$15,000 To get your business out of the spare bedroom. One Virginia county will match that move dollar for dollar, and the window closes Monday, November 30.
Here's a hypothetical. Thistlewick Candle Co. (a made-up shop) has poured candles at home for two years. Wax in the hallway, steady orders, no room left. A storefront match like this one is built for exactly that owner. The catch: you pay first, and you sign the lease only after approval.
Three more below. A Denver suburb reimburses up to $15,000 for a new storefront until Friday, October 30 at 5 p.m. Students anywhere can pitch for $5,000 in cash, free to enter, through Saturday, November 14. And USDA covers up to 75% of organic certification costs through December 31.
Grants are competitive. We opened every official page today. If a detail doesn't match when you click, trust the page. Soonest deadline first.
1. South Thornton Attraction & Revitalization (STAR) Grant (Thornton, Colorado)
- Amount: up to $15,000, paid as a reimbursement. Up to $10,000 at first, plus up to $5,000 more with a 50/50 match on projects over $10,000. Subleased spaces cap at $5,000.
- Who qualifies: a new or expanding for-profit business moving into an existing building in the South Thornton Development Area (south of 104th Avenue). Nonprofits, cannabis, pawn shops, liquor stores and other listed types are out.
- The catch: the city pays back 60% of costs with a Thornton contractor or vendor, 50% otherwise. Anything paid in cash is not reimbursed. You need an approved business or strategic plan and a statement of merit. First-come, first-served.
- Deadline: October 30, 2026 at 5:00 p.m.
- Official link: https://businessinthornton.com/local-business/small-business-support-programs/attraction-revitalization-grant/
2. AwardX International 26 (student founders, worldwide)
- Amount: one $5,000 cash prize, plus a full LaunchX Online Flagship Program scholarship. Top 10 finalists get a $3,000 program scholarship (not cash).
- Who qualifies: high school and university-aged students worldwide, solo or in a team, any industry. An idea, a prototype or a running startup all count.
- The catch: only one cash winner. It is 100% free to apply.
- Deadline: November 14, 2026.
- Official link: https://www.awardx.com/competitions/26-international
3. Small Business Assistance Grants (Mecklenburg County, Virginia)
- Amount: 1:1 matches, paid as up to 50% reimbursement. Home-Based Business Transition: up to $15,000. E-Commerce: up to $10,000. Business Growth: up to $50,000.
- Who qualifies: small, locally owned for-profits in Mecklenburg County, Virginia (not North Carolina), operating at least a year. Business Growth also needs 5 to 50 employees.
- The catch: nothing starts before approval, including a new lease. Home-based applicants must lease or buy commercial space in the county within two months of signing. E-commerce needs two quotes and real online selling, not a cosmetic redesign.
- Deadline: November 30, 2026.
- Official link: https://investinmeckva.com/small-business-assistance-grants/
4. Organic Certification Cost Share Program (USDA, nationwide)
- Amount: up to 75% of organic certification costs, capped at $750 per scope (crops, wild crops, livestock, processing/handling, state program fees).
- Who qualifies: certified organic producers and handlers who paid a USDA-accredited certifier. A small food maker certified for handling counts, not just farms.
- The catch: apply at your local FSA county office with your certificate and itemized costs. First-come, first-served until funds run out.
- Deadline: December 31, 2026, for both the 2025 and 2026 program years.
- Official link: https://www.fsa.usda.gov/resources/income-support/organic-certification-cost-share-program-occsp
Before you apply
A real grant never asks for a processing fee, a gift card, or your bank login to release the money. None of the four lists an application fee on its official page. If someone calls about a grant you never applied for, hang up.
If #1 fits, start the business plan this week. Two weeks goes fast.
We can help you find grants and apply: https://mcafax.com/notebook/where-to-get-business-funding
Verified on each official page: October 16, 2026.