to help small business owners overcome their biggest tech or operational challenge. If you’re drowning in manual processes or struggling with systems that don’t talk to each other, this grant could be your lifeline.
Why apply: Because technology problems are expensive, and $5,000 can solve a lot of them.
9. Verizon Small Business Digital Ready Grant
Deadline: March 31, 2026 at 11:59 PM PT
Award Amount: $5,000 (NY, CA, WV); $10,000 (select locations)
Who It’s For: Small businesses that complete Digital Ready course requirements
Apply: verizon.com/business/small-business-digital-ready
Verizon has partnered with LISC to provide grants to eligible small businesses—but there’s a catch (sort of). To unlock the application, you must create a free account on Verizon Small Business Digital Ready and complete one eligible course, virtual event, or in-person event between January 1 and March 31, 2026. It’s basically free money for doing free training that will actually help your business. The application is straightforward—no grant writer needed—and should take no more than 30 minutes once you’ve completed the course requirement.
Why apply: Because free training plus $5,000-$10,000 is an excellent return on investment.
10. FedEx Small Business Grant Contest
Deadline: February 16 – March 9, 2026
Award Amount: $50,000 grand prize; 10 runners-up receive $30,000 each
Who It’s For: U.S. small businesses with 1-99 employees and a FedEx shipping account
Apply: fedex.com/grantcontest
This is the big one. FedEx awards over $350,000 annually to small businesses through this contest, with the grand prize winner taking home $50,000 cash plus $7,500 in FedEx Office services and a professional SEO website audit. Ten additional winners receive $30,000 each plus $1,000 in FedEx Office credit. The catch? You must have an active FedEx shipping account that’s been open for at least six months. Applications are judged on your business story, how well your brand aligns with FedEx values, your website quality, and social media presence. You’ll write a compelling business profile and can optionally submit a two-minute elevator pitch video.
Why apply: Because $50,000 can transform a small business, and even the runners-up walk away with serious funding.
Why Small Business Grants Beat Loans Every Time
Let’s be clear: small business grants are free money. You don’t have to pay them back. There’s no interest. No monthly payments. No bank breathing down your neck. For small businesses just starting out or trying to scale, grants can be the difference between survival and shutdown.
Unlike small business loans, grants don’t require collateral or perfect credit. They don’t add debt to your balance sheet. And they often come with additional support like mentorship, networking opportunities, and publicity. Some of the businesses in this article got featured in major publications just for winning—that’s free marketing you can’t buy.
The downside? Competition is fierce. Acceptance rates for popular small business grants can be under 5%. But that’s exactly why you need to apply to multiple programs. Play the numbers game. Cast a wide net. Someone has to win these grants—it might as well be you.
February and March 2026: Your Small Business Grant Action Plan
Here’s what you’re going to do right now (yes, right now):
This week: Choose 3-5 grants from this list that fit your business. Read the full guidelines on their websites. Note exactly what documentation you’ll need.
Next week: Draft your core application materials—business description, mission statement, founder bio, financial overview. These can be reused across multiple applications with minor tweaks.
Week 3: Customize applications for each specific grant. Tailor your answers to their priorities. If they care about community impact, emphasize that. If they want innovation, highlight your unique approach.
Week 4: Submit everything before deadlines. Set reminders for 2-3 days before each deadline. Don’t wait until the last minute—websites crash, files corrupt, and Murphy’s Law is very real when money is involved.
Final Thoughts: Stop Reading, Start Applying
February and March might seem short, but they’re packed with funding opportunities for small businesses willing to put in the work. Whether you’re launching a new venture, scaling an existing business, or just trying to keep the lights on while you build something meaningful, there’s money out there waiting for someone who cares enough to apply.
The small business owners who win these grants aren’t necessarily smarter or more talented than you. They’re just more persistent. They apply. They follow up. They try again after rejection. They treat grant applications like a part-time job because that’s what it takes.
So close TikTok, silence your group chats, and get those applications in. Future you (the one with the funded business and growing bank account) will thank you.
Now go get that grant money. Your small business depends on it.
*For more information find our database with over 300+ Grants here
