How long has the Amber Grant been awarded?
The Amber Grant was created in 1998 to empower women business owners. Today, we award over $30,000 each month to different grant winners — including two $10,000 Amber Grant recipients.
WomensNet and the Amber Grant have received national media exposure in outlets like Forbes, USA Today, Nasdaq.com, and Yahoo! for our work in helping women-owned businesses.
How do you select the Amber Grant winners and when is it announced?
It’s a simple, straightforward process. The WomensNet Team reviews/evaluates grant applications daily and selects 5 monthly finalists. We discuss each finalist and vote to determine a winner. We announce the finalists 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). While considering Voting results, updates from the monthly Amber Grant winners and other factors, we awarded the $25,000 in December 2021. You can view the 2020 announcement on this page.
What other grants do you award, and how do I apply?
WomensNet funds several women’s business grants throughout the year. To be considered for all these grants, you only need to apply ONCE for the Amber Grant. You’ll then be considered for all of the grants for which you’re eligible. You can see the list of all of our grants right here.
What are the eligibility requirements to apply for an Amber Grant?
Businesses should be at least 50% women-owned for consideration. The business must be based in either the U.S. or Canada. And the applicant must be a minimum of 18 years old.
Are non-profits eligible?
Yes, non-profits are eligible.
What is the application deadline each month?
Our 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.
How do I know that you've received my application?
Once we receive your application, we’ll send an email confirmation. This email contains information on the process and a link to our exclusive marketing guide. Be sure to check your spam if you don’t see the email within a short time.
Who selects the grant winners?
What criteria do you use to select a grant winner?
1. Your story. We’re looking for qualities like passion, business savvy, and vision. Women who believe in what they’re doing tend to make us believers, too.
2. Plans for growing/starting your business. We’re not looking for a formal business plan. Just some explanation of how you’ll achieve business success. It might include some mention of your market, your team, the things you’ve overcome so far, and the challenges you still face.
3. Plans for the grant money. Tell us how you would invest the money if you won. Be as detailed as you can.
You can view application tips here as well as sample feedback on many applications on our blog.
What types of businesses do you select as winners?
Grant winners aren’t limited to any “type” of business. We’ve had all kinds receive grants with a focus on everything from sunscreen to literacy programs. You can view our past recipients here.
If I apply for one month and don’t receive a grant am I automatically enrolled for the next month?
Since the grants run on a month-to-month basis, applications for the $10,000 Amber Grant do not roll forward. The exception is if your business falls into any of our business-specific categories. Your application will be considered for each of those categories — which means you can be eligible for multiple opportunities to win a grant with one application. You can read about all of our grants here.
May I reapply? When?
Yes, you can reapply, but you should only consider doing this when something significant has changed to your business model or circumstances that has positively impacted your company.
Our system will not allow a second application with the same email within 3 months. Beyond that, you can re-apply through the same application page.
Do I need a website to apply?
You don’t. However, it’s very helpful if you provide a social media profile from your company — ideally Facebook.
Why do you charge an application fee?
The fee makes the grant and operation of the site — including reviewing each application, much like a college application — possible. If you would like us to consider waiving your application fee, please email us at info@ambergrantsforwomen.com
Can I receive feedback on my application?
We do not provide individual feedback on applications. We do, however, offer many sample application feedback articles on our blog ».