Women who are still developing an idea or generating only a small amount of revenue often struggle with a frustrating grant problem: many funding programmes want evidence of traction before they will provide the money needed to create that traction.

The WomensNet Monthly Startup Grant was created specifically for this stage.

Every month, WomensNet awards $10,000 to a qualifying startup led by women.

What Does WomensNet Mean by “Startup”?

For this programme, a startup is a business still at the idea stage or one with less than $10,000 in sales.

This makes the opportunity particularly useful for entrepreneurs who have not yet built a mature revenue history.

Businesses with more substantial sales can still apply for other WomensNet grants, including the Monthly Amber Grant.

Who Can Apply?

Applicants must be women aged 18 or older, own at least 50% of the business and operate from the United States or Canada.

The Startup Grant can include pre-revenue and idea-stage companies.

That means an applicant does not necessarily need to have completed incorporation, hired employees or earned meaningful revenue before explaining the business concept.

However, the idea should still be credible.

How Much Can You Win?

The monthly winner receives $10,000.

Every monthly Startup Grant recipient is also considered for a $50,000 year-end grant.

This creates the possibility of receiving $60,000 across the year.

How Do You Apply?

There is no separate Startup Grant form.

WomensNet uses one application across its programmes.

When you apply for the Amber Grant, the organisation determines whether your business qualifies for the Startup Grant and other relevant awards.

The standard application fee is $15.

What Should an Idea-Stage Founder Write?

The challenge for a pre-revenue applicant is that there may not be strong sales metrics to present.

Your application should therefore focus on evidence that reduces uncertainty.

Explain the customer problem and what you have already done to validate it.

This might include customer interviews, waitlists, product prototypes, pilot discussions, pre-orders, industry experience or feedback from potential buyers.

Then explain how $10,000 would help turn validation into commercial progress.

For example, it could finance the first production run, testing, regulatory registration, packaging, equipment or an initial market launch.

Avoid writing an application that consists only of the dream.

The judges need to understand what you have already done and what specific next milestone the grant makes possible.

Monthly Deadline

Applications close at 11:59pm Eastern Time on the final day of each month.

A new cycle begins the following month.

Apply for the WomensNet Startup Grant

For women who are still too early for bank financing or venture capital, this grant provides a rare opportunity to seek meaningful startup capital before a business has substantial sales.