Women-Owned Small Business Grants

Companies that qualify as a women-owned small business (WOSB) have unique opportunities to grow their business with the government. Often, government agencies will offer grants for these small businesses, along with specifically designated bids and RFPs.

This guide will explain what women-owned small business grants are, help to clarify which businesses can qualify as a WOSB and provide the next steps to find and win more women-owned small business government contracts.

The U.S. Small Business Association (SBA) has specific criteria on what companies can be considered a women-owned small business (or WOSB). In the United States, a women-owned small business (WOSB) must be a small business according to SBA size standards and at least 51% owned and controlled by women who are U.S. citizens.

In Canada, the rules are similar. A Canadian WOSB must be a Canadian business that is at least 51% owned, managed and controlled by women.

For more general advice on your small business and how to sell to the government, this guide explains the best paths to getting started in government sales.

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Federal government entities and state and local governments both offer a range of funding and grant opportunities for small businesses.

Federal Government Grants

One common way to identify federal government grants is through the Assistance Listings hosted on SAM.gov. This lists all available funding programs across the federal government.

The SBA provides a limited amount of small business grants for women-owned businesses and eligible community organizations in order to “promote entrepreneurship.”

State and Local Government Grants

Grants from state and local government entities are posted on the websites of these respective agencies. Grant and contract spending information can also be found on the GovWin IQ platform of government market intelligence.

Canadian Government Grants

The Government of Canada has information on its Canada.ca website dedicated to helping businesses sort through different types of grants and funding opportunities that the government has made available.

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Different types of government contracts, grants and funding are easier to qualify for than others. For your business to become eligible for WOSB opportunities, it must meet a set of criteria set in place by the government agency with which you are doing business.

Federal Grants for Women-Owned Small Business

To be considered a women-owned small business in the eyes of the U.S. federal government and to compete for federal WOSB set-aside contracts and WOSB grant funding, businesses must first complete the certification process on WOSB.Certify.sba.gov.

Federal Contracting 101

State and Local Grants for Women-Owned Small Business

Many states and localities offer their own grant funding along with WOSB certification programs, which can typically be found on their agency websites.

State and Local Contracting 101

Canada Grants for Women-Owned Small Business

Canadian women-owned businesses can discover upcoming opportunities and apply for women-owned small business certification through the WBECanada.ca website.

Canadian Contracting 101

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