The Micro Grants Program is provided by the Market Entry Fund and supports micro food businesses that are owned by entrepreneurs of color, women, veterans and/or individuals demonstrating socio-economic barriers to equitable participation in business – especially the packaged food industry.
Donor Name: The Market Entry Fund
State: Minnesota
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 07/19/2023
Size of the Grant: $1000 to $5000
Details:
Micro Grants program provides cost-sharing opportunities and micro-grants to micro food manufacturing businesses to get them to their next business milestone. They seek to grant to businesses where the “funding, small as it may be, can have the deepest and most tangible impact/return.
Food businesses here include: small farmers, manufacturers in food and beverage.
The Application Approach
- To minimize the burden on applicants in their approach to allocating resources, especially in the communities where resources are already limited, they work hard to adhere to these principles: simple and user-friendly; open, inclusive and responsive to business/community needs; do the most good or have the most impact on the business; and steward well the funds from the donors.
- A diverse, community-based committee with individuals who have experience in small businesses, grant reviews and/or the food and beverage industry will review the grant applications and help decide grant awards.
Funding Information
Micro-grants typically range from $1000 to $5000, one-time award.
Uses of funds
The uses for micro-grants are flexible and open – but they are looking for proposals that have specific and pre- identified uses that can propel the business to the next level – “whatever that next level” may mean for the business. This may be to help address a unique challenge in the industry for the business or a one-time and critical business opportunity that a micro grant of up to $5,000 can have an important and critical impact.
For more information, visit The Market Entry Fund.