WomensNet founded the “Amber Grant” in 1998. The grant was set up with one goal in mind: to honor the memory of a very special young woman, Amber Wigdahl, who died at just 19 years old — before realizing her business dreams.
WomensNet founded the “Amber Grant” in 1998. The grant was set up with one goal in mind: to honor the memory of a very special young woman, Amber Wigdahl, who died at just 19 years old — before realizing her business dreams.
Eligible Grants
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Monthly Amber Grant
$10,000 winner each month
Each month, judges review all applications and select 5 finalists. One of those finalists will be the monthly $10,000 Amber Grant grant winner. The other 4 finalists will each receive $1,000. The $10,000 Amber Grant winner each month qualifies for the year-end grant of $25,000.
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Annual Amber Grant
Two winners per year
The program will award two separate $25,000 women-owned business grants at the end of each year. The first $25,000 grant goes to one of the previous $10,000 monthly Amber Grant winners. The other $25,000 grant goes to one of the previous $10,000 monthly Business Category Grant winners.
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The Startup Grant
$10,000 winner every quarter
Are you in the “idea phase” of your business? This program might be for you. The program defines a “startup” as a business in the “idea phase,” or one that has only had minimal sales (less than $10,000). Even though startups are eligible for monthly Amber Grants, the program created an additional grant especially for this underserved sector. A $10,000 grant is awarded once per quarter. -
The Non-Profit Grant
$10,000 winner each quarter
Every quarter, a non-profit business or organization is awarded $10,000. Around 75% of the workforce for non-profit businesses are women. If you’re driven to use your non-profit to provide a good or service to benefit your community, this grant may be for you.
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The Marketing Grant
One winner per year
Once a year, “hands-on” marketing help is provided to a selected women-owned business. It includes strategic sessions with:
- Members of an Advisory Board and other “friends of WomensNet,”
- Professional agency support in developing and executing a marketing plan.
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Business Category Grants
$10,000 winner each month
Every woman entrepreneur who fills out an application is eligible for the $10,000 Amber Grant (for the month in which the application is submitted). An additional $10,000 Business Category grant winner is awarded every month as well. See the program website for eligible business categories.
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Who Can Apply
- Businesses should be at least 50% women-owned for consideration.
- The business must be based in either the U.S. or Canada.
- The applicant must be a minimum of 18 years old.
How applicants are evaluated
It’s a simple, straightforward process. The WomensNet Team reviews/evaluates grant applications daily and selects 5 monthly finalists. They discuss each finalist and vote to determine a winner. Finalists are announce by the 15th of the month to follow, and the winner is announced by the 23rd.
Businesses selected for a monthly Amber Grant are automatically eligible for the year-end Amber Grant ($25,000).
Funding Deadline
The monthly deadline for submission is 11:59 pm Eastern Time on the last day of each month. Applications submitted after that will be eligible for the following month’s grant.
If you have any concerns about the application fee, please email info@ambergrantsforwomen.com
