Deadline: American Express $10M Small Business Grant Program

American Express is funding more than $10 million in small business grants—but the application deadline is fast approaching.

Grant applications for the Amex Shop Small Grants Program close Friday Jan. 16, with the program offering 500 grants of $20,000 each.

Initially launched with a $5 million contribution, the program was boosted with an additional $5.1 million as a result of American Express’ Small Business Saturday giving pledge.

Grants must be used to help a small business grow and/​or innovate and support their local communities.

If a business already supports its local community, the grant can be used for growth and/​or innovation. If not, a portion of the grant must be dedicated to a community-focused initiative, in addition to business growth and/​or innovation.

All proposed project plans must be implemented and operational by the end of the grant spending period, April-September 2026.

Requirements

Applicants must:

• Be 18 years of age or older
• Be an owner of an eligible small business
• Have been an owner of that business on or before Jan. 1, 2025

Small businesses must:

• Be a for-profit, independently owned business
• Have a start date on or before Jan. 1, 2024
• Operate out of a physical ​“brick-and-mortar” location, which must be:
  • Located in one of the 50 U.S. states or Washington D.C. (excludes U.S. territories)
  • A permanent structure
  • Solely used by that same business operating within it
• Have operated out of that eligible physical location on or before Jan. 1, 2025
• Currently employ 20 or less full-time employees
• Meet all federal, state, and local requirements to legally operate
  • Businesses must maintain up-to-date licenses and permits required dependent on business activities
  • If the business is required to be registered with the Secretary of State or similar organization, the business must be registered and In good standing (or of a similar status in their locality)

An application must:

• Be submitted via MSA’s application submission portal Submittable, which requires you to create an account and login
• Be submitted within the application open period beginning on November 29, 2025 and ending at 11:59 p.m. CT on Jan. 16, 2026
• Be submitted in English

The following are NOT eligible to apply for the program:

• Nonprofits
• Franchises
• Businesses located outside of the 50 U.S. states or Washington, DC (Businesses located in U.S. territories are not eligible)
• Online-only businesses
• Home-based businesses
• Businesses solely operating from within a mobile vehicle, trailer, or other temporary structure 
• Businesses that operate, or operate within, shared spaces (e.g. pop-up spaces, coworking spaces, indoor marketplaces)
• Businesses seeking to use grant funds for a location which they own, but which a different business is operating out of, or which is vacant and/​or intended for resale 

Email smallbizgrant@​mainstreet.​org with questions or call 708.515.4889 and leave a voicemail.