Small business grants you never pay back in the US and Canada (2026)
Wanna / Small business grants
Short answer. Yes, grants you never repay exist for ordinary small businesses, but only a few are open at any time, they are mostly corporate programs rather than government ones, and several that ran in 2026 have already closed. On 8 Nov 2026 we found three programs taking entries (Amber Grant in the US and Canada, Verizon in the US, Zensurance in Canada), listed below with the page each figure came from.
Written by Wanna AI. Checked on 8 Nov 2026. Wanna does not apply for you.
The table
"Open" means the program's own page said so on 8 Nov 2026. Amounts are in the program's own currency.
| Program | Amount | Who can apply | Form length | Status on 8 Nov 2026 | Source, date checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amber Grant (WomensNet) | Three $15,000 grants a month, plus a $75,000 year-end grant | Women 18+ who own at least 50% of a US or Canadian business, including pre-revenue ones | "A few minutes"; $15 fee, waiver on request | Open; next cutoff 30 Nov 2026 | get-an-amber-grant and grant rules, 8 Nov 2026 |
| Verizon Small Business Digital Ready | $10,000, 10 businesses a month, June to December 2026 | Owners 18+ of for-profit small businesses in the US, Puerto Rico or the US Virgin Islands | Two free courses or events first, then the application; form length not stated | Open; all decisions by 12 Jan 2027 | Digital Ready funding page, 8 Nov 2026 |
| Zensurance Small Business Grant | One $10,000 grant and five $1,000 runner-up grants | Registered Canadian businesses under $1M revenue, outside Saskatchewan, Quebec and the three territories | Grant form length not stated; insurance quote form "takes about 3 minutes" | Open; closes 18 Dec 2026, 6:00 p.m. ET | Zensurance grant page, 8 Nov 2026 |
| Startup Canada Equal Slice | $100,000 a year in cash grants across pitch competitions | Equity-deserving entrepreneurs in Canada | Not stated; register for each competition | Virtual pitch on 24 Nov 2026; closes when spots fill | Equal Slice page, 8 Nov 2026 |
| Canada Summer Jobs | A wage subsidy for hiring, not a lump sum; the page states no percentage | Employers | Not stated | No 2026 dates on the page | Canada Summer Jobs, 8 Nov 2026 |
| TELUS #StandWithOwners | Three $125,000 packages of funding, technology and exposure; six $10,000 awards; one $25,000 People's Choice | Canadian small businesses | Not stated | 2026 round finished; winners announced 1 Oct 2026 | TELUS release, 1 Oct 2026, 8 Nov 2026 |
| BMO Celebrating Women Grant (US) | 15 grants of $10,000 | US small businesses with a growth plan that advances women | A written business growth plan; length not stated | Closed; ran 2 to 23 Apr 2026 | BMO newsroom, 30 Mar 2026, 8 Nov 2026 |
| Amex Backing Canadian Small Businesses | $10,000 CAD each for 100 businesses, plus mentoring | Independent, incorporated Canadian businesses under $1.5M CAD revenue in 2025 | Not stated | Closed 19 May 2026 | DMZ program page, 8 Nov 2026 |
| Mastercard Small Business Fund (Canada) | $10,000 CAD per business, plus mentoring | Canadian women who own a small business | Not stated | Closed; ran 3 to 24 Mar 2026 | Retail Insider, 3 Mar 2026, 8 Nov 2026 |
Nine programs are listed, and three were taking entries when we read them. The Amber page shows $15,000 for the next grant, its rules say three $15,000 grants a month, and its 2026 winner badges show $10,000. We print the rules figure and the mismatch.
Check the program page before you spend time on it. A program that closed in 2026 may run again, but we found no 2027 dates for any of them.
How to read the table
- Open now beats big. A $10,000 grant you can enter this month is worth more attention than a $125,000 one that closed on 2 Sept.
- Most are not for everyone. Four programs in the table are for women owners or equity-deserving owners. The Verizon one is open to any for-profit US small business owner who completes the two courses or events.
- Read the entry rules. Zensurance asks non-clients to get a free insurance quote to be eligible to win, and says you are not obliged to buy.
- Government grants are rarer than you think. The US Small Business Administration states "SBA does not provide grants for starting and expanding a business." Its grants go to nonprofits and other organizations (SBA grants page, 8 Nov 2026).
What this page does not replace
- It does not replace the official rules. Each program decides who wins, and we read only the pages named above.
- It does not promise a grant. We know of no figure for how many applicants win, so we print none.
- It does not replace tax advice. Whether a grant counts as taxable income depends on where you live. Ask an accountant.
- Wanna does not fill in or send grant forms.
Once you apply, give people a reason to find you
Most of these programs score the story you tell about your business. Wanna reads your site, builds a plan for it, and shows what it would write and post. The button at the end of this page takes you to the field where you paste your link.
FAQ
What small business grants never have to be paid back? The ones in the table: a grant, as these programs describe it, is money given for use in your business. The open ones on 8 Nov 2026 were Amber Grant, Verizon Digital Ready and the Zensurance grant.
Can I get a free grant to start a small business in the US? The SBA says it does not give grants for starting or expanding a business. Corporate programs such as Verizon's and Amber Grant do, for businesses that meet their rules.
Are there small business grants in Canada for 2026? Yes. Zensurance was open until 18 Dec 2026, and Equal Slice had a virtual pitch on 24 Nov 2026. Amex and Mastercard closed earlier in 2026.
Is there a grant for a small business owner who is a woman? Amber Grant takes entries from women who own at least 50% of a US or Canadian business.
Do I need a business plan to apply? Amber's page says there are no long forms. Others are not stated on their pages.
Paste your link and see which of these grants fit your business.
