Women-owned businesses looking for a small-business grant can apply for the Amber Grant.
WomensNet says it awards three $10,000 grants each month:
- a Monthly Amber Grant
- a Monthly Startup Grant
- a rotating Business Category Grant
At the end of the year, three monthly winners receive an additional $50,000 Year-End Grant, one from each grant type.
For August, the rotating Business Category Grant is Hair Care & Skincare.
That makes this month's cycle particularly relevant to eligible businesses in that industry, but the broader Monthly Amber Grant is not limited to hair and skincare businesses.
Who can apply
According to the official rules, applicants must be women age 18 or older who own at least 50% of a business based in the United States or Canada.
Eligible businesses can include:
- idea-stage ventures
- pre-revenue businesses
- existing businesses
- revenue-generating nonprofit organizations
Nonprofits whose primary activity is charitable giving are not eligible.
The official rules should be reviewed before applying because eligibility depends on the actual applicant and business.
Three grants are awarded each month
WomensNet's current rules describe three separate $10,000 monthly grants.
Monthly Amber Grant
All women-owned businesses that meet the core eligibility requirements and apply qualify for consideration for the Monthly Amber Grant.
Monthly Startup Grant
Businesses that are still in the idea phase or have under $10,000 in gross sales can also qualify for the Monthly Startup Grant.
Business Category Grant
WomensNet rotates the category through the year.
The official 2026 schedule includes:
- January: Skilled Trades
- February: Health & Fitness
- March: Food & Beverage
- April: Sustainability
- May: Mental & Emotional Support
- June: Business Support Services
- July: Animal Services
- August: Hair Care & Skincare
- September: Education & Child Care
- October: Creative Arts
- November: STEM
- December: Fashion & Interior Design
A single Amber Grant application can make an applicant eligible for the grants that apply to the business.
WomensNet also says an application can remain eligible for up to 11 additional months for a rotating Business Category Grant for which the business qualifies.
What happens at year end
Three of the monthly winners receive an additional $50,000 Year-End Grant.
One year-end award is selected from each of the three monthly grant tracks.
Winning a monthly award does not guarantee a year-end award.
Applicants should evaluate the opportunity based on the current $10,000 grant first, with the year-end award as an additional possibility rather than an expected outcome.
The August deadline
The official Amber Grant page lists the next $10,000 Amber Grant cutoff as:
August 31, 2026
The official rules state that monthly grant periods end at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the last day of the month.
If you plan to apply, do not treat the final evening as the target.
Give yourself enough time to review the application, confirm the information is accurate, and resolve any technical or eligibility questions.
What the application asks you to do
WomensNet describes its application as relatively short and centered on telling the business story.
The judging criteria published in the official rules provide a useful preparation checklist.
Judges say they consider:
Clarity and purpose
Can the applicant explain what the business does, the problem it addresses, and why the idea is understandable and well defined?
Passion, vision and personal story
Why did the applicant start or want to grow the business? What makes the work matter to her?
Market understanding and strategy
Does the applicant understand the target customer, customer needs, competition, and how the business will attract, serve and retain customers?
Use of grant funds
Is there a specific and realistic plan for the money?
"Use it for marketing" is less informative than explaining the exact project, cost, purpose, and expected business effect.
Business viability and potential
The rules say judges may consider traction such as sales, prototypes or community impact, along with realistic financial information or projections when provided.
Communication and professionalism
Clear, thoughtful responses and attention to submission requirements matter.
What to prepare before opening the application
You can make the application easier by writing down six things first:
- What your business does. Use plain language.
- The problem it solves. Explain why a customer would care.
- Who buys. Identify the customer and what you understand about the market.
- What you have learned so far. Sales, customer feedback, prototypes, repeat business, partnerships or other evidence can help explain progress.
- Exactly how you would use $10,000. Connect the expense to a business need.
- Why the funding matters now. Explain what becomes possible or easier if the business receives the money.
Do not exaggerate traction.
The official rules allow disqualification for false, misleading, or incomplete information.
The application fee and fee waiver
The current official rules state that the application includes a $15 non-refundable fee.
They also state that applicants who cannot pay the fee because of financial hardship can request a fee-waived application option by contacting WomensNet before applying.
Check the official rules for the current process before submitting.
Who should investigate this opportunity
The Amber Grant may be worth a closer look if:
- you meet the ownership and geographic requirements
- your business has a clear purpose and customer
- you can explain a specific use for $10,000
- you can describe the business in clear language without relying on jargon
- your business is early-stage or growing and the grant would fund a defined next step
For August, eligible hair-care and skincare businesses have an additional reason to review the opportunity because of the rotating category grant.
Who should probably not spend time applying
Skip or pause the application if:
- you do not meet the ownership requirements
- your business is outside the eligible geography
- you have not reviewed the official rules
- you would need to invent or exaggerate information to make the application sound stronger
- you cannot yet explain what the money would fund
- the application fee or process does not make sense for your current priorities
A grant application has an opportunity cost.
"Free money" is not free if the application takes time away from more important work and the opportunity is a poor fit.
What the grant does not guarantee
Applying does not guarantee funding.
The grant is merit-based, not a random drawing.
WomensNet describes a review process in which applications are evaluated, finalists are selected, eligibility is checked, and finalists are scored.
Treat the application as a competitive funding opportunity.
Do not build spending plans that assume you will receive it.
Try this in the next hour
Before opening the application, write one paragraph for each of these questions:
- What does the business do?
- What problem does it solve?
- Who is the customer?
- What evidence do you have that the business is gaining traction or solving a real problem?
- What exactly would you do with $10,000?
- Why does that use of funds matter now?
Then compare your answers with the official judging criteria.
If the answers are specific and the eligibility rules fit your business, review the official application and decide whether the August 31 cycle deserves your time.