active Private Grant

Outta Excuses Small Business Empowerment Grant

Outta Excuses

$3,000 per round

See if you qualify — free Visit official program ↗

The short version

Quarterly $3,000 grant for U.S. LLCs and 501(c)(3)s under $500K revenue; $15 entry fee; current round closes Dec 31, 2026.

Outta Excuses runs a quarterly $3,000 small business grant for U.S. businesses; one owner wins each round. The program is open to registered LLCs and 501(c)(3) nonprofits with annual revenue under $500,000. Winners also receive free weekly strategic coaching for 30 days. A $15 non-refundable entry fee covers platform and administrative costs.

Funding type: Grant
Level: Private
Amount range: $3,000
Realistic amount: $3,000 (one winner per round)
Deadline: Open now — the current round closes December 31, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST; one small business owner wins the $3,000 grant
Status: active
States: Nationwide

Who qualifies

Must be a registered LLC or a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit
Must generate under $500,000 per year in revenue
Must be a legal resident of one of the fifty United States, District of Columbia, or Puerto Rico
Must be at least 18 years of age (19 in Alabama and Nebraska)

Who is not eligible

Sole proprietorships and unincorporated businesses
Businesses with annual revenue of $500,000 or more
Applicants outside the fifty United States, D.C., or Puerto Rico

Is the Outta Excuses Grant legit?

Yes. Two North Carolina companies sponsor it and post past winners on its site. It charges a $15 entry fee that is not refunded.

Who runs it: Be Intentional LLC and Tillman Group & Associates LLC
Cost to apply: $15, not refundable
What winners get: $3,000 a round and 30 days of free coaching; one winner per round

Sources: outtaexcuses.com · page 2. Last checked at the funder on October 18, 2026.

Past Outta Excuses Grant winners

Past winners on the Outta Excuses site (undated):

Emily Jefferson, Avonya's Blends · Date not published
Terrence Palmer, Digi Dreams · Date not published
Tisha Novello · Date not published
Tillies Daniel, TalentCore Strategies · Date not published
Julia Glassman, INSIDE Nature, LLC · Date not published
Amaka Nwafor, Amaka Rose · Date not published

Names as published by Outta Excuses (source). GrantCompass is not affiliated with Outta Excuses.

New grants like this every week: see this week's list or get it by email on Mondays.

What the Outta Excuses Small Business Empowerment Grant application asks

The Outta Excuses Small Business Empowerment Grant application asks two written questions, alongside your contact and business details. The entry fee is $15. The deadline is December 31, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET, and you submit on the funder’s own form at outtaexcuses.com. These are the questions as they appear on the form:

1

Describe your story and the nature of your business.
2

How would you use the funding?

What the judges look for

Your story and what you've pushed through
What the business does and who it serves
Real progress so far
A specific use of the $3,000
How the money and coaching help you grow

We draft this application

GrantCompass drafts the Outta Excuses Small Business Empowerment Grant application from your own answers. You answer four short questions about your business and we write both answers around what the judges look for, to fit the form. We use only what you tell us: nothing is invented, and anything a stronger answer needs is left as a marked blank for you to fill. The preview is free with no card. The full draft is $9, refunded in full within 7 days if it doesn’t make your application stronger. You review it and submit it yourself; GrantCompass is independent and not affiliated with Outta Excuses. Start a free draft on this page (grantcompass.co/grants/outta-excuses-small-business-empowerment-grant), or read how the drafting works.

What it covers

Eligible expenses

Working capital
Marketing and advertising
Operations
Equipment
Professional development

Ineligible expenses

See official program guidance

How to apply

1

Confirm LLC or 501(c)(3) status and revenue under $500K

Only registered LLCs and 501(c)(3) nonprofits with annual revenue under $500,000 are eligible. Gather registration documentation and recent revenue proof.

~30 min
2

Complete the online application and pay the $15 entry fee

Fill out the application form and submit the non-refundable $15 fee, which covers platform setup and administrative costs.

~1 hrs
3

Provide proof of registration and revenue

Upload documentation showing the business is registered as an LLC or 501(c)(3) and that annual revenue is under $500,000.

~30 min
4

Await selection and coaching

Winners receive $3,000 plus free weekly strategic coaching for 30 days.

Insider tip

The $15 fee is modest but non-refundable — only apply if you can quickly prove LLC/501(c)(3) status and sub-$500K revenue. Each round has one $3,000 winner.

Deadline & timing

Quarterly cycles. The current round is open and closes December 31, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST (re-checked at the funder October 22, 2026). The $10,000 November bonus on the funder’s older overview page belonged to the July–September round; the current round lists only the $3,000 grant.

Applications are open — don’t lose the window

GrantCompass tracks Outta Excuses Small Business Empowerment Grant’s application windows in the live catalog. Leave an email and we’ll warn you before this window closes — and tell you when the next round opens.

Free. One email when the window moves, deadline warnings on your watchlist, and the monthly closing-soon digest. Unsubscribe anytime.

Required documents

Proof of LLC or 501(c)(3) registration
Proof of annual revenue under $500,000
$15 non-refundable entry fee payment

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Last updated October 27, 2026. GrantCompass is an independent funding-discovery tool and is not affiliated with any government agency. Always confirm details on the official program page.