Three college students will each get $10,000 for a video they can shoot on a phone. No store, no revenue and no business plan required. The judges say follower counts and production quality aren't scored. It closes November 15.
The other three: up to $150,000 to repair a Chicago business property (and it's not a contest), $2,000 to $20,000 for UC Berkeley student teams, and a $10,000 Verizon grant you unlock with two free courses.
We opened every official page today; if a detail ever differs, trust the official page. Soonest deadline first.
1. Start for Reale Student Founder Search (college students in the U.S., Canada, UK and Australia)
Amount: $10,000 USD cash to each of three winners, plus a free Shopify Advanced plan for one year.
Who qualifies: Students 18 or older currently enrolled at an eligible college or university in the United States, Canada (excluding Quebec), the United Kingdom or Australia, entering with a school email. A first idea counts, and so does a store that has been selling for less than 12 months.
The catch: It's one 60-second video on your idea, the problem you solve and who it helps, and why you're the right person to build it. One entry per person, and you can't edit it after you submit. The official page doesn't list an entry fee.
Deadline: Sunday, November 15, 2026, at 11:59 PM Pacific. Winners are notified by December 6.
Official link: Shopify Start for Reale Student Founder Search
2. Small Business Improvement Fund (Chicago, Illinois)
Amount: Covers 30% to 90% of the cost of permanent building improvements and repairs, up to $150,000 for commercial properties and up to $250,000 for industrial properties. It's a reimbursement grant that doesn't have to be repaid.
Who qualifies: Tenants and owners of commercial and industrial properties in a TIF district where the fund is open. Commercial businesses can average up to $9 million in gross annual sales over the previous three years. Industrial businesses can have up to 200 full-time employees. Residential projects are not eligible.
The catch: Your address decides everything. The November window only covers the Lawrence/Broadway, Little Village East, Midwest, Pulaski Corridor and Stockyards SEQ districts.
Good news: The city says these grants are not awarded on a competitive basis. Applicants who meet the criteria and follow the rules get funded. A free webinar runs Wednesday, November 4, at 1 PM.
Deadline: Monday, November 30, 2026, at 5 PM. The December 1 to 30 window covers five other districts.
Official link: City of Chicago Small Business Improvement Fund
3. Big Ideas Contest (UC Berkeley student teams)
Amount: Prizes ranging from $2,000 to $20,000, announced in May.
Who qualifies: Projects initiated and led by currently matriculated UC Berkeley undergraduate or graduate students. The project must be early-stage (brand new, or formed within the last 2 years) with a clear social impact. Teammates from other universities are allowed, but the team lead must be a Berkeley student.
The catch: Round one is a 3-page pre-proposal PDF plus up to one page of team bios. Between 10 and 20 teams advance to an 8-page proposal and a short video in April 2027. Every team gets judges' feedback.
Deadline: Wednesday, December 2, 2026, at 1 PM Pacific. The contest marks this deadline as extended, so ignore older listings that say November 18.
Official link: Big Ideas Contest application
4. Verizon Small Business Digital Ready Grant (U.S. small businesses)
Amount: $10,000 grants, with Verizon and LISC picking 10 small businesses each month through December 2026. The grant doesn't need to be repaid.
Who qualifies: Owners, 18 or older, of for-profit small businesses based in the United States, Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands. Nonprofits are not eligible, and you can apply for one business only.
The catch: You unlock the application by finishing any two free courses or events on the Digital Ready platform. Selection starts with an anonymous drawing, and priority goes to businesses in low-to-moderate income communities.
Deadline: Rolling. Applications are reviewed monthly through December 2026, and your two courses or events must be done by December 7, 2026. Everyone hears back by January 12, 2027.
Official link: Verizon Small Business Digital Ready $10,000 grant
Before you apply: Real grants never charge a fee to release money you've won. If someone calls about a grant you never applied for and asks for a "processing fee" or your bank login, hang up and go to the official page yourself.
Know a college student with an idea sitting in their notes app, or a friend running a shop in Little Village or Pulaski? Send this to them today. For loans and other options beyond grants, see where to get business funding, and find every Grant Finder post in the grants hub.
Verified Nov 3, 2026 on each official page (2026-11-03).
