Amber Grant for Women 2026: can a Canadian business win it?
Yes. The Amber Grant is a private award, not a government grant. WomensNet, an organization based in Penfield, New York, gives three US$10,000 awards every month to women-owned businesses based in the United States or Canada, and at the end of the year three of those monthly winners receive an extra US$50,000 each. You can apply if you are a woman aged 18 or older who owns at least 50% of a business based in Canada or the US, including a business that is still an idea with no sales.
The rule most people miss: every entry carries a non-refundable US$15 fee, and WomensNet waives it only if you email [email protected] and ask before you apply. As of September 30, 2026 it is open. Each month is its own round that closes at 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the last day of the month, and winners are announced by the 21st of the following month.
The Amber Grant at a glance
| Amount | US$10,000 per monthly award, with three awarded each month. Three monthly winners also receive a US$50,000 Year-End Grant. |
|---|---|
| Funding type | Private award judged on merit by WomensNet. Not government funding, not a loan and not a random draw. |
| Who can apply | Women aged 18 or older who own at least 50% of a business based in the United States or Canada. Idea-stage, pre-revenue and revenue-generating nonprofit businesses are included. |
| Key exclusions | Applicants under 18; businesses less than 50% women-owned; businesses based outside the US and Canada; nonprofits whose primary activity is charitable giving; nonprofits where women hold less than 50% of top leadership or the Board President or CEO is not a woman. |
| Application fee | US$15, non-refundable. A fee waiver can be requested by email before you apply. |
| How and when to apply | One online application at ambergrantsforwomen.com. Each round runs from the 1st of the month to 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the last day of that month. |
| Results | Monthly winners by the 21st of the following month. Year-End Grant winners are selected in December and announced in January. |
| Status, September 2026 | Open. WomensNet's site listed September 30, 2026 as the cutoff for the current $10,000 round; the next round runs through October. |
| Official site | ambergrantsforwomen.com |
Can Canadian women apply for the Amber Grant?
Yes. WomensNet's official rules open the Amber Grant to women aged 18 or older who own at least 50% of a business based in the United States or Canada, so a Canadian business competes in the same pool as American ones.
Canadians pay the fee by credit card. The application form offers Visa or Mastercard for applicants in the US and Canada, and a PayPal option labelled for the US only.
On currency: WomensNet prints its award amounts with a plain dollar sign and does not name a currency beside them. It is a US organization in New York and its application checkout charges in US dollars, so every figure on this page is shown as US dollars. If the Canadian-dollar value matters to your plans, confirm the payout currency with WomensNet when you are notified.
How much can you get from the Amber Grant?
US$10,000 if you win a monthly award, and US$60,000 in total if that monthly win is followed by a Year-End Grant of US$50,000.
Each month WomensNet gives three US$10,000 awards, and one application puts you in the running for every one you qualify for:
- Monthly Amber Grant. Every eligible women-owned business that applies is considered.
- Monthly Startup Grant. For businesses still in the idea phase or with under $10,000 in gross sales.
- Business Category Grant. For businesses that fit that month's category. Your application stays eligible for category grants for up to 11 more months, so a single entry can reach the month your category comes up.
At the end of the calendar year, three of the monthly winners receive an additional US$50,000 Year-End Grant, one from each of the three grant types. WomensNet says it weighs voting results, updates from the monthly winners and other factors, picks the three in December and announces them in January. It puts the value of all its 2026 grants at $510,000.
| Month | Category |
|---|---|
| January | Skilled Trades |
| February | Health & Fitness |
| March | Food & Beverage |
| April | Sustainability |
| May | Mental & Emotional Support |
| June | Business Support Service |
| July | Animal Services |
| August | Hair Care & Skincare |
| September | Education & Child Care |
| October | Creative Arts |
| November | STEM |
| December | Fashion & Interior Design |
Is the Amber Grant a grant, a loan or a contest?
It is a private award judged on merit. It is not a government grant and not a loan, and WomensNet's terms state that winners are chosen on merit, not by random drawing.
Because it is private money, federal and provincial program rules do not apply to it, and WomensNet does not ask for a formal business plan. WomensNet describes the program as money it gives away each month, says the US$15 application fee is the only fee it charges, and says it never asks for money to pay out a grant. Its rules make winners solely responsible for any taxes or reporting, so ask your accountant how to record an award in your books.
The Amber Grant is one draw among many. Check what else your business qualifies for in 60 seconds, across Canadian grants, loans and awards.
Check what else you qualify forWho is eligible for the Amber Grant?
A woman aged 18 or older who owns at least 50% of a business based in the United States or Canada.
- Any stage. WomensNet's FAQ says you can apply before your business has started, and the Startup Grant exists for idea-stage and pre-revenue businesses.
- Any industry. WomensNet says winners are not limited to any type of business; past winners range from inventors to bakers.
- No website needed. A social media profile for the business, ideally Facebook, helps.
- Nonprofits, with conditions. Revenue-generating nonprofits are eligible if at least 50% of their top leadership are women and the Board President or CEO is a woman. Nonprofits whose primary activity is charitable giving are not.
How do you apply for the Amber Grant?
Fill in one short online form at ambergrantsforwomen.com and pay the US$15 fee. That single entry is considered for every WomensNet grant you qualify for that month.
- Ask for a fee waiver first, if you need one. If the fee is a financial hardship, email [email protected] before you apply.
- Complete the application. The form asks for your name, email, business name and web or Facebook page, a description of your business or business idea, and what you would do with the money. There is no formal business plan.
- Pay the fee. Visa or Mastercard work from Canada.
- Watch for the confirmation email. Check your spam folder if it does not arrive. Applying also adds you to the WomensNet email list.
- Wait for results. Winners are announced by the 21st of the following month on Facebook, the website and the email list. A genuine award notice comes from an @ambergrantsforwomen.com address.
WomensNet's own advice is to write from the heart rather than sound corporate: its judges look for passion as well as business sense.
How are Amber Grant winners chosen?
WomensNet's judges score applications against six published criteria, shortlist finalists, confirm they are eligible, and award the grant to the finalist with the highest combined ranking.
The six criteria in the official rules are:
- Clarity and purpose of the business: what it does, and whether it meets a real need.
- Passion, vision and personal story.
- Market understanding and strategy, even at an early stage.
- Use of grant funds: specific, realistic and tied to growth or sustainability.
- Business viability and potential, including signs of traction such as sales, prototypes or community impact.
- Communication and professionalism.
Each judge picks their top three finalists for each grant type, every finalist goes through a final eligibility check, and each judge then ranks all finalists. WomensNet's FAQ names its Advisory Board as the group that selects winners.
What gets Amber Grant applications rejected?
WomensNet can disqualify any application that contains false, misleading or incomplete information, and all its decisions are final. Beyond that, an entry loses when other finalists score higher on the six criteria.
- Missing the eligibility basics. Under 50% women ownership, a business based outside the US or Canada, or a charitable-giving nonprofit.
- A vague plan for the money. The rules ask for a use of funds that is specific, realistic and tied to growth. "Marketing" is weaker than naming what you would buy and what it would change.
- Reapplying too soon. The system will not accept a second application from the same email within 3 months, and WomensNet suggests reapplying only when something significant in your business has changed.
- Expecting the entry to roll over. Monthly Amber Grant and Startup Grant entries expire at the end of the month you apply.
WomensNet does not give individual feedback on applications, though its blog publishes sample application feedback.
Can you combine the Amber Grant with other funding?
The Amber Grant is separate from Canadian government funding, so applying does not stop you pursuing other programs; if a government program asks you to list other funding for the same costs, include the award.
Other programs in our catalogue for women-owned businesses include the BMO Celebrating Women Grant Program, the RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards, the Cartier Women's Initiative and the Women Entrepreneurship Loan Fund. Each has its own rules and intake dates; the live list below shows which are open now.
Frequently asked questions
Can Canadians apply for the Amber Grant?
Yes. WomensNet's official rules open the Amber Grant to women aged 18 or older who own at least 50% of a business based in the United States or Canada.
How much is the Amber Grant?
WomensNet gives three US$10,000 awards every month. At the end of the year, three of the monthly winners, one from each grant type, receive an additional US$50,000 Year-End Grant.
Is there a fee to apply for the Amber Grant?
Yes. The application fee is US$15 and it is non-refundable. If the fee is a financial hardship, email [email protected] to request a waiver before you apply.
When is the Amber Grant deadline?
Every month is its own round. Each round closes at 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the last day of the month, and winners are announced by the 21st of the following month.
Does an Amber Grant application carry over to the next month?
Not for the Monthly Amber Grant or the Monthly Startup Grant, which expire at the end of the month you apply. The same application stays eligible for up to 11 more months for any Business Category Grant your business fits.
Is the Amber Grant legitimate?
WomensNet founded the Amber Grant in 1998. It says the US$15 application fee is the only fee it charges, that it never asks for money to pay out a grant, and that it contacts winners from an @ambergrantsforwomen.com email address.
Where to go next
If you are entering the Amber Grant this month, you are already thinking about outside money. These are the fastest ways to find the rest of it:
- See every grant for women-owned businesses open now, with deadlines, before this month's round closes.
- Amber Grant program record: eligibility gates, documents, deadlines.
- Check what else you qualify for in 60 seconds.
GrantCompass is an independent funding database, not a government office or the program's administrator. Some features are paid. Amber Grant details on this page come from WomensNet's own pages as of September 30, 2026; confirm current terms on ambergrantsforwomen.com before you apply.