Small Business Grants for Women in Minnesota

You’ve just discovered a place awarding small business grants for women in Minnesota.

A Google search will bring up a long list of sites. But most either look like scams or complicated government (Small Business Administration) sites. Most of these sites will make you fill out long forms with tons of personal and financial information.

Fortunately, you’ve landed on a different kind of site. WomensNet helps you find legitimate grants, loans, and other funding for your business venture. Of course, you’ll still have to put in some hard work and time. But if you’re serious about getting your business to the next level, you’ll find our site a big help.

A great place to start is with our Amber Grant for Women. Businesswomen from Minnesota are eligible — and have won — this grant. Sarah Olsen of Levity Products/The LECS Project and Lara Cornell of Anahata Collaborative are 2 recent examples.

Here’s how it works: Our judges award a $10,000 Amber Grant every month, making any time a good time to apply. If you’re one of our twelve $10,000 winners throughout the year, you become instantly eligible to win our year-end $25,000 Amber Grant. Imagine the impact that $35,000 would have on your business.

After you’ve applied, please take a bit of time to view the resources below. There are people in Minnesota waiting to help women business owners just like you. Best wishes.

Resources for businesswomen in Minnesota:

Central Minnesota Score
355 Fifth Avenue South, Saint Cloud, MN 56301
Ph: (320) – 240-1332

Minneapolis SCORE
8700 West 36th Street, St. Louis Park, MN 55426
Ph: (952) 938-4570

SE Minnesota SCORE
220 S. BroadwayRochester Chamber of Commerce, Suite 100, Rochester, MN 55904
Ph: (507) 288-8103

South Central Minnesota SCORE
525 Florence Avenue, Owatonna, MN 55060

South Metro SCORE
350 W BURNSVILLE PKWY STE 425, Burnsville, MN 55337
Ph: (952) 890-7020

St. Paul SCORE
2345 Rice Street STE 207, Roseville, MN 55113
Ph: (651) 632-893
Email: stpaul@scorevolunteer.org

Minnesota Business Women
MBW
7020 Unity Avenue North, Brooklyn Center, MN 55429
Email: info@MNBusinesswomen.org

NAWBO Minnesota
PMB 172
4335 Pheasant Ridge Dr NE #224, Blaine, MN 55449

Small Business Development Center
Minnesota SBDC
1st National Bank Building
332 Minnesota Street, Suite E-200, Saint Paul, MN, 55101-1351
Phone: (651) 259-7114
Email: DEED.CustomerService@state.mn.us

Helpful links for women in Minnesota:

What is an Amber Grant?

WomensNet launched the Amber Grant in 1998 to honor the memory of an ambitious young woman who died at the age of 19, before she could realize her entrepreneurial aspirations. Today, these grants help women like you fulfill the dreams that Amber could not.

How Does It Work?

Every month, WomensNet judges award one or more Amber Grants of $10,000 each. Then, at the end of the year, one of those grant recipients is selected to receive the $25,000 Amber Grant.

How Do I Apply?

By telling us your story. There are no lengthy, complicated documents to complete; just answer a few questions about your business. But hurry—applications are due by the end of the month for the next $10,000 Amber Grant.

Apply Now

Watch videos from our Past Grant Winners

GloveStix

Hammerstone School

Not Sure Where to Start?

You’re in luck. We’ve done hours of research and compiled a list of the 16 best small business grants available for women today—and we’d love to share it with you!

Enter your email to receive a FREE copy of our special report,
“16 Terrific Grants for Women Business Owners.”

Six steps you should take when looking for a business grant:

1. Analyze your organization's needs. Make sure you have a solid understanding of the:

Problem or need you want to address
Audience that will benefit from your product or service
Kind and amount of support you need
Resources and commitment your group brings to the project
Potential and prospective partners in the community

2. Research various types of foundations. Learn the operational differences between:

Corporate foundations
Civic foundations
Private foundations

3. Look for funding matches. Identify funders who:

Are able and likely to fund projects in your geographic area
Share a similar core mission or goals
Have already supported similar ventures or projects

4. Compile a list of prospects. Group them in two ways:

By Geographic Location (city, state, region)
By field of interest or program subject

5. Review and refine your list. Eliminate prospects that DON’T FUND:

In your state
Your type of organization
Your subject
The type of support you need
Your size project

6. Select the most appropriate funding prospects. Research them in detail:

Contact them directly to request annual reports and other publications
Search print and online media to identify projects that received grants in the past
Ask former grant recipients for advice and why they felt they were successful over other applicants

What people are saying about WomensNet

“You have to be in it to win it...seize the opportunity and apply.”

“The Foundation awards $10,000 to a different women-owned business every month. At the end of each year, one of the 12 grant winners is awarded an additional $25,000.”

“Launched 20 years ago this grant honors the memory of a young woman who wanted to be an entrepreneur but died at age 19 before she could achieve her goal.”

“The Amber Grant Foundation was launched in 1998 to honor the memory of a young woman. The grant was formed to help women entrepreneurs reach their goals when Amber could not.”

“This organization offers monthly grants of up to $10,000 to support female entrepreneurs starting businesses. Those who qualify for these grants are also in the running for a yearly $25,000 grant.”

Don't miss the deadline. Apply now >