Small Business Grants in North America & the Caribbean — June 2026
Your monthly roundup of verified, open funding opportunities
Running a small business has never been easy, but right now, money is genuinely available for those who know where to look. June 2026 is one of the stronger months on the grant calendar, with more than a dozen verified opportunities currently accepting applications across the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean. Whether you're a solo founder trying to nearshore your supply chain, a woman-led music business in Barbados, a tech startup in Ontario, or a coastal fishing cooperative in the Eastern Caribbean, there is a programme on this list designed with you in mind.
Grants, unlike loans, don't need to be paid back. That distinction matters enormously for small businesses operating on tight margins, especially in the current economic climate. But grants are competitive, and most owners miss out simply because they never find out the opportunities exist. Deadlines pass. Application windows close quietly. The goal of this monthly listing is to fix that, to surface verified, actively open grants before it's too late to apply.
A few things to know before you dive in. First, always confirm details directly with the funder; amounts, eligibility rules, and deadlines can shift. Second, rolling grants, ones without a hard closing date, still reward early applicants, since many are funded until budgets run out. And third, some of the most underutilised opportunities on this list are regional and Caribbean programs that receive far fewer applications than their North American counterparts, which means your odds are often considerably better.
This month, we found 17 open opportunities. Here's what's available.
United States
Get Nearshored Manufacturing Grant
Funder: Get Nearshored | Amount: $1,000 (3 winners) | Deadline: June 1, 2026
Three $1,000 grants for U.S. businesses that produce physical products and are actively looking to move manufacturing to the U.S., Canada, Latin America, or Europe. Annual revenue must be under $5 million. Apply via a written application or short video pitch.
Apply: getnearshored.com
EmpowHer Grant
Funder: Boundless Futures Foundation | Amount: Up to $50,000 | Deadline: June 25, 2026
For U.S.-based female founders running for-profit businesses under five years old that address issues like poverty and hunger, sustainability, or community strength. Must be 22 or older, currently earning revenue, and willing to complete a third-party background check. One of the more substantial women-focused grants available this cycle.
Apply:boundlessfutures.org
Breva Thrive Grant
Funder: Breva | Amount: $5,000 | Deadline: June 30, 2026
Quarterly grants for businesses making a measurable community impact. Q2 2026 applications opened April 1. A strong option for businesses that can demonstrate clear local or social benefit.
Apply: breva.ai/thrive-grant
Secretsos Underserved Business Grant
Funder: Secretsos | Amount: $2,500 | Deadline: June 30, 2026
For U.S. entrepreneurs aged 21 and over with a legally registered business. Must be traditionally underserved — meaning you've been denied a bank loan, or your business is woman-, veteran-, or minority-owned, or located in a low-income area. Note: a $15 application fee applies.
Apply: secretsos.com
Verizon Digital Ready / LISC Grant
Funder: Verizon + LISC | Amount: $10,000 | Deadline: Rolling monthly (June–December 2026)
Ten $10,000 grants are awarded each month from June through December 2026. To unlock the application, complete any two courses, virtual events, or in-person events on the free Verizon Digital Ready platform between January 1 and December 7, 2026. Submit once and your application stays active for all remaining monthly rounds.
Apply:lisc.org
Intuit QuickBooks Small Business Hero Program
Funder: Intuit / QuickBooks | Amount: $20,000 | Deadline: Next quarterly cycle TBA
Quarterly $20,000 grants for high-impact U.S. small businesses. The Q2 cycle closed May 15, 2026 — bookmark the programme page now and apply as soon as Q3 opens.
FedEx Small Business Grant Contest
Funder: FedEx | Amount: $15,000–$50,000 | Deadline: Watch funder site
Annual contest for innovative U.S. small businesses. Grants range from $15,000 to $50,000. Must have a valid FedEx shipping account open for six or more months and fewer than 100 employees. Previous winners are not eligible. The 2026 cycle dates have not yet been announced — monitor the FedEx Cares site closely.
Apply:fedexcares.com
FedEx Entrepreneur Fund
Funder: FedEx × GEN × Hello Alice | Amount: $10,000 | Deadline: November 21, 2026
$10,000 grants for U.S.-based small business owners who are military-connected or living with a disability. Administered by Hello Alice in partnership with the Global Entrepreneurship Network.
Apply: helloalice.com
One NC Small Business Program (Technology Grants)
Funder: NC Department of Commerce | Amount: Varies | Deadline: June 30, 2026 (or until funds exhausted)
Incentive and Matching grants for North Carolina small businesses working on high-tech and innovative solutions. Funds are available until the FY2026 budget runs out — apply early.
Apply:commerce.nc.gov
Canada
Zensurance Small Business Grant
Funder: Zensurance | Amount: Up to $10,000 | Deadline: June 3, 2026
Two $10,000 winners and eight $1,000 finalists. Open to all Canadian small business owners, entrepreneurs, and startups (excluding Quebec, Northwest Territories, Yukon, and Nunavut). Requires completing a free insurance quote and following one social media channel. Deadline is imminent — apply now.
Apply:zensurance.com
CanExport SME
Funder: Government of Canada | Amount: Up to ~$99,999 | Deadline: Rolling intake
Reimburses Canadian SMEs for eligible export development costs — travel, market research, trade shows — in markets where they currently earn under 10% of total revenue. New 2026 rules require at least 3 FTEs and $300,000 in annual revenue. Budget now prioritises non-U.S. markets following a major reallocation.
Apply:tradecommissioner.gc.ca
NRC — Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP)
Funder: National Research Council of Canada | Amount: Up to $10M | Deadline: Rolling intake
Covers up to 80% of labour costs and 50% of subcontractor costs for R&D and innovation projects. Smaller projects receive more modest support; highly innovative projects can access up to $10 million. Rolling applications accepted throughout 2026.
Ontario Creates — Digital Media & Creative Industries
Funder: Province of Ontario | Amount: Up to $500,000 | Deadline: Multiple cycles per year
For Ontario-based small businesses in digital media, film, and publishing. Grants of up to $500,000 support content production, business growth, and project development. Multiple intake cycles run throughout the year.
Apply:ontariocreates.ca
🌴 The Caribbean
CDB CIIF — Caribbean Women in Music (WOMEX 2026)
Funder: Caribbean Development Bank / CIIF × SheTrades Caribbean | Amount: USD $75,000 pool | Deadline: June 7, 2026
One of the most exciting Caribbean opportunities on this list. A fully funded delegation to the World Music Expo (WOMEX) in Gran Canaria, Spain, from October 21–25, 2026. Covers airfare, accommodation, all-access passes, a feature in a digital business catalogue, onsite networking, post-WOMEX business lead reviews, and three months of market-entry preparation support.
Open to women business managers, publishers, songwriters, music technology developers, or producers operating under a formally registered business in any of CDB's 19 borrowing member countries. Applicants must be SheTrades Caribbean Hub members and have at least five years of operational experience in the music business. Not open to recording or performing artists.
Apply:caribank.org
CIIF — National Cultural Registries Digital Solution Grant
Funder: Caribbean Development Bank — CIIF | Amount: Up to USD $150,000 | Deadline: Opening 2026
A forthcoming grant of up to USD $150,000 for formally registered businesses or organisations across CDB's 19 borrowing member countries to develop or enhance national cultural registries and databases. Exact dates not yet announced — monitor the CDB portal closely.
Apply:caribank.org
OECS MSME Matching Grant — Blue Economy
Funder: OECS / World Bank (UBEC Project) | Amount: Varies | Deadline: Rolling calls
World Bank-funded matching grants for micro, small, and medium enterprises operating in blue-economy value chains — fisheries, tourism, and coastal communities — across OECS member states. Designed to increase productivity, create jobs, and strengthen climate-resilient practices. Women-owned businesses are prioritised.
Apply:oecs.int
Trinidad & Tobago — Ministry of Agriculture Agro-Processor Grants
Funder: Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, T&T | Amount: Varies | Deadline: Open through year-end 2026
Targeted grants for small farmers and agro-processors in Trinidad & Tobago, covering seedlings, equipment, irrigation, and food security initiatives. Open through the end of 2026.
Apply:moore.tt
A Few Final Tips Before You Apply
Grant funding is not a lottery, it rewards preparation. Before you hit submit on any of the above, make sure your business documentation is in order: a current business plan, up-to-date financial statements, proof of registration, and a clear narrative explaining how you'll use the funds and what impact they'll have. Most applications are evaluated on that last point above all others. Lastly, mark the rolling grants in your calendar now, not later. CanExport, IRAP, and the Verizon/LISC programme are all first-come, first-funded in practice. Waiting until the "right moment" usually means waiting until the budget is gone. We update this listing every month. Check back in July for new openings, and share this post with any business owner who could use the boost.
All listings verified as of May 31, 2026. Always confirm deadlines and eligibility directly with the funder before applying.
Remember: These deadlines are approaching fast. Review the opportunities that align with your business, gather your materials, and get those applications submitted. Your next growth phase could be just one grant away.
For additional information on rolling grants and more opportunities, visit www.caribbiznetwork.com/grants
Note: This post was created with the assistance of genAI with human editing and additions.
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