Grants for Startup Funding

Startups are where the great ideas of the future are incubated. However, many of the best ideas never get off the ground due to lack of funding and support. Nonprofits can help support startups in their chosen community, giving them the capital and guidance they need to successfully take flight. However, in order to continually provide this support, the nonprofit needs funds themselves - which they can find through grants for startup funding.

Startup funding grants allow a nonprofit to support the foundation and early expansion of startups, helping them cover their operational costs and program building in their early days. Often the greatest enemy of a startup is time -- with the right grant support, a nonprofit can help shepherd nonprofits toward profitability.

Nonprofits looking for grants for the purpose of aiding startups can look in a few places. There are many foundations out there that specialize in aiding innovative social ventures, which often overlaps with the startup space. Examples of these would be Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation or Echoing Green. Major corporations will often operate programs to distribute nonprofit grants, such as the Google.org Impact Challenge.

When applying for grants for startups, it's essential to focus on capacity building in your plan. You need to demonstrate how your nonprofit can help startups actually deliver on what they do. If you are working with specific startups, make sure to use them as examples. And don’t forget to paint a picture of where the startups could go in the future. Grant-givers are more likely to support startups that are sustainable and long-lasting.

If you need more tips on writing grants, make sure to view our guides on how to write winning proposals. Above, you can find plenty of excellent grant opportunities to browse.