Report on July 2024 Grant Opportunities for Small Businesses and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction

This report outlines seven grant opportunities available to small businesses and entrepreneurs in the United States during July 2024. These funding programs provide non-repayable capital for growth, expansion, operational sustainability, and overcoming financial challenges. Each grant has been analyzed for its contribution to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), highlighting the role of small business financing in achieving global sustainability targets.

Analysis of Grant Opportunities

1. $5,000 Grants for Small Businesses Making a Community Impact

   This program offers grants of $5,000 to support the growth of small businesses and enhance their impact on local communities. The funding is intended for businesses engaged in job creation, product innovation, or the expansion of essential services. Priority is given to enterprises operating for at least one year that demonstrably benefit communities of color or other underrepresented groups.

   • SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth – Fosters job creation and sustainable business operations.
   • SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure – Supports the launch of innovative products.
   • SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities – Prioritizes businesses making a meaningful difference in underrepresented communities.
   • SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities – Aims to deepen the positive impact of businesses within local communities.

2. $500 Growth & Wellness Grants for Women Entrepreneurs

   Grants of up to $500, supplemented by in-kind support, are available to women entrepreneurs in the U.S. The program is designed to advance both business success and personal well-being by providing financial assistance, coaching, and other resources to promote sustainable growth and self-care for women-led businesses.

   • SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being – Emphasizes personal well-being and self-care for entrepreneurs.
   • SDG 5: Gender Equality – Directly supports women-led businesses to reduce gender disparities in entrepreneurship.
   • SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth – Provides tools and resources for sustainable business growth.

3. $5,000 Grants and Business Support to USA Businesses

   This initiative provides $5,000 grants to small business owners for operational growth and strengthening. Recipients also receive access to coaching, accounting tools, and banking benefits. Eligibility requires that the applicant’s business offers a service, addresses a community need, or provides a solution to a significant problem.

   • SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth – Focuses on helping businesses grow and strengthen their operations.
   • SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure – Encourages businesses that provide solutions to pressing problems.
   • SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities – Supports businesses that address specific community needs.

4. $1,000 Emergency Grants for BIPOC-Owned Small Businesses

   Emergency grants of up to $1,000 are available to businesses owned by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) to manage unexpected financial hardships. The funding is intended to mitigate the impact of events such as natural disasters, equipment failure, theft, or vandalism by assisting with expenses like employee salaries, equipment repair, and property damage.

   • SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth – Provides critical support to maintain operations and cover employee salaries during emergencies.
   • SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities – Specifically targets support for BIPOC-owned businesses, addressing systemic economic disparities.
   • SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities – Helps local businesses remain resilient in the face of unforeseen disruptions.

5. $5,000 Disaster Prep and Recovery Grant for Small Businesses

   This program offers $5,000 grants to U.S. businesses to improve their disaster preparedness and recovery capabilities. The initiative aims to help small businesses build resilience against the increasing threat of natural disasters and maintain operational continuity following a FEMA disaster declaration.

   • SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth – Promotes long-term business continuity through proactive planning.
   • SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities – Strengthens the resilience of local economies to disasters.
   • SDG 13: Climate Action – Addresses the need for adaptation to the effects of climate change, such as the increased frequency of natural disasters.

6. $2,000 in Grants for Black-Owned Small Businesses

   Grants of up to $2,000 are designated for Black-owned, brick-and-mortar small businesses to support their growth and long-term sustainability. The funding is intended to strengthen local enterprises and promote greater diversity within the U.S. business landscape. Funds can be allocated to salaries, rent, operational costs, and community outreach.

   • SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth – Supports fundamental business needs such as salaries and operational expenses for long-term sustainability.
   • SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities – Aims to foster economic inclusion and diversity by specifically funding Black-owned businesses.
   • SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities – Reinforces the stability of local, physical business establishments.

7. $2,500 Grants and Resources to Support Small Business Growth

   This program provides $2,500 grants and in-kind support to help small businesses cover essential operating expenses and stimulate growth. The funding can be used for inventory, rent, utilities, marketing, software, and professional development, with the objective of ensuring stability and enabling businesses to pursue new opportunities.

   • SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth – Provides practical support for business stability, job retention, and the pursuit of growth opportunities.
   • SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure – Enables investment in modern tools like software and professional development to foster innovation.

SDGs Addressed in the Article

1. SDG 5: Gender Equality

   • The article highlights a grant specifically for “Women entrepreneurs,” aiming to provide financial assistance, coaching, and resources. This directly supports the economic empowerment of women, a key aspect of SDG 5.

2. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

   • The central theme of the article is providing grants to small businesses and entrepreneurs to “grow, expand, or sustain” their operations. Several grants are mentioned for purposes like covering operating expenses, creating jobs, and fostering business growth, which aligns with promoting sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth.

3. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

   • The article explicitly mentions grants targeted at underrepresented and marginalized groups. This includes grants for businesses making an impact in “communities of color or other underrepresented groups,” “BIPOC-owned small businesses,” and “Black-owned small businesses.” This focus on providing financial support to specific racial and ethnic groups aims to reduce economic inequalities.

4. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

   • One grant is dedicated to helping businesses with “disaster preparedness and recovery efforts” to cope with the “rising threat of natural disasters.” This initiative enhances the resilience of local economies and communities against shocks and disasters, which is a core component of making human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.

Specific SDG Targets

1. Target 5.5: Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life.

   • The “$500 Growth & Wellness Grants for Women Entrepreneurs” directly supports this target by providing women with financial resources and support systems (coaching, tools) to succeed in economic life and take on leadership roles as business owners.

2. Target 8.3: Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, and encourage the formalization and growth of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises, including through access to financial services.

   • The article is entirely focused on this target. It lists multiple grants (e.g., “$5,000 Grants for Small Businesses,” “$2,500 Grants and Resources to Support Small Business Growth”) that provide access to financial services for small enterprises to support growth, job creation, and innovation.

3. Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.

   • The grants for “BIPOC-owned small businesses” and “Black-owned small businesses” are direct actions to empower and promote the economic inclusion of specific racial and ethnic groups, addressing systemic inequalities in the business landscape.

4. Target 11.5: By 2030, significantly reduce the number of deaths and the number of people affected and substantially decrease the direct economic losses relative to global gross domestic product caused by disasters…

   • The “$5,000 Disaster Prep and Recovery Grant” aims to help small businesses “remain operational following a FEMA disaster declaration.” By funding resilience upgrades and recovery initiatives, this grant helps reduce the direct economic losses and negative impacts on livelihoods caused by disasters.

Implied Indicators for Measuring Progress

1. Number of women-owned businesses receiving financial support.

   • The article mentions a specific grant for “Women entrepreneurs,” implying that the number of recipients can be tracked as a measure of progress towards women’s economic empowerment (Target 5.5).

2. Amount of financial resources provided to small and medium-sized enterprises.

   • The article lists specific grant amounts ($5,000, $500, $1,000, etc.). The total value of these grants disbursed serves as a direct indicator of financial services being made available to small businesses (Target 8.3).

3. Number of businesses owned by marginalized or underrepresented groups receiving funding.

   • The existence of grants for “BIPOC-owned” and “Black-owned” businesses implies that progress can be measured by counting the number of these businesses that receive financial aid, indicating progress toward economic inclusion (Target 10.2).

4. Number of businesses with disaster risk reduction strategies.

   • The grant for “Disaster Prep and Recovery” suggests that an indicator would be the number of small businesses that use the funds to develop and implement preparedness plans, thereby increasing their resilience (Target 11.5).

Summary Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: grantwatch.com