Postsecondary & Career Readiness Grants

Varies; no minimum or maximum publicly stated.

Rolling submissions — no fixed deadline.

AMOUNT

Varies; no minimum or maximum publicly stated.

AMOUNT

Varies; no minimum or maximum publicly stated.

DEADLINE

Rolling submissions — no fixed deadline.

DEADLINE

Rolling submissions — no fixed deadline.

FUNDING TYPE

Grant

CAN YOU GET THIS?

You must be a US nonprofit focused on postsecondary education outcomes for underserved populations.

ECMC Foundation funds work that removes barriers to postsecondary completion, builds institutional capacity, or transforms the postsecondary ecosystem. Priority goes to evidence-based approaches serving learners furthest from opportunity, including areas like basic needs, rural impact, parenting students, CTE, and student success.

YOUR REAL ODDS

The foundation has granted nearly $400 million since 2015, but grantees tend to be established institutions and organizations with track records.

Grantees in their spotlight include large systems like the Nevada System of Higher Education, suggesting competitive preference for organizations with demonstrated scale or research capacity. Grant amounts vary widely and are not publicly specified.

WHAT IT TAKES

Review funding priorities and determine which portfolio fits your work (Strategically Responsive Grants, Grant Initiatives, or Education Innovation Ventures) — 1-2 days
Submit a Letter of Inquiry (LOI) through the grantee portal — Several hours to draft
If invited, prepare a full proposal — 2-4 weeks

WORTH KNOWING

ECMC Foundation uses Letters of Inquiry as the entry point — their own blog describes LOIs as 'the window to opportunity,' so a focused, evidence-grounded LOI tied directly to their stated priorities is the critical first filter.

Apply on the funder’s site →

Freed Fellowship

$500 grant monthly; winners also eligible for a $2,500 year-end grant.

Any US small business owner can apply for a $500 monthly grant with no equity or repayment required.

Texas Job Creators Quest Grant

$100,000 total pool distributed across ~30 recipients; individual awards have ranged from $1,500 to $10,000.

Texas-based small businesses led by underrepresented founders with $100K–$3M in annual revenue can apply for this grant.

BELLE Capital USA Grant

Grant amount varies; no specific figures disclosed.

Early-stage startups in tech, health, or cleantech with at least one female founder or female C-suite executive.

This is 1 of 1,600+ open opportunities.

$50B+ in available capital across grants, VC funds, CDFIs, and accelerators. Filter by your industry, stage, and region, and see everything you qualify for.

Explore the funding database →

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