Amber Grant 2026: requirements, deadline and how to apply
The Amber Grant from WomensNet pays $15,000 per grant, three awarded monthly, to women-owned businesses. The current deadline is November 30, 2026, according to WomensNet. Only for women 18+ who own at least 50% of a US or Canadian business (idea-stage OK). A $15 non-refundable application fee applies. Checked November 4, 2026.
Amber Grant at a glance
| Amount | $15,000 per grant, three awarded monthly |
|---|---|
| Deadline | November 30, 2026 |
| Who can apply | Businesses that are women-owned |
| Application fee | $15 |
| Official application | Apply on the WomensNet site ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| Last verified | November 4, 2026 How we verify |
| Funder | WomensNet |
One of the longest-running grants for women-owned businesses: three $15,000 Amber Grants awarded every month, with monthly winners eligible for one of three $75,000 year-end grants, picked in December. Simple application describing your business and how you'd use the money.
Eligibility
What the WomensNet page requires, as recorded when we checked it. The funder's own rules are the final word.
- Businesses that are women-owned
- Open to businesses in any U.S. state
- Only for women 18+ who own at least 50% of a US or Canadian business (idea-stage OK). A $15 non-refundable application fee applies.
Past winners
What past Amber Grant rounds looked like
These numbers come from the funder's own announcements about earlier rounds. They describe who won before, not who will win next.
| Grants each month | 3 grants of $15,000 (opens in a new tab)One Amber Grant, one Startup Grant and one grant for that month's business category, which rotates by industry.Current · WomensNet ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
|---|---|
| Year-end grants | 3 grants of $75,000 (opens in a new tab)Chosen from that year's monthly winners.Each year · WomensNet ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| Total offered in a year | $765,000 (opens in a new tab)Current · WomensNet ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
| Awarding since | 1998 (opens in a new tab)First Amber Grant · WomensNet ↗ (opens in a new tab) |
Who won
- An alterations and tailoring business (the August 2026 Amber Grant) (Announced September 21, 2026, WomensNet ↗ (opens in a new tab))
- A dental hygiene practice that cares for patients with limited mobility (the July 2026 Amber Grant) (Announced August 20, 2026, WomensNet ↗ (opens in a new tab))
- A home repair guidance service (the June 2026 Amber Grant) (Announced July 21, 2026, WomensNet ↗ (opens in a new tab))
Checked against each source on October 14, 2026. Every number links to the page it came from.
What the application asks
We read the funder's own page. Here is what the application asks for.
We write
- Description of your business or business idea
- What you would do with the money
You provide
- A $15 application fee
Read from the funder's page: ambergrantsforwomen.com ↗ (opens in a new tab)
How to apply for the Amber Grant, step by step
Applications go through WomensNet directly, on its own site. Read the current rules and deadline there before you start.
Next deadline: November 30, 2026, 11:59:59 pm Eastern Time.
- Check that you meet the eligibility rules above.
- Open the official application on ambergrantsforwomen.com, the only place WomensNet takes applications.
- Enter your full name and email address. Your business name and a website or Facebook page are optional.
- Answer the two questions: tell WomensNet about your business or business idea, and what you would do with the money if you won. These are the two answers we write.
- Pay the $15 application fee by credit card, or PayPal in the U.S. To ask for a fee waiver, email info@ambergrantsforwomen.com.
- Submit by the last day of the month. One application counts toward every WomensNet grant you qualify for.
- Look for WomensNet's confirmation email, and check your spam folder. Winners are contacted from an @ambergrantsforwomen.com email address.
Straight answers
When is the Amber Grant deadline?
The Amber Grant deadline is November 30, 2026. WomensNet lists November 30, 2026 as the close of the current round.
Who can apply for the Amber Grant?
Businesses that are women-owned. Open to businesses in any U.S. state. Only for women 18+ who own at least 50% of a US or Canadian business (idea-stage OK). A $15 non-refundable application fee applies. These are the requirements recorded when we checked the funder's page on November 4, 2026. WomensNet decides who is selected.
How much is the Amber Grant?
The Amber Grant pays $15,000 per grant, three awarded monthly, according to WomensNet. Awards are made monthly.
How do I apply for the Amber Grant?
Applications go through WomensNet on its own site, ambergrantsforwomen.com. The $15 fee is paid to the funder there, not to WinAGrant.
Is the Amber Grant legit?
The Amber Grant is run by WomensNet. WinAGrant checked the funder's own page for this grant on November 4, 2026. The funder charges a $15 fee to apply, stated on its own page. WinAGrant is not affiliated with WomensNet.
What are the Amber Grant requirements?
According to WomensNet's FAQ, you can apply if you are a woman 18 or older and your business is at least 50% women-owned and based in the United States or Canada. One application puts you in the running for every WomensNet grant you qualify for, including its Start-Up Grant for businesses still in the idea phase. Revenue-generating nonprofits can apply when women hold at least half of the top leadership, including the board president or CEO. You do not need a website.
What does the Amber Grant application ask?
Two questions. WomensNet's form asks you to "Tell us about your business or business idea" and to "Tell us what you would do with the money if awarded a grant." Its judges look at your story, your plans for starting or growing the business, and your plans for the grant money.
Is there an application fee for the Amber Grant?
Yes. The Amber Grant application fee is $15, according to WomensNet. Its FAQ calls it "the only fee we charge" and says "We NEVER ask for money to disburse our grants." You can ask WomensNet for a fee waiver by email.
How many Amber Grants are awarded each month?
WomensNet awards three $15,000 Amber Grants every month, 36 a year. Three of those 36 winners also receive a $75,000 year-end Amber Grant, chosen at the end of the year and announced early the next year.
What is the Amber Startup Grant?
WomensNet calls it the Start-Up Grant: one of its three $15,000 monthly grants, next to the Amber Grant and its business-category grants. It is for women whose business is still an idea, has no revenue yet, or has earned less than $10,000. There is no separate form. One Amber Grant application puts you in the running for it.
When are Amber Grant winners announced?
Each month's round closes at 11:59:59 pm Eastern Time on the last day of the month. WomensNet says, "We announce the grant winners by the 21st of the following month."
What is the Amber Grant's official website?
The official Amber Grant website is ambergrantsforwomen.com, run by WomensNet. Its FAQ says "The only place to apply for our grants is on this website," and winners are contacted from an @ambergrantsforwomen.com email address.
Your odds
Popular national grants draw many applicants. Your quiz matches often include smaller grants with fewer applicants.
Related grant pages
Want help with the application?
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See how the grant writer worksWhat $25 includes
- One full first draft in your voice, written from your answers
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What you still do
- Pay the funder's $15 application fee. It goes to the funder, not to us.
- If the funder asks for documents, add them. Your draft comes with the list.
- Read it, change anything you like, and submit it on the funder's own site.
From a real draft for a sample business. Yours is written from your answers. Read the full sample draft →