Easy Grants to Get: Accessible Funding for Businesses, Individuals, and Nonprofits

Securing funding often feels like a full-time job, filled with complex paperwork and long waiting periods. However, specific grant programs exist that prioritize speed, simplicity, and accessibility. These "easy" grants typically feature streamlined applications, rolling deadlines, or entitlement-based criteria that remove the guesswork from the approval process.

By shifting your focus from highly competitive federal contracts to high-frequency microgrants and local community funding, you can significantly increase your odds of success. The key is identifying opportunities where the barrier to entry is intentionally low.

Key Takeaways

• Focus on Frequency: Grants with monthly or rolling deadlines, like the Amber Grant or Awesome Foundation, offer more chances to win and faster response times than annual contests.
• Leverage Entitlements: Government programs like the Pell Grant are non-competitive; if your financial data meets the criteria, you automatically qualify for funding.
• Utilize In-Kind Awards: Programs like the Google Ad Grant provide valuable services (advertising credits) rather than cash, often with much higher acceptance rates for eligible nonprofits.
• Go Local: Decentralized corporate grants empower local managers to make funding decisions, making face-to-face relationships a powerful tool.
• Micro-Grants Matter: Smaller awards ($500–$2,500) usually require less documentation and reporting, making them the most efficient option for immediate needs.

Small Business Grants with Streamlined Applications

Entrepreneurs often struggle to find funding that doesn't require giving away equity or taking on debt. Fortunately, several private foundations and organizations offer microgrants designed to help startups and small businesses with minimal administrative hassle.

The Awesome Foundation: No Strings Attached

The Awesome Foundation operates on a unique, hyper-local model. Instead of a single headquarters, it consists of autonomous chapters around the world. Each month, these chapters award $1,000 grants to projects that are creative, impactful, or simply "awesome".

• Why it’s easy: The application form is incredibly brief. You only need to answer simple questions about who you are, what your project is, and how you will use the money.
• The criteria: Trustees look for joy and community impact rather than profit and loss statements. There are no requirements for repayment or equity.
• Strategy: Apply to a chapter near you or a thematic chapter (e.g., "Disability" or "On the Water") that aligns with your specific niche.   

The Amber Grant: Monthly Funding for Women

Founded to honor the memory of a young entrepreneur, the Amber Grant is a reliable source of funding for women-owned businesses. The organization awards $10,000 every month, and monthly winners are eligible for a year-end grant of $25,000.

• Application process: The form takes minutes to complete. It focuses on your story and your passion rather than credit scores or complex business plans.
• Category grants: In addition to the general grant, they offer Business Category Grants (e.g., Health & Fitness, Skilled Trades) during specific months. This narrows the competitor pool significantly.
• Pro tip: Be authentic. The judges prioritize personal narrative and "grit" over corporate jargon.

Galaxy Grants: Low-Barrier Entry

Galaxy Grants are designed for women and minority entrepreneurs who want to start or grow their business. The application process is deliberately fast, often taking less than a minute to complete.

• Award Amount: Recent cycles have offered grants around $2,025 to $2,950.
• Simplicity: There are no lengthy business plans required. You simply enter your contact details and a brief statement.
• Resources: Entering often grants you access to free educational resources, making it valuable even if you don't win the cash prize.

You can explore more about federal support and verify legitimate programs through the (https://www.sba.gov), which offers guidance on distinguishing valid grants from scams.

Corporate Community Grants: The Local Advantage

Large corporations often have massive charitable arms, but the "easiest" funds to access are often decentralized. Instead of applying to a national board, look for programs that empower local managers to cut checks.

Walmart Spark Good Local Grants

Walmart allows management at its local facilities (stores, Sam’s Clubs, distribution centers) to award grants ranging from $250 to $5,000. These are typically directed toward K-12 schools, police departments, fire departments, and local nonprofits.

• Relationship-based: A store manager who knows you or sees your work in the community is the primary decision-maker.
• Quarterly cycles: Walmart accepts applications quarterly (e.g., Feb-April, May-July), providing multiple chances to apply throughout the year.
• Verification: You must be verified by their third-party partner, "Deed," but once verified, the application is straightforward.

Hiring Our Heroes (Sponsored by FedEx)

While the traditional FedEx Small Business Grant Contest has evolved, FedEx continues to fund initiatives like the Hiring Our Heroes Small Business Grant. This targets veteran-owned and military-spouse-owned businesses.

• Targeted Eligibility: By restricting the pool to military-affiliated founders, the competition is less diluted than national open calls.
• Grant Size: Awards can range from $10,000 to $25,000.
• Requirements: Applicants typically need to show business ownership proof and a narrative of community impact.

Personal and Hardship Grants: Entitlement vs. Competition

For individuals facing financial distress, "grants" usually come in the form of government benefit programs or specific hardship funds. Understanding the difference between a competitive grant and an entitlement is crucial.

Government Entitlements

Entitlements are the most reliable form of "easy" money because they are non-competitive. If you meet the data requirements (income level, family size), you are legally entitled to the funds.

• Pell Grants: For students, this is the gold standard. Eligibility is determined by the (https://studentaid.gov) application. If your Student Aid Index (SAI) falls within the range, you receive the funds. There is no essay to write and no judge to impress.
• LIHEAP: The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program helps families pay heating and cooling bills. It is a grant paid directly to utility companies on your behalf.
• Navigation: Use the official benefits finder tool to quickly locate programs you qualify for based on your specific demographic data.

Modest Needs: Stopping the Cycle of Poverty

Modest Needs is a nonprofit organization that targets the "working poor"—people who are employed but live paycheck to paycheck and don't qualify for traditional welfare.

• Self-Sufficiency Grants: These cover specific, one-time emergency expenses (like a car repair to keep you getting to work).
• Direct Payment: They pay the vendor directly (e.g., the mechanic or doctor), not the applicant. This transparency makes donors more willing to fund requests.
• Documentation: While the application is open to many, you must provide proof of employment and the specific bill you need paid.

Non-Profit and In-Kind Grants

Sometimes the most valuable grants aren't cash, but services that free up cash in your budget.

Google Ad Grants

For 501(c)(3) nonprofits, the Google Ad Grant is arguably the easiest high-value asset to secure. It provides $10,000 USD per month in in-kind search advertising. 

• High approval rate: This is not a limited pot of money. If your organization is eligible and has a high-quality website, you get the grant.
• Immediate impact: The credits allow you to drive traffic to your donation pages, volunteer sign-ups, or educational content.
• Compliance: You must maintain a 5% Click-Through Rate (CTR) to keep the grant active, but you can fix and re-apply if rejected initially.

The Pollination Project

This organization awards $1,000 seed grants every day of the year. They focus on early-stage projects that promote compassion and social change.

• Rolling deadlines: You can apply 365 days a year.
• Broad eligibility: Unlike many foundations, they fund individuals and informal groups, not just registered charities.
• Ethical focus: They prioritize projects that align with values of compassion, including animal welfare and environmental justice. Note that they do not fund projects that purchase meat or animal products.

Educational and Teacher Grants

Teachers often spend their own money on classrooms, but "easy" grants exist to reimburse these costs.

• Pets in the Classroom: This program offers grants from $50 to $125 to teachers to purchase and maintain classroom pets. The application is simple and rolling.
• No-Essay Scholarships: Platforms like Niche and Bold.org offer sweepstakes-style scholarships where the main requirement is creating a profile. These are "easy" to apply for but highly competitive due to volume.

Quick Comparison of Accessible Grant Opportunities

Tips for Submission Success

Even for "easy" grants, a sloppy application will result in rejection. Follow these steps to maximize your efficiency and success rate.

• Create a "Grant Resume": Keep a document with your standard answers (mission statement, short bio, organization history, tax ID numbers). This allows you to copy-paste accurate information quickly into multiple applications.
• Verify Your Status: Ensure you are registered with Grants.gov or have your Unique Entity ID (UEI) from SAM.gov if you are considering any federal opportunities. For corporate grants, ensure your third-party verifications (like Deed or TechSoup) are active.
• Focus on the "Why": For narrative grants like Amber or Awesome, the emotional hook is more important than technical jargon. Explain clearly who will be helped and why the money is needed now.
• Avoid Scams: Never pay a "processing fee" for a grant that promises guaranteed money. Legitimate application fees (like Amber Grant's administrative fee) are small and transparent, but any request for bank details upfront or large fees to "release" funds is a red flag.

Frequently Asked Questions