American Express Backing Small Businesses Grant
American Express
$10,000 (recent rounds)
Researched for this program: 4 rejection traps · 4 required documentsWhat decides this award ↓
Community-impact grants from American Express
American Express awards competitive grants to small business owners through its Backing Small Businesses program. Recent rounds awarded $10,000 grants to businesses with strong community impact stories. The program has run multiple rounds since 2020, typically targeting U.S. small businesses with strong community ties. Grant cycles are intermittent and not announced on a fixed annual schedule. The application is currently closed; monitor americanexpress.com/backing-small-businesses for new cycles.
- Funding type
- Grant
- Level
- Private
- Amount range
- $10,000 (recent rounds)
- Realistic amount
- Recent rounds awarded $10,000 grants. Check the current cycle terms when a new round is announced.
- Deadline
- No application is open. The 2025 round is closed; Main Street America, which runs the program with American Express, announces future rounds through its email list (subscribe at mainstreet.org).
- Status
- between-intakes
- States
- Nationwide
- Payment model
- lump sum
Who qualifies
- Must be a for-profit small business based in the United States
- Business must have a compelling community impact story — Amex emphasizes businesses that serve their local communities, not just generate revenue
- American Express card membership has historically been encouraged (some cycles explicitly required being an Amex card member or business card member); verify per current cycle terms
- Business must meet the SBA definition of 'small business' (generally fewer than 500 employees for most industries)
- No minimum revenue requirement stated in past cycles
- Business must be currently operating (not pre-launch)
Hard requirements
- Must be incorporated
Is the American Express small business grants legit?
Yes. American Express says its small-business grants have supported nearly 5,000 businesses since 2020. This page's program, Backing Small Businesses, gave $10,000 grants in its 2025 round and has no open application; a separate 2026 program, the Amex Shop Small Grants, gave 505 businesses $20,000 each with Main Street America.
- Who runs it: American Express, the company behind Small Business Saturday
- Track record: Nearly 5,000 businesses supported since 2020
- This program's last round: 2025: grants of $10,000; the application is closed
- Separate 2026 program: Amex Shop Small Grants: 505 recipients of $20,000 each, with Main Street America
Sources: americanexpress.com · mainstreet.org · page 2. Last checked at the funder on October 22, 2026.
Past American Express small business grants winners
Some 2026 Shop Small Grant recipients:
- Bill’s Hamburgers, Amory, MS · 2026 Amex Shop Small Grants Program ($20,000 each; announced May 20, 2026)
- Don’t Toss the Bouquet, Patchogue, NY · 2026 Amex Shop Small Grants Program ($20,000 each; announced May 20, 2026)
- The Wig Dr. Wig Boutique & Mastectomy Center, Atlanta, GA · 2026 Amex Shop Small Grants Program ($20,000 each; announced May 20, 2026)
- Voy 61 Drive-In Theatre, Delmar, IA · 2026 Amex Shop Small Grants Program ($20,000 each; announced May 20, 2026)
- Maui Sports Cards, Kahului, HI · 2026 Amex Shop Small Grants Program ($20,000 each; announced May 20, 2026)
Names as published by American Express (press release) (source). GrantCompass is not affiliated with American Express (press release).
New grants like this every week: see this week's list or get it by email on Mondays.
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- Grant is unrestricted — any legitimate small business expense
- Working capital and operating costs
- Equipment and technology
- Marketing and advertising
- Inventory
- Staff hiring or training
Ineligible expenses
- No published list of ineligible expenses — grant is unrestricted
- Personal expenses unrelated to the business
How to apply
-
1
Monitor for cycle announcement
There is no active cycle as of May 2026. Bookmark americanexpress.com/backing-small-businesses and follow @AmericanExpress on social media. Past cycles have opened with limited advance notice (1–2 weeks). Being ready to apply quickly is an advantage.
-
2
Prepare your community impact story in advance
When a cycle opens, applications are competitive and windows are short (30–60 days, sometimes less). Prepare your community impact narrative in advance: how your business serves your community, what you've overcome, and what you'll do with the grant. Authenticity and specificity outperform polished corporate language.
~4 hrs
-
3
Complete the online application when the cycle opens
Past cycles used a short online form (basic business info, 2–3 short-answer questions, sometimes a brief video). Application takes approximately 1–2 hours when complete.
~2 hrs
-
4
Submit and await winner announcement
Submit before the cycle closes — deadlines are firm and sometimes shortened without notice. Past cycles announced winners 6–10 weeks after close. Winners are notified by email and featured on americanexpress.com. If not selected, monitor for future cycles; Amex has run multiple rounds and the program recurs.
Amex Backing cycles open and close fast — often within weeks. Set a Google alert for 'American Express small business grant 2026' so you're not caught flat-footed.
Deadline & timing
American Express does not run the Backing Small Businesses grant on a fixed annual calendar. Past cycles have opened with 30–60 day application windows. New cycles are announced via americanexpress.com/backing-small-businesses and @AmericanExpress on social media. Subscribe to American Express business news to be notified.
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