Grant application status: open worldwide
Capital for the business that gets a community working.
FFSBD is a U.S. 501(c)(3) public charity that funds entrepreneurs and small-business owners in every country — with grants, training, and a straightforward path from application to approval.
Ledger — who qualifies
- Entity type
- Small business, cooperative, or founder-in-formation
- Geography
- All countries
- Sector
- Open
- Stage
- Idea through growth
- Apply via
- Online application form
Why small business
Small enterprise is where most of the world earns its living.
Across developing and developed economies alike, small economic units make up the largest share of employment. When one survives and grows, it doesn't just support one family — it buys locally, hires locally, and keeps spending inside the community it serves. FFSBD exists to make that survival less dependent on luck and more dependent on access.
What we fund
Four ways we put money and know-how to work.
Grants, not gatekeeping
Direct grant capital for viable businesses that conventional lenders overlook — especially in markets where bank financing is scarce.
Training and mentorship
Startup assistance and mentoring that help a skill or an idea become a business that can actually pay its own bills.
Built for the overlooked
Dedicated support for women, young entrepreneurs, rural businesses, and people with disabilities facing extra barriers to capital.
From informal to compliant
Help registering a business, setting up bookkeeping, and understanding local tax and regulatory obligations.
Reach
Open to international applicants worldwide.
This year's cycle accepts applications from any country. Because demand is high, we assess eligibility by priority focus area, project quality, and expected impact — not by where a business happens to be located.
Read the eligibility criteria →The process
From application to approval, in four lines.
Submit
Complete the secure online application form with your business details and supporting documents.
Review
Our team checks eligibility and evaluates the business plan, need, and expected community impact.
Decision
Applicants are notified by email whether the request is approved, declined, or sent back for more detail.
Disbursement & Support
Approved grants are disbursed with a simple reporting agreement and, where useful, ongoing mentorship.
Have a business worth backing?
It takes about fifteen minutes to tell us what you're building.