Last verified October 28, 2026 · How we verify
Grants for minority-owned businesses and minority small business owners
As of October 2026, minority small business owners can apply right now to 2 of the 6 programs set aside for minority-owned businesses: Galaxy Grant ($2,500, open nationwide) and NJ ZIP (New Jersey only). Each funder sets its own rule for who qualifies, so read who can apply before you start.
An open grant here, and we'll write the application. Write it for me, $25
- Galaxy Grant Closes in 2 days
Most of these grants never run an ad. Some fund women and minority owners anywhere in the US. Some fund one state's tribal citizens. None of them is a loan or a certification. The hard part was never qualifying. It was finding out the grant existed before the window closed. That is the part we fixed.
Grants for minority-owned businesses by the numbers
- Who funds them
- 4 funders: Hidden Star (Galaxy of Stars) (1), Montana Department of Commerce (1), New Jersey Economic Development Authority (1), TRANSFORM (1).
- Award size
- Awards from $1K to $175K.
- Timing
- 2 open now, 1 of them rolling. Soonest deadline: Galaxy Grant, Oct 31, 2026. 2 between cycles.
- What they fund
- Transportation & Trucking (1); 3 open to any industry.
An open grant here, and we'll write the application.
- For businesses with 25 employees or fewer
- For businesses with annual revenue up to $5M
Answer a few questions and get a full draft, checked by our own AI review. Need more than one? 10 for $97, and unused ones never expire.
Write it for me, $25Don't qualify for this grant? Full refund within 14 days (one per customer).
4 grants for minority-owned businesses worth knowing by name
Every program here is genuinely for minority-owned businesses. Each names its funder and links to the official page. The general and federal money a minority-owned business also qualifies for is in your full report.
| Program | Amount | Status | Built for | Official link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Hidden Star (Galaxy of Stars) Verified Oct 28, 2026 | $2,500 | Closes in 2 days, Oct 31 | Businesses that are women-owned or minority-owned | |
NJ ZIP New Jersey Economic Development Authority For businesses with 25 employees or fewer For businesses with annual revenue up to $5M Verified Oct 26, 2026 | $15,000–$175,000 base vouchers | Rolling, apply anytime | Businesses that are women-owned or minority-owned or veteran-owned | |
TRANSFORM Business Grant TRANSFORM Verified Oct 28, 2026 | $1,000 | Between cycles Usually opens around March 2027, based on past rounds | Businesses that are minority-owned or LGBTQ-owned or disability-owned | |
Montana Department of Commerce Only for businesses owned by enrolled members of a federally recognized tribe in Montana, including the Little Shell Tribe. You match the grant dollar for dollar in cash or in-kind. Verified Oct 24, 2026 | Up to $40,000 per award, with a dollar-for-dollar cash or in-kind match | Between cycles Usually opens around July 2027, based on past rounds | Businesses that are minority-owned |
We track 2 more programs for minority-owned businesses that are not verified closely enough to name here yet. The quiz still checks your business against them.
Want the fuller picture? Read the guide: Grants for minority-owned businesses: what's real and how to win one.
Minority-owned business grants open right now
- Galaxy Grant: $2,500, closes Oct 31, 2026Closes in 2 days
- NJ ZIP: $15,000–$175,000 base vouchers, rolling, apply anytime
Minority-owned business grants, program by program
Galaxy Grant: $2,500, closes Oct 31, 2026
Closes in 2 daysRun by Hidden Star (Galaxy of Stars). Businesses that are women-owned or minority-owned. Verified against the funder's own page Oct 28, 2026. Official page ↗
NJ ZIP (New Jersey Economic Development Authority): $15,000–$175,000 base vouchers
Businesses that are women-owned or minority-owned or veteran-owned. Verified against the funder's own page Oct 26, 2026. Official page ↗
TRANSFORM Business Grant: $1,000, usually opens around March 2027, based on past rounds
Businesses that are minority-owned or LGBTQ-owned or disability-owned. Verified against the funder's own page Oct 28, 2026. Official page ↗
Indian Equity Fund Small Business Grant (Montana Department of Commerce): Up to $40,000 per award, with a dollar-for-dollar cash or in-kind match, usually opens around July 2027, based on past rounds
Businesses that are minority-owned. Verified against the funder's own page Oct 24, 2026. Official page ↗
More small business grant lists
Straight answers
Do I pay these back? How current is this list?
No. Grants are not loans. Each row shows the date we last checked it against the funder's own page. How we verify.
Are these grants only for minority-owned businesses?
No. Each funder writes its own rule. Galaxy Grant funds women and minority entrepreneurs. And a minority-owned business also qualifies for every general small-business grant and every federal program. The quiz scores all 447 against your actual business, not just the 6 listed here.
Which minority business grants are open right now?
As of October 29, 2026, 2 are open. Galaxy Grant ($2,500, closes Oct 31, 2026) is open to women and minority entrepreneurs nationwide. The deadline comes from the funder's own page.
Does the SBA give grants to minority-owned businesses?
Not for starting or growing one. The SBA says so on its own grants page: "SBA does not provide grants for starting and expanding a business." Its grants go to research and development (SBIR and STTR), to state export programs (STEP), and to nonprofits that run counseling and training. The SBA's 8(a) program, for businesses owned by socially and economically disadvantaged people, helps you compete for federal contracts rather than sending a check.
Are there grants for minorities starting a business?
Yes, a few. Galaxy Grant welcomes owners who are "just starting out" or still "aspiring". A new business also qualifies for many general grants. The quiz shows which ones fit yours.
Is minority grant money real, or a scam?
It is real, but there is far less of it than most lists suggest, and scammers use the same words. The SBA warns that it only emails from addresses ending in @sba.gov. Two rules keep you safe: a real grant never has to be paid back, and nobody should ask for money to release a grant you already won. Every program on this page links to the funder's own page so you can check it yourself.
Which of these fit your minority-owned business?
This page can't read your business. The 3-minute quiz can. It scores your industry, state, and ownership against all 447 programs, ranks them by fit, and flags the ones closing soonest.
Find what fits my business