Five small business grants are open right now, from $1,000 to $305,000, and all five are free to apply. The first one closes October 15, so start at the top.
Verified on the official pages: October 8, 2026.
Most "grant lists" online are padded with programs that closed months ago, or with ads dressed up as grants. Every grant below is open today, has a deadline we confirmed on the official page, and charges no application fee. Grants are competitive and some pick only a handful of winners, so apply to more than one, and keep a loan or other plan going at the same time.
Looking for one matched to your situation? Our Grant Finder posts new ones every day, and our Grant of the Week list of realistic grants tracks which well-known programs are still open.
Kenneth B. and Stephen L. Tadlock Veteran Business Grant
- Amount: A $1,000 micro-grant for each of 25 finalists, plus free access to one of Founders First CDC's business programs.
- Deadline: Closes October 15, 2026.
- Who qualifies: A U.S. military veteran or military spouse who is the CEO, president or owner of an active U.S. business with revenue of $5 million or less, 2 to 100 employees and at least one year in business.
- Cost to apply: Free.
- Official page: Founders First CDC: Tadlock Veteran Business Grant
Galaxy Grant
- Amount: $2,500.
- Deadline: October 31, 2026. Winners are announced the following week.
- Who qualifies: Women and minority business owners. It's run by Hidden Star, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
- Cost to apply: Free, and the application takes about 30 seconds.
- Official page: Galaxy of Stars: Galaxy Grant
NSF SBIR/STTR Phase I
- Amount: Up to $305,000, and the NSF takes no equity in your company.
- Deadline: November 4, 2026, 5 p.m. your local time (solicitation NSF 26-510).
- Who qualifies: U.S. small businesses building new, high-risk technology with real commercial potential. This isn't for a typical shop or service business. Read the solicitation for the full eligibility rules.
- Before the deadline: You need an official invitation first. You send NSF a short Project Pitch, and you can submit a full Phase I proposal only after NSF emails you an invitation. If you haven't pitched yet, plan for a later deadline. The next one is March 4, 2027.
- Cost to apply: Free.
- Official page: NSF: SBIR/STTR Phase I, Phase II and Fast-Track
Shophand Small Business Boost Grant
- Amount: $5,000 total: $2,500 in cash plus $2,500 in Shophand services.
- Deadline: Round 2 closes November 30, 2026. The winner is announced December 15, 2026.
- Who qualifies: U.S. for-profit businesses that are actively operating, with fewer than 50 employees and under $5 million in revenue. You must follow Shophand on social media.
- Cost to apply: Free. One catch: the official page says preference goes to applicants who have used a paid Shophand service. That isn't required, but it's worth knowing before you count on this one.
- Official page: Shophand: Small Business Boost Grant
Verizon Small Business Digital Ready Grant
- Amount: $10,000. Verizon picks 10 businesses a month through December 2026, working with the nonprofit LISC.
- Deadline: You must finish 2 free courses or events on Verizon Digital Ready by December 7, 2026, to unlock the application. Final decisions are made by January 12, 2027.
- Who qualifies: For-profit businesses in the U.S., Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands, with an owner who is 18 or older.
- Cost to apply: Free.
- Official page: Verizon Small Business Digital Ready: grant details
Before you apply
- Read the official rules, not a summary. Ours included. Rules and dates change, and the official page is what counts.
- Have the basics ready. Most applications ask for your business name, start date, revenue range, number of employees and a short story about what the money would do.
- Write a specific answer. "Buy a second oven to fill weekend catering orders" beats "grow my business."
- Watch your inbox and spam folder. Some programs contact winners by email and give a short window to respond.
How to spot a fake grant
A real grant never charges you to receive it. If someone calls or messages to say you've "qualified" for a grant, and then asks for a processing fee, your bank login or a gift card, it's a scam. The FTC says the government won't call, text, email or message you on social media to offer a grant. (FTC: government grant scams) Read how grant fee scams work and report it at ReportFraud.FTC.gov.
Federal grants are listed for free on Grants.gov, and most go to nonprofits, schools and governments rather than to for-profit small businesses. SBA says it doesn't provide grants for starting or expanding a business. Its limited grants go to areas like scientific research and exporting. (SBA: Grants)
Next step if a grant isn't enough
Grants are a bonus, not a plan. If you need money on a deadline, see Where to get funding for your small business, our SBA 7(a) Playbook and our Lender Reviews. If you'd like help lining up funding alongside your grant applications, apply at MCAFax.
The official link for each grant is listed with that grant above and in the sources below. We include them so you can confirm the rules yourself. MCAFax has no affiliation with any of these programs.
Last updated: October 8, 2026. Rules and agency pages in this area change. If something here is out of date, tell us at info@mcafax.com and we will fix it. MCAFax is not a law firm or a lender, and this is not legal or financial advice.
Sources:
- Founders First CDC: Tadlock Veteran Business Grant (official page)
- Galaxy of Stars: Galaxy Grant (official page)
- NSF: SBIR/STTR program page (official page)
- NSF: Solicitation NSF 26-510 (Project Pitch invitation, award size)
- Shophand: Small Business Boost Grant (official page)
- Verizon Small Business Digital Ready: grant details (official page)
- Grants.gov: Grant eligibility (who federal grants go to)
- SBA: Grants
- FTC: Government grant scams
- FTC: Report fraud