BOZEMAN – Prospera, a catalyst for economic empowerment, is thrilled to announce the opening of applications for its statewide grant opportunity, Prospera’s Impact Grant for Women, designed to support and boost women-owned businesses across Montana.

To foster entrepreneurship and drive economic growth, Prospera is offering a total of $18,000 in funds to assist three deserving women-owned businesses in achieving their business growth goals.

Women entrepreneurs statistically don’t secure the same funding as their male counterparts. Prospera recognizes this disparity and aims to provide meaningful support through this grant opportunity. By offering this funding, Prospera aims to empower women-owned businesses to scale, innovate, and contribute to the economic vitality of the communities they live and work in.

Key details of the Prospera Statewide Grant Opportunity:
Grant Amount: $18,000

Number of Grants: Three (3)- One $5,000 rural grant (businesses operating in towns with populations less than 10,000), one $5,000 urban grant (businesses operating in towns with populations more than 10,000), one $8,000 grant that is open statewide no matter the town the business operates.

Eligibility Criteria: Open to all Montana women-owned businesses that have been registered with the MT Secretary of State and revenue generating for a minimum of one year, with ownership of 51% or more.

Application Period: Jan. 1, 2024 to March 8, 2024 at noon MST

Application Process: Interested entrepreneurs can apply through Prospera's official website https://prosperamt.org/loans-grants/impact-grant. Attend Prospera’s How to Apply Webinar on February 2 at 10am, register for the webinar at https://mtsbdc.ecenterdirect.com/events/5746

Pitch Contest Process: This is a two-step process. After the applications are submitted and scored, the top nine applications will pitch their funding request live on Zoom on April 17, 2024.

This is the sixth year that Prospera will be offering Prospera’s Impact Grants for Women. After granting these funds Prospera will have provided $106,500 to 20 women-owned businesses across Montana since 2019. Funding for the grant is independently raised at Prospera’s annual Prosperity Party. To contribute to future grant cycles or to support Prospera in its efforts to build a strong Montana Economy visit: https://prosperamt.org/foundation

About Prospera: Prospera helps businesses and communities find their pathway to success, acting as the navigator, problem solver, and catalyst for a string Montana economy. For nearly 40 years, our focus is helping people start and grow their local business – which in turn strengthens our region’s economy and communities. Prospera is dedicated to accelerating business through our no-cost business counseling, business training, grant assistance, business networking, and business loans.