Galaxy Grant for Women and Minority Business Owners
Galaxy of Stars (Hidden Star 501(c)(3))
$2,500
Researched for this program: 1 rejection trap · 9 required documentsWhat decides this award ↓
Quick free grant for women & minority founders
Galaxy of Stars, the nonprofit arm of Hidden Star, awards grants several times a year to women and minority business owners at any stage — from aspiring entrepreneurs to established small businesses. The program is free to apply, takes under 30 seconds, and has distributed over $420,000 since 2016. No industry restrictions, no revenue requirements, and no government certification needed.
- Funding type
- Grant
- Level
- Foundation
- Amount
- $2,500
- Realistic amount
- $2,500 flat award in the current cycle (published past awards range from $750 to $25,000). Program has distributed $420K+ since 2016.
- Deadline
- The $2,500 Galaxy Grant round closed October 31, 2026; Galaxy of Stars posts new grant rounds through the year, so watch galaxyofstars.org/galaxy-grants for the next one
- Status
- between-intakes
- States
- Nationwide
- Payment model
- lump sum
Who qualifies
- Women business owners or aspiring women entrepreneurs
- Minority business owners or aspiring minority entrepreneurs
- Based in the United States
- Any business stage — from idea phase to established business
- Any industry
- No minimum revenue requirement
- No government certification (WOSB, MBE, etc.) required
Hard requirements
- Demographic eligibility: women-owned
Is the Galaxy Grant legit?
Yes. It is run by Hidden Star, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, has awarded grants since 2016, and is free to apply. The paid Galaxy Plus membership is separate and is not needed to apply.
- Who runs it: Hidden Star Resources, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, through its Galaxy of Stars project
- Since: Grants awarded since 2016
- Cost to apply: Free
- Watch for: Galaxy Plus is a separate paid membership; you do not have to buy it to apply
Sources: galaxyofstars.org · page 2. Last checked at the funder on October 18, 2026.
Past Galaxy Grant winners
Recent winners, as Galaxy publishes them (first name and last initial):
- Genesis G., Brookshire, TX · July 2026
- Alissa M., Franklin, WI · July 2026
- Simone L., Lexington, KY · April 2026
- Jennifer L., Raleigh, NC · January 2026
- Olivia H., Phoenix, AZ · January 2026
- Carlie S., Austin, TX · October 2025
Names as published by Galaxy of Stars (source). GrantCompass is not affiliated with Galaxy of Stars.
New grants like this every week: see this week's list or get it by email on Mondays.
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- Any legitimate business expense — program does not restrict fund use
- Equipment and tools
- Marketing and advertising
- Website and technology
- Inventory
- Working capital
Ineligible expenses
- Personal expenses unrelated to business
How to apply
-
1
Visit the Galaxy Grants application page
Go to galaxyofstars.org/galaxy-grants/ and click 'Apply Now.' The application is embedded directly on the page.
~5 min
-
2
Submit your basic information
Enter name, email, zip code, gender, and ethnicity. Indicate whether you are an aspiring entrepreneur or current business owner. The entire form takes under 30 seconds according to the program website.
~5 min
-
3
Await winner announcement
Winners are announced the week following the deadline (after October 31, 2026 for the current cycle). Only winners are notified; no status updates are sent to non-selected applicants.
This is the lowest-friction grant in the US catalog — 30 seconds, zero fee, no essays. Galaxy Plus+ membership auto-enters you into every cycle.
Deadline & timing
The current cycle closes October 31, 2026 with winners announced the following week. Galaxy of Stars runs several cycles a year; prior cycles had April 30 and July 31 deadlines. Galaxy Plus+ members are automatically entered into all grant cycles — membership may provide ongoing entry.
Not accepting applications right now — get one email when it reopens
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We don't draft Galaxy Grant applications. We do draft these seventeen. Answer a few short questions once and we draft your application from what you tell us: only your facts, with a blank wherever the judges want a detail only you know. You submit it yourself.
You see a free preview first and pay only if you want the full draft: $9 per grant. You can add the other month-end grants you qualify for at $5 each (never more than $15 extra).
Close at the end of every month
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- The Hustle Grant$1,000 monthlyWomen-owned · USMonthly; winner named on the 15thDraft my applicationit →
- Hustler's MicroGrant$1,000 monthlyAny US small-business owner · $15 entry feeMonthly; no published closing dateDraft my applicationit →
- Seated Together Microgrant$750 ($1,000 veteran-owned)Any US for-profit · startups welcome · $5 entry feeRolling; reviewed each quarterDraft my applicationit →
- Hiring Our Heroes Small Business Grant$10,000–$25,000Veteran or military-spouse owned · 3–20 people · no entry feeFinal deadline December 15, 2026Draft my applicationit →
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- Outta Excuses Grant$3,000 quarterlyRegistered LLC · under $500K revenue · $15 entry feeFinal deadline December 31, 2026Draft my applicationit →
- Tory Burch Foundation Fellows$2,000 + a year's fellowshipWomen-owned · $75K+ revenue · no entry feeFinal deadline November 17, 2026Draft my applicationit →
- Thiel Fellowship$250,000 over 2 yearsAge 22 or under · no university degree · no entry feeRolling; open all yearDraft my applicationit →
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Last updated October 31, 2026. GrantCompass is an independent funding-discovery tool and is not affiliated with any government agency. Always confirm details on the official program page.