How entrepreneurs can win with strategic grant applications

When launching a business, one of the first questions entrepreneurs ask is, “How do I get funding to start?” For many, the answers include loans, savings, crowdfunding, or venture capital.

But for women especially women of color the question is more than financial; it’s personal. Despite being one of the fastest-growing groups of entrepreneurs in the U.S., they continue to face significant disparities in accessing capital.

Are they seeking social impact? Public relations value? Community development? Weaver won a FedEx grant by highlighting how essential shipping was to her businessand FedEx built an entire PR campaign around her story.

Becoming Fundable Through Storytelling and Data

Your story matters but so does your strategy. Data-backed storytelling is key. The strongest applications don’t just tell what the business does they show why it matters now. Grantors want relevance.

Include up-to-date statistics that support the urgency of the problem you’re solving. Illustrate what’s at stake: underserved communities, lost revenue, or unmet demand. “If your data is from 1973, no one’s going to believe you,” Weaver cautions.

Latasha Randle, Strategy and Small Business Program Manager at Block Advisors, emphasizes the same point. In her work on the Fund Her Future Grant, which supports women entrepreneurs, she’s seen that standout applications align passion with a compelling purpose and credible proof.

Grants Are More Than Money

For early-stage entrepreneurs, grants can be more than financial aid. They offer validation, visibility, and momentum. A thoughtful, data-driven, and empathetic application shows you’re not just seeking funds—you’re offering impact.

By thinking like the grantor, anchoring your story in purpose, and presenting fresh, relevant data, your application becomes more than a request it becomes an investment opportunity. One worth saying yes to.