One of the greatest benefits of becoming a NAWBO Southern Nevada member is gaining access to a wealth of resources that help entrepreneurs meet their challenges. One such resource is grants for women in small business, including immediately fundable options that help owners and the communities they serve alike.
Raising capital is critical for any brand, but women-owned businesses struggle more to secure financing and investments—even though they own 42% of U.S. businesses. When loans and equity backing prove elusive, women entrepreneurs should consider business grants to get the money they need to grow and succeed.
Grants For Women in Small Business: Solving Challenges
We believe the “perfect” business support system would help women:
- Significantly boost the amount of work they could get done on any given day.
- Balance their business and personal lives.
- Understand they are not alone in their struggles and the obstacles they face.
And because venture capitalists still tend to invest in startups launched by their “tribes,” it can help women to know that there are funders out there who have their financial backs.
If you’re a woman business owner looking to start or grow a business, small business grants may be just what you need to take your game to the next level.
What are Small Business Grants?
Many people refer to grants as “free” money, and for good reason. Grants are what’s known as non-dilutive funding, which means you don’t have to give up any equity in your company to obtain them. They’re granted by local, state, and federal governments as well as private foundations and corporations. Most importantly, you don’t have to pay them back!
You can apply for multiple grants and, depending on the grant’s parameters, use them for:
- Paying business-related expenses
- Marketing and advertising costs
- Contract help in customer service
- Purchasing equipment or materials
To ensure you get funds that cover your specific needs, be sure to read a grant’s rules, regulations, and requirements before applying.
How NAWBO Southern Nevada Can Helps You Find Grants
Obtaining capital is also a networking job. Like most things business-related, people like working with and funding people they’re comfortable with or with whom they have something in common. So, investors and venture capitalists tend to look for businesses and owners who are familiar to them.
NAWBO members help each other navigate the funding waters and hone their leadership skills so they can present themselves as someone worthy of capital investment. The organization itself has years of experience and expertise in simplifying often complex initiatives like grants and the recent government-backed PPP loans. And its vast network of women business owners means you can reach out to like-minded entrepreneurs to learn how they’re tapping into different funding sources.
Lastly, NAWBO offers e-learning webinars, leadership development training, and monthly luncheons to help women grow their businesses and learn about the resources available to them. The Southern Nevada chapter’s first luncheon of 2023 will include a grant panel that covers where you can find grants, how to apply for them, and where to get further support.
To learn more about grants for women in small business or to hear about how becoming a NAWBO Southern Nevada member can be your first best step in 2023, reach out to us today.