Visa Foundation opens a $2 million grant call for nonprofits that help small businesses grow
Grants of $100,000 to $250,000 for 12 months, run by Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, are open to 501(c)(3) groups with budgets of $1 million to $10 million that serve small and micro businesses directly. Applications close Oct. 21 at noon Pacific time.
The Visa Foundation is taking applications for $2 million in grants to nonprofits that give direct help to small and micro businesses in the United States. The open call, named the Visa Foundation U.S. Small Business Growth and Innovation Program, is administered by Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, which runs the request for proposals and the grantmaking. Applications close on Oct. 21 at 12 p.m. Pacific time.
Grants will range from $100,000 to $250,000, with the amount set by the size of the applicant's budget. They are one-time awards for 12 months beginning in January 2027, and applicants will hear by then. The program calls the money flexible grant capital: it may pay for new or existing programs such as training, technical assistance, coaching and help adopting digital tools, and for operating needs such as staff and administrative costs.
Who may apply
An applicant must be a 501(c)(3) public charity based in the United States that works mainly in the 50 states, the District of Columbia or the U.S. territories, with an annual operating budget between $1 million and $10 million. It must provide business support services to small businesses itself and have two years of audited financial statements or two years of Form 990 filings. Fiscally sponsored groups may apply through a 501(c)(3) sponsor that meets the other criteria, and local chapters of national organizations may apply if they hold their own 501(c)(3) status. Each organization may send one application.
The program counts as small and micro businesses those that are independently owned and already selling products or services, generally with 50 or fewer employees and $1.5 million or less in annual revenue. Applicants may be less competitive, it says, if they mainly serve aspiring entrepreneurs rather than operating businesses, reach fewer than 200 such businesses a year, or cannot show results.
What grantees report
Strong candidates, according to the call, know the problems small businesses face, have trusted ties in their communities, can adapt to needs such as artificial intelligence and other technology, and can grow their services with the grant. Grantees file a final narrative and financial report covering businesses reached, jobs supported and revenue growth among the businesses they helped.
Applications go through an online portal, not by email, with a current board-approved budget and the financial statements or Form 990s. They are not treated as confidential and may be shared with the foundation's partners, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors and Maigent Partners, for evaluation and reporting.
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