Venmo Small Business Grant
Venmo (PayPal)
$20,000 (10 winners)
Researched for this program: 13 rejection traps · 8 required documentsWhat decides this award ↓
$20K for Venmo-accepting small businesses
Venmo's recurring Small Business Grant awards ten US small businesses $20,000 each — no demographics restriction, but applicants must have an active Venmo Business Profile. Launched in 2022, the program has run annually (2022, 2023, 2024) but did not run in 2025. When active, the grant targets very early-stage businesses: annual sales under $50,000 and 10 or fewer employees. Partners Hello Alice and the Global Entrepreneurship Network provide pro-bono legal, financial analysis, and digital marketing support alongside the cash award.
- Funding type
- Grant
- Level
- Private
- Amount
- $20,000
- Realistic amount
- $20,000 flat for all 10 recipients. All 10 winners receive the same amount.
- Deadline
- Closed — the only round ran May 10–31, 2024; Venmo has not run or announced a round since (none in 2025 or 2026 as of October 2026).
- Status
- closed
- States
- Nationwide
- Payment model
- lump sum
Who qualifies
- Must have an active US-based Venmo Business Profile in good standing
- Annual sales less than $50,000
- 10 or fewer employees
- At least $500 in sales within the 3 months preceding application
- Legally registered business entity in the United States or the District of Columbia
- No demographic restrictions — open to any eligible US small business
Hard requirements
- Must be incorporated
- Maximum $50,000 annual revenue
- Max 10 employees
Is the Venmo Small Business Grant legit?
Yes. Venmo (part of PayPal) ran it with Hello Alice from 2022, giving $20,000 each to 10 businesses. The most recent round it has published is 2024.
- Who runs it: Venmo, a PayPal service, with Hello Alice and the Global Entrepreneurship Network
- Since: 2022; 2024 was its third year
- Who could apply: Businesses with a Venmo business profile
Sources: venmo.com · genglobal.org. Last checked at the funder on October 18, 2026.
Past Venmo Small Business Grant winners
The 2024 recipients (first name and last initial, as Venmo lists them):
- Jasmine H., Reachable Wellness LLC · 2024 recipients (announced July 2024)
- Kiran C., Soma Metalwork · 2024 recipients (announced July 2024)
- Jenny W., W4 Products LLC · 2024 recipients (announced July 2024)
- Sumera S., Syed Farms · 2024 recipients (announced July 2024)
- Owen E., Resident Vinyl · 2024 recipients (announced July 2024)
- Shawn B., The Country Dumplin · 2024 recipients (announced July 2024)
Names as published by Venmo (source). GrantCompass is not affiliated with Venmo.
New grants like this every week: see this week's list or get it by email on Mondays.
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- Rent and business premises
- Equipment and supplies
- Marketing and advertising
- Digitizing or upgrading business operations
- Any legitimate business expense
Ineligible expenses
- Personal expenses
- Businesses with more than 10 employees
- Businesses with annual sales over $50,000
- Businesses without an active Venmo Business Profile
How to apply
-
1
Set up and maintain a Venmo Business Profile
Create a Venmo Business Profile at venmo.com/business if you don't already have one. Your profile must be active and in good standing. At minimum $500 in sales via Venmo within the prior 3 months is required.
-
2
Monitor for application window announcement
Venmo announces the application window via their business newsroom and the grant page. Subscribe to Venmo Business updates. Historically, windows open in May and close within 3–4 weeks.
-
3
Submit online application during the window
Complete the application describing your business, how you would use the $20,000, and your business's impact on your community. Application is submitted directly through the Venmo grant portal.
-
4
Selection and award
10 recipients are selected and notified. Alongside the $20,000 grant, recipients gain access to pro-bono services from Hello Alice and the Global Entrepreneurship Network (legal, financial analysis, digital marketing, and coaching).
The Venmo Business Profile requirement is a real gating factor — you need actual sales through Venmo, not just an account. Set up and actively use Venmo Business before the application window opens each year.
Deadline & timing
Venmo does not run the grant on a fixed annual schedule. The most recent cycle ran May 10–31, 2024. No 2025 or 2026 cycle has been announced. Monitor venmo.com/business/small-business-grant for announcements.
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Last updated October 22, 2026. GrantCompass is an independent funding-discovery tool and is not affiliated with any government agency. Always confirm details on the official program page.