If you are an entrepreneur who identifies as LGBTQ+, there are grant programs specifically designed to help you access resources like funding, seed capital, and development support.
According to the Federal Reserve’s 2026 Small Business Credit Survey, businesses owned by LGBTQ+ founders are more likely to face financial challenges such as uneven cash flow and lack of credit. Sixty percent of majority-LGBTQ-owned businesses said they struggled with uneven cash flow, compared to 49% of non-LGBTQ businesses, and 38% cited credit availability as an issue (versus 28% for non-LGBTQ). These are the issues small business grants are designed to help with.
This article explores some of the best grants available to LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs and the organizations and programs available to help LGBTQ+ businesses succeed.
7 LGBTQ+ business grants
- LGBTQIA+ National Business Grant
- Transform Business Grant
- Breva Thrive Grant
- PFund Small Business Grant
- StartOut Demo Day Pitch Competition
- Rainbow Ventures Summit LGBTQ+ Pitch Competition
- ROMBA Startup Pitch Competition
Here are some of the best grants and pitch competitions currently available for LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs:
LGBTQIA+ National Business Grant
- Grant amount: $1,000
Grant amount: $1,000
- Eligibility: LGBTQ+ business owners with 200 employees or less
Eligibility: LGBTQ+ business owners with 200 employees or less
- Deadline: Once a year, with past deadlines in May and June
Deadline: Once a year, with past deadlines in May and June
Founders First CDC’s LGBTQIA+ National Business Grant—also known as the National Pride Grant—awards 20 grants each year to LGBTQ+-owned small businesses. Grantees receive $1,000 in funding, access to Founders First’s Passport Community business program, and the opportunity to apply to its Zebra Leadership Program.
Eligible entrepreneurs must identify as LGBTQ+ and own small or medium businesses with fewer than 200 employees and less than $5 million in annual revenue. Applications can be submitted through the website during announced application windows.
Transform Business Grant
- Grant amount: $1,000
Grant amount: $1,000
- Eligibility: US-based entrepreneurs from marginalized groups
Eligibility: US-based entrepreneurs from marginalized groups
- Deadline: Twice a year, with past deadlines in May and September
Deadline: Twice a year, with past deadlines in May and September
The Transform Business Grant is a mission-focused grant designed to support businesses that align with Transform’s values, such as equity, anti-racism, and wealth redistribution.
The biannual grant is available to entrepreneurs in the US from systemically marginalized backgrounds, which the grant website defines as including women, people of color, and queer, trans, and nonbinary people. Applications can be submitted through the website, with applicants who demonstrate financial need prioritized for funding.
Breva Thrive Grant
- Grant amount: $5,000
Grant amount: $5,000
- Eligibility: US-based businesses that positively impact their community
Eligibility: US-based businesses that positively impact their community
- Deadline: Quarterly
Deadline: Quarterly
Breva’s Thrive Grant is another mission-focused grant, awarding funding to small businesses that make a positive impact in their community. Offered by the financial tech company Breva, this grant is a good option for mission-driven businesses that serve high-need areas.
Eligible businesses need to have operated for a year or more and must apply through the website during the grant’s application windows.
PFund Small Business Grant
- Grant amount: $10,000
Grant amount: $10,000
- Eligibility: LGBTQ+ small business owners who identify as Black, Indigenous, or people of color, and are based in Minneapolis–Saint Paul
Eligibility: LGBTQ+ small business owners who identify as Black, Indigenous, or people of color, and are based in Minneapolis–Saint Paul
- Deadline: Annually
Deadline: Annually
The PFund Small Business Grant is a good example of a strong regional grant, available to LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs of color based in Minnesota’s Twin Cities region. The granting organization, PFund Foundation, has a multiyear history of supporting LGBTQ+ businesses across the Midwest.
Applications can be submitted through the website and rely heavily on required narrative questions. Helpfully, the application rubric used to judge each submission is also available on the website.
Regional LGBTQ+ chambers of commerce often offer state and local grants similar to this one, with programs designed specifically for local LGBTQ+ businesses.
StartOut Demo Day Pitch Competition
- Grant amount: Prizes up to $15,000
Grant amount: Prizes up to $15,000
- Eligibility: LGBTQ+ founders with scalable startups
Eligibility: LGBTQ+ founders with scalable startups
- Deadline: Regularly in different regions, with competitions at least once a year
Deadline: Regularly in different regions, with competitions at least once a year
The StartOut Demo Day pitch competition is held in cities across the US, awarding cash prizes up to $15,000. Events are organized by StartOut, a wide-reaching national nonprofit that prioritizes scalable LGBTQ+ businesses with potential for growth. Recent competition locations include the San Francisco and Los Angeles regions in 2025 and Chicago in 2026.
Rainbow Ventures Summit LGBTQ+ Pitch Competition
- Grant amount: Up to $3,000
Grant amount: Up to $3,000
- Eligibility: Early-stage businesses based in Alabama with at least one LGBTQ+ owner
Eligibility: Early-stage businesses based in Alabama with at least one LGBTQ+ owner
- Deadline: Once a year, with past competitions held in February
Deadline: Once a year, with past competitions held in February
The Rainbow Ventures Summit LGBTQ+ Pitch Competition supports Alabama-based LGBTQ+ businesses, with a first prize award of $3,000. Held in Birmingham, the competition is open to early-stage LGBTQ+-owned businesses that have operated for less than seven years, have ten or fewer employees, and earn less than $250,000 in annual revenue.
ROMBA Startup Pitch Competition
- Grant amount: Up to $2,500
Grant amount: Up to $2,500
- Eligibility: MBA students or alumni
Eligibility: MBA students or alumni
- Deadline: Once a year, with past competition deadlines in September
Deadline: Once a year, with past competition deadlines in September
The ROMBA Startup Pitch Competition is open to founders who have an MBA or are current MBA students. First held in 1999, the competition is organized by the nonprofit Reaching Out MBA (ROMBA) and sponsored by StartOut. The event takes place in Dallas during the annual ROMBA Conference, one of the largest gatherings of LGBTQ+ MBA students and professionals.
While ROMBA, StartOut, and the conference itself are all LGBTQ+-centered, the pitch competition is inclusive and open to entrepreneurs of all backgrounds.
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Additional resources for LGBTQ+ businesses
- StartOut
- National LGBTQ+ and Allied Chamber of Commerce
- Regional LGBTQ+ chambers of commerce
Many of the grants and programs supporting LGBTQ+ businesses can be traced back to networks of national and regional organizations. Below are three organizations and groups that have an outsize impact and that provide business grants, development tools, mentorship, and other opportunities for economic empowerment:
StartOut
StartOut is a high-impact national nonprofit that helps LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs build scalable businesses. StartOut’s selection of programs and resources is broad, from its core Founders Program to competitive incubators and accelerator programs for selected applicants.
StartOut’s Founders Program gives members access to resources such as its Mentorship Program, Expert Office Hours, founder and investor networks, and events such as its Demo Days Pitch Competition. Membership has a monthly fee, with some subscriptions offered on a sliding scale.
StartOut also currently has two cohort-based programs for startups, with a competitive application process:
- Growth Lab Accelerator. An intensive five-month program for more developed and scalable startups, including mentorships, networking, and strategic support.
Growth Lab Accelerator. An intensive five-month program for more developed and scalable startups, including mentorships, networking, and strategic support.
- Spark Lab Incubator. A virtual six-week incubator for early-stage and pre-seed startups, with mentorships, workshops, and development support.
Spark Lab Incubator. A virtual six-week incubator for early-stage and pre-seed startups, with mentorships, workshops, and development support.
While allies are invited to apply, StartOut almost exclusively supports LGBTQ+ founders, with more than 95% of accepted applicants from LGBTQ+ backgrounds.
National LGBTQ+ and Allied Chamber of Commerce
The National LGBTQ+ and Allied Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) connects LGBTQ+ business owners with grant funding opportunities, corporate and government contracts, business development programs, and other vital resources. As an advocacy organization, NGLCC works to expand economic opportunities for LGBTQ+-owned businesses on the national, state, and local levels.
NGLCC is also responsible for administering LGBT Business Enterprise (LGBTBE) certifications. These certifications provide official verification of your business’s LGBTQ+ status, which can open up access to business opportunities with NGLCC’s network of government and corporate partners, and its affiliate LGBTQ+ chambers. After a year, certified businesses are also eligible for the NGLCC Mentorship Program and other professional development tools.
To receive LGBTBE certification, applicants must receive a site visit, submit proper documentation, and undergo review by NGLCC’s National Certification Committee.
Regional LGBTQ+ chambers of commerce
Regional LGBTQ+ chambers of commerce frequently offer grants, development programs, and pitch competitions, many in direct partnership with NGLCC. This can be a particularly good resource for businesses based in larger cities and locations with more active LGBTQ+ chambers.
LGBTQ+ chambers exist across the US, including prominent organizations such as Rainbow Chamber Silicon Valley, Michigan Pride Chamber, and the St. Louis LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce. You can visit GSBA’s LGBTQ Chamber Directory for a more expansive list of regional LGBTQ+ chambers of commerce.
Alternatives to LGBTQ+ business grants
Grants are only one of several potential financing options available to LGBTQ+ businesses. For businesses with more immediate expenses, or ventures looking to expand, securing business loans may be a more promising option to consider.
The size, shape, and terms of business loans depend heavily on the lending institution—common institutions include banks, the Small Business Administration (SBA), nonprofits, and local Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs). While some banks offer special loans for LGBTQ+ businesses—such as BMO’s Zero Barriers to Business program—all business loans involve levels of risk that, by and large, don’t exist with business grants.
LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs who use Shopify may also be eligible for Shopify Capital, which provides loans and merchant cash advances for immediate business needs. Eligibility for Shopify Capital is determined automatically and is based primarily on factors such as a merchant’s sales and business performance.
LGBTQ+ business grants FAQ
Can an LLC get grant money?
Yes, LLCs can receive business grants as long as they meet the grant program’s eligibility requirements. Common eligibility requirements include rules about an LLC’s location, industry type, budget size, and number of employees.
What is the Pride Grant for LGBTQIA+ business owners?
Founders First CDC’s Pride Grant, now called the LGBTQIA+ National Business Grant, awards small grants of $1,000 to LGBTQIA+ entrepreneurs, as well as professional development support. The award is offered annually to 20 business owners from LGBTQIA+ backgrounds.
