Here’s a general round-up of what I’m recommending to my clients and wider community while there’s a freeze on federal funding (grants and loans). Just because there’s a freeze right now doesn’t mean you shouldn’t diversify and look for other options.

While I do create brand narratives and write grants for both nonprofits and for-profits, this is specifically geared toward US-based for-profit businesses, particularly startups with either one person (the founder) or a small team of under 10 people.

Take what resonates and works for you and leave the rest. As always, please do your due diligence and vet everything.

First, pause:

Before you even look at funding opportunities, calculate exactly what your financial needs are to build a viable product and business to reach your goals.

It’s not sexy, but open a spreadsheet and document line by line what you need, how much it’ll cost, why you need it (”I need this for…”), and how it’ll contribute to you building what you want (”If I get money for this, it will help me do/create…”).

Know your numbers.

Also, get your financial records in order now before you start applying for funding or pitching investors. I highly recommend that if you have the resources to invest that you pay a financial professional (especially someone who specializes in grant financials) to get everything in order for you so you don’t overlook anything. Trust me, it’s well worth the money if you can spare it.

A non-exhaustive list of funding resources:

  1. Vote in the 2026 midterms. There’s no way around this. Do it. Now is not the time to get complacent. Not a funding resource, but it’s an important reminder to put this in your calendar.
  2. Check out your state and local grants and local resources. These aren’t funded federally (but double-check to be sure), so these will not be affected, unless your state/city/municipality changes their process/procedures.
    1. Look into EDPs (economic development programs) and SBDCs (small business development centers). Both of these resources will open lots of doors to funding.
    2. Visit your local Chamber of Commerce and see what resources they’re offering. If you can get involved in events, do it. Even if it’s just for networking, this can lead to future opportunities.
    3. Visit your local SBA (small business administration) office, if you have one. The SBA is federal, but they might be able to point you in a few different directions. You might want to save this link to check out: https://www.uschamber.com/co/start/strategy/sba-programs-for-business-owners
  3. Research CSR (corporate social responsibility) initiatives and corporate foundations. Also look up corporate grants programs. Find ones that align with YOUR brand.
    1. To start: FedEx Small Business Grant, Comcast RISE, Venmo Small Business Grant, Hatch Pitch, eBay Foundation, Lowe’s-LISC Partnership. There are thousands others. These will help get you started and find others.
    2. Furthermore, if you don't yet have a BRAND and you just have a BUSINESS, change that. Now. You need to know your brand values, what you stand for, who you stand for, and what your message is. This will (and should) impact where you apply to receive funding, especially if from corporations. You want to stay aligned and true to your North Star, including your values. Scroll all the way down for more branding tips.
  4. Join business accelerators and incubators. Real ones, not bullshit groups on social media random people are putting together and just calling an incubator because it makes them sound fancy and important.
    1. Don't know what I'm talking about or where to start? Look up: Y Combinator. From there, you can Google things like "Y Combinator competitors" or "accelerators similar to Y Combinator.”
    2. Check what’s going on in your local area and connect with networking groups and accelerators/incubators. Building local community is vastly underrated.
    3. If you join an accelerator/incubator, make sure it meets your needs and your budget. These DO cost money to join, typically quite a lot, so decide if this investment is worth it for you. Do your due diligence and talk to current participants if it’s a good fit for you.
    4. If you want to read more about this, here’s an article with an explanation of what accelerators and incubators are & how to find them: https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/startup-incubator-vs-accelerator
  5. Look into crowdfunding options, especially if you already have a thriving, supportive community.
    1. Indiegogo and GiveButter are two of my favorites, but there are others.
    2. WeFunder is great if you want to give people equity in your business. Another reason why having a brand strategy and understanding your North Star is critical before you begin this process. You’ll need to decide if this is the right route for you. It won’t be for everyone, and that’s okay.
    3. You’ll want to create a comprehensive fundraising strategy if you go this route. Just creating a profile for these platforms isn’t enough.
  6. Check out angel investors and VC options, if this aligns with your business goals.
    1. Angel List is a good place to start, but don’t limit it to just one place.
    2. Check local resources. I belong to a physical coworking space (Kiln) that has pitch nights once a month where angel investors come to hear pitches. Even if you don’t end up formally pitching, going to events like these and networking to understand what investors are looking for will massively help you. Focus on getting into the right rooms that get you closer to your goals. I like going just to observe interactions.
  7. Stay on top of industry-specific grants and competitions.
    1. I can’t possibly list all the options for this because it’s specific to your niche. Typically trade organizations and specialized organized will offer these.
    2. XPrize is a well-known one, so even if it doesn’t apply to you, you can use it to kickstart your Googling process to find others.
    3. To find these, you can start with searching on Google:
      1. [your niche/industry] startup grants
      2. [your niche/industry] startup funding
      3. [your niche/industry] startup funding competitions
      4. top resources for [niche/industry] grants
      5. [largest city near you] pitch event
    4. Get creative and do some smart Googling. Don’t rely on generative AI (or AI summaries) to do your work for you. It’s known to give false information.
  8. Check out grant databases. Most of these will be pay-to-play, so be strategic. This list isn’t limited to for-profits.
    1. Here are some suggestions to start:
      1. Instrumentl
      2. GrantWatch
      3. GrantStation
      4. GrantSelect
      5. Devex Pro Funding
      6. GrantScape (just skip federal opportunities on there for now)
      7. GrantForward
    2. Note: grants.gov is geared toward federal funding, which is paused. Keep this in your back pocket for later, though.
  9. Focus on building and strengthening your network connections.
    1. Know the right rooms for you to be in and the right people for you to know. Build an interconnected network of people, and don’t be afraid to recommend people within your network to spotlight them for opportunities.
    2. Local events are great because they’re face to face and you can build relationships quicker.
      1. For example, there’s a week-long Tech Week event happening in my area now, and this opens up opportunities for me to find both potential clients and start conversations with interesting people. Find similar events in your area where your target market, potential brand supporters, and/or investors will be.
    3. Places like alignable.com are great because it’s focused on solopreneurs.
    4. Curate your LinkedIn to serve your needs and ignore the rest.
    5. Check out meetup.com to see if there are any events near you.
    6. Google: [your city/largest city near you] networking events
    7. Consider joining an in-person coworking space and become a regular there. Added bonuses are if the coworking space has multiple locations so you can scout around to see which location best aligns with you and if they host community-building events (similar to the investor pitch nights I mentioned above).
    8. Important: If you are disabled and/or have chronic illnesses like me, be mindful of your capacity. You don’t have to do everything to become connected and grow a network. A lot of it is being strategic and going all-in with the 1-2 methods.