Giving Joy’s Fall 2026 microgrant cycle is now accepting applications from women entrepreneurs worldwide, offering up to $500 with no application fee.
The window runs September 1 through September 30, 2026, with winners announced in December.
Giving Joy is a global nonprofit that funds women-led businesses and community projects. Most comparable grant programs charge $15 to $25 to apply. Giving Joy does not.
Who Can Apply
The program is open to women 18 and older in any country. Applicants do not need to already own a business. Proposals are accepted across any legal field, trade, or occupation, from agriculture to retail to skilled trades, provided the activity benefits the applicant’s community.
Award Amounts
Grants range from $250 to $500. Giving Joy selects five to 10 winners per cycle. The spring 2026 round drew more than 6,400 applications globally.
About Giving Joy
Giving Joy is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization founded in late 2018. Since its launch, the nonprofit has funded 112 women entrepreneurs across 37 countries. In 2025, Giving Joy awarded its 100th microgrant, a milestone the organization says has directly benefited nearly 7,000 people and reached an estimated 70,000 more indirectly through what it calls a “multiplier effect.”
The organization’s mission centers on closing the global gender gap through direct investment in women’s economic independence. Giving Joy cites World Economic Forum data showing the world has closed only 68.8% of the overall gender gap and 61% of the economic gap, a pace that would take more than 150 years to reach parity.
Beyond funding, grant recipients join an alumni network where past winners connect, trade resources, and support one another. Giving Joy also runs a corporate sponsorship program and accepts public donations to expand its grantmaking. More information on the organization’s funders, structure, and past winners is available on its Who We Are and Grant Winners pages.
How to Apply
Applications are submitted online only at givingjoygrants.org/grant-application. Email submissions are not accepted. Applicants must explain how the funds will be used and how the project benefits their community.
Deadline: September 30, 2026.
