Our Grant Program is paused. Discover other small business grants to help you grow. Explore Grants
The ZenBusiness Grant Program is currently paused and not accepting applications at this time. We’re proud to have supported over 40 small business owners through our $5,000 grant awards in the past year — and we look forward to sharing future updates when the program resumes. In the meantime, explore our curated list of other small business grants and funding opportunities you can apply for today.
ZENBUSINESS GRANTS
At ZenBusiness, we believe every entrepreneur deserves a helping hand. While the ZenBusiness Grant Program is currently paused, past grantees received $5,000 to help grow their businesses, along with access to select ZenBusiness products and services available at the time of the award.
We’re proud to have supported so many small business owners through this program and remain committed to empowering entrepreneurs everywhere.
ELIGIBILITY & VALUE
Although the program is currently paused and not accepting new applications, the details below highlight how it operated in past cycles.
Past applicants were required to be current ZenBusiness customers, at least 18 years old, who had used ZenBusiness formation services within the prior 3 to 6 months.
Eligible businesses needed to be privately owned, registered, and based in the United States, offering products or services that positively impact their communities.
Each customer could submit one application per quarter, and prior grant recipients were not eligible to apply again.
Grantees were selected based on their application responses and encouraged to use the funds as described in their submissions. Each recipient also participated in a short follow-up interview after receiving the grant.
Each grantee received a $5,000 award, access to Money Pro for 30 days, “Ask Me Anything” office hours with our team, and other ZenBusiness tools available at the time of award distribution.
When active, the program accepted entries from January 1 through December 31 each year. Applications were reviewed quarterly, with grantees chosen based on eligibility and impact.
The ZenBusiness Grant Program is currently paused, but here’s how eligibility worked for past applicants.
Past applicants were required to be at least 18 years old and have used ZenBusiness formation services within the previous 3 to 6 months.
Eligible businesses were privately owned, registered, and based in the United States, offering products or services that contributed positively to their communities.
Each customer could submit one application per quarter, and previous award recipients were not eligible to apply again.
OUR MISSION
An equitable world is our goal, and we take this mission seriously. We strive to pay it forward by providing grants to small business owners in need. Since 2020, we’ve given away over $650,000 in grants to small businesses. Additionally, we donate to organizations that align with our values to support entrepreneurship and end systemic inequality.
Learn more about social impact at ZenBusiness and how we are on a mission to support entrepreneurship for business owners from all walks of life.
Read how the grant program has helped these past grantees and their businesses.
Ambrosia Crump, Grantee
Dignity Disability Solutions LLC
“The grant money has helped me secure a private mailbox where my homeless clients can receive their social security correspondence, pay my membership dues to professional organizations, and paid for my ability to attend trainings to improve my advocacy skills.”
Anasa Whiting, Grantee
Always A Puppy At Heart Retirement Villa LLC
“The ZenBusiness grant will help move my business forward so I can help more senior dogs.”
Andrew Bellina, Grantee
Oak Leaf Gold LLC
“The ZenBusiness Grant money has already made a positive change for Oak Leaf Gold LLC. It has helped put me in the forefront in career and resume assistance for retiring and separating veterans.”
Lashaunda Robinson, Grantee
Beyond Care Enrichment and Engagement Program LLC
“The ZenBusiness grant money will help me ensure that I am able to provide high quality summer opportunities and experiences to students by using this grant to pay for those activities such as sailing and indoor rock climbing.”
Michael Wrodan, Grantee
Grapple The Streets Chicago LLC
“I would like to thank Zen Business for the amazing grant!. With the money now we have funding to help buy uniforms and start a handful of children and teens start their martial arts journey, hopefully changing their lives for the better! ”
Nolan Critzer, Grantee
Central Safety Solutions LLC
“The ZenBusiness grant money will help expand my safety & training business by providing no-cost CPR/First Aid training to local organizations as well as hiring a part-time Spanish speaking translator to help expand my services to a wider demographic of potential clients.”
Harsh Patel, Grantee
HRP LLC
“The ZenBusiness grant money has a huge impact our small business as it helps us with growth, development and ultimately assist individuals with felony records get back on their feet.”
Samie Smilz, Grantee
Eboore LLC
“Zen Business Grant provides us with an incredible opportunity to scale our innovation and positively impact millions of people in developing countries in Africa.”
Alicia Freeman, Grantee
Freeman Counseling and Consulting LLC
“I plan to use this grant in various ways including continuing education courses to expand my knowledge in the ethical and cultural issues that are impacting communities and discussing ways for me to continue to become a more knowledgeable and competent therapist.”
Elijah Ketchup Jr., Grantee
ACE Athletic Coach
“The ZenBusiness grant money will make a huge impact for me and ACE Athletic Academy! ZenBusiness is giving our academy all the support we need to propel forward.”
Ivette Bernal, Grantee
Bermon Group LLC
“The ZenBusiness grant helped my business covering real estate and repair costs for our very first affordable housing unit! The Grant money allowed us to dedicate extra resources in renovating a nice affordable future home for a monoparental family in Florida.”
Thaddeus Eugene Edward Cook, Grantee
Great American Radon LLC
The ZenBusiness grant money will significantly help to get us up and going. We plan to use the money to buy a few more tools and supplies that we would have had to wait on. This will help us to be more efficient and reduce time at the job sites. Thank You so much ZenBusiness!
Dr. Kevin White, Grantee
Milwaukee Academy of Learning LLC
“The ZenBusiness grant money will have a great impact for me and my school. It is going to help move the school in the right direction as I use the grant money to hire part-time faculty to assist me with teaching classes.”
Emily Pedzinski, Grantee
BeeFit Investments LLC
“The ZenBusiness grant will make a huge impact for me and my business as it is allowing me to start expanding my apiary now. With that I am able to start building my inventory so that I can start the next step in my business plan now.”
Anjanette Silas, Grantee
Birth & Beyond, NYC LLC
“The ZenBusiness grant will have a ripple effect within the communities I serve. With the grant that I received, I can offset the cost of doula services for families most affected by health inequities.”
Zainab ALJbory, Grantee
Agro BioResearch LLC
The ZenBusiness grant money will make a significant impact for my business, it’s going to drive our research services forward. I will be able to purchase the needed lab equipment which will increase our capacity to reach more customers”.
Rita Lewis, Grantee
RI-VIVE Wellness LLC
“The ZenBusiness grant money will make a huge impact for me and my business – it’s going to help propel my business forward as I’ll use the grant funds to help open a rental space in my area where I can see my patients in a clinical setting.
Yolanda Ramos
Clinical Comadre LLC
The money Clinical Comadre was awarded from ZenBusiness will help us host community events centered around healing. Funds will also be allocated to workshop/event scholarships, to make our offerings accessible to those who traditionally would not be able to afford to attend. We also have a guided journal with prompts which will be released in Spring 2023, and this award from ZenBusiness will also allow us to provide a set number of free copies to the community, again to those who may not be able to afford the journal on their own
Jeff Willingham
J&J Martial Consulting LLC
We are so excited about the ZenBusiness Grant. We are going to be using the funds to purchase more gear and equipment to help our students developing their techniques and strategies for competition and life
Ashley Harrington
Ashley’s First Aid and CPR Training LLC
The grant I was given helped me acquire the tools needed to give people the full and best training possible
Jodi Petersen
MentorStrat LLC
With the ZenBusiness grant, we will be able to enhance and promote MentorStrat Academy, making sure mentors, mentees, and program managers have what they need so everyone has the opportunity to advance through mentorship
Lewis Citizen
Black Royalty Success Publishing LLC
The ZenBusiness grant money will make a huge impact for me and my business. It’s going to help propel my business forward as we will use the grant funding to target and reach new customers to help increase our business online sales and brand awareness. Funding will help out with operation costs, advertising, marketing, promotion, books, videos, free online success curriculum courses, and clothing design and creation. We will also use funds for ongoing marketing and email campaigns along with sourcing contract workers, and third party creators to help with digital products design and creation
Mariel Benoit
Technique Unique Pet Services LLC
The ZenBusiness grant money will make a huge impact for me and my (our) business – it’s going to help propel my (our) business forward as I’ll (we’ll) use the grant target and reach new customers by increasing our marketing output and investing in reliable supplies so we can better serve the pets in our community
Dr. Gloria Davy
Mavis Dunbar Immigrants Services LLC
The Zen Business grant money will make a significant impact for me and my business. It will help with the business target population recruitment efforts and set up a checking account for our business.
Uzochukwu Ehiemenonye
Chipper and Cheeky LLC
Thanks to the Care for Your Calling Grant, we have been able to expand our marketing efforts and establish a solid footing in a ghost kitchen to expand business to better serve our local community!
Rodolfo Zorilla III
Scoop Speech LLC
Our rent, insurance premiums, software, and marketing will be covered.
Lesley Weir
Yogic Soul Counseling LLC
This grant helped to empower my business through allowing purchase of equitable equipment and technology to make services accessible.
Jacob Spector
Amy's Eight LLC
The ZenBusiness grant will be a huge help for our business! We plan to use these funds for our early-stage experiments, with the eventual goal of creating a diagnostic blood test for endometriosis.
Story Balcom
Blue Story Trauma Coaching LLC
The ZenBusiness grant money has given me a great opportunity to offer more free mental health workshops and discounted counseling sessions for Veterans.
Desire Greene
Letter C LLC
The ZenBusiness Care For Your Calling Grant will help us expand our reach on social media and more directly connect with customers. We’re excited to build communities on these platforms and better support children with special healthcare needs and their families.
Evan Riddle
SandLine Legal Analysis LLC
All of our clients are incarcerated, which means a lot of mail. Outreach for beginning and maintaining relationships through written correspondence can be expensive but this ZenBusiness grant is a blessing that will extend our impact exponentially.
Ayumi Henderson
Healing Tiptoes LLC
The ZenBusiness grant money will be used to create our company logo t-shirts and bags and more items, also change my website for the better!
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The ZenBusiness Grant Program is currently paused. The information below reflects how our previous grant cycles operated.
Only one entry per customer will be accepted. When completing your application, you’ll get the option to choose the business you’re applying for.
Applications do not roll over from previous quarters. Only one entry will be accepted per customer, per quarter.
ZenBusiness would like to extend its support to as many customers as we can. As of now, winners of a previous ZenBusiness award or grant are not eligible to re-apply for another grant.
Entries will be accepted January 1 through December 31, 2025. Applicants will be reviewed against other entries submitted in the same quarter. For example, if you applied on January 3rd, you’ll be reviewed against all the applications submitted from January 1 to March 31.
Note: The program is currently paused; we are not accepting applications for the remainder of 2025.
Each grant awarded will be $5,000.
Grantees are chosen based on their application responses. We’d love to see grantees apply their grant money as noted. Grantees are asked to agree to a follow up interview after the grant money has been distributed so that we can learn more about how the grant was used.
Before distributing the funds, we’ll work with you on obtaining your FEIN (if applicable), W-9, and banking information. Failure to respond with the required 10 business days of being notified may result in ineligibility for the Grants Program. Our team would love to grant the award money within 30 days of letting you know the good news.
The grant award review process will be done in 3 steps: (1) An initial screening to ensure the applicant meets the eligibility requirements referenced in these terms & conditions. (2) Evaluation by a group of ZenBusiness staff of statement of need. (3) ZenBusiness Inc. shall conduct due diligence to ensure the applicant is an entity in good standing in their state of registration, or a U.S. citizen, as appropriate per applicant and that applicant is engaging in a positive business. Awarded applicants will be notified of their grant award on a rolling basis via email or telephone.
Grant awards may be considered taxable income. We advise you to consult with your financial and tax advisors to learn more about any tax obligations you may have.
Grantees will be notified by phone, then email if needed.
Applications are reviewed quarterly. You should receive a notification of your status within 8 to 12 weeks of applying.
Profile information is automatically updated when you update your dashboard. Please make sure that your profile info is up to date.
Application responses submitted are considered final. If you’re awarded a grant and your needs change, we trust you’ll apply the funds to the area of your business that needs it most.
More ZenBusiness Grant Information
Want to know more? Read the guidelines, terms, and conditions.
For other questions, please email grants@zenbusiness.com
Take the next step toward your business success