Route 66 Extraordinary Women Micro-Grant

The Route 66 Extraordinary Women Micro-Grant Program is an initiative of the Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership, established as part of a broader effort to commemorate the upcoming Route 66 Centennial. Funded through private donations and significantly supported by the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Preserve Route 66 Initiative, this micro-grant program aims to support the people and businesses that comprise the vibrant culture and economy of the Route 66 corridor. The program is designed to celebrate and empower women by targeting assistance specifically to businesses and attractions that are majority women-owned or operated and are situated along Route 66. The program is built around four core goals: helping women-owned or operated businesses remain in operation, aiding the reopening of such businesses, funding preservation and expansion efforts in alignment with the Secretary of the Interior Standards, and supporting the establishment of new women-led ventures on Route 66. Eligible applicants include small businesses with fewer than 20 employees, businesses with a physical presence or that operate within communities along the Route 66 alignment, and certain traveling or mobile businesses that serve the Route 66 area. The program also accepts applications from small, locally-owned franchises with no more than five locations. Digital-only enterprises and large national franchises are explicitly excluded from eligibility. Grants are awarded through three competitive rounds—one conducted in 2023 and two in 2024. Each round offers up to 10 grants, with a maximum award amount of $2,000 per grantee. The total program funding across all rounds amounts to $60,000. Eligible use of funds includes a wide array of business improvements, such as purchasing equipment, promotional materials, website updates, consulting fees, public-facing restoration projects, ADA compliance enhancements, and sustainability upgrades. For non-profit organizations, the grant may also support organizational capacity-building activities. In addition, community outreach, storytelling, and cultural preservation activities are considered eligible. Applications must be submitted online by the designated deadline, and all applications must be fully completed to be reviewed. In 2024, the grant application window opened on July 5 and closed at midnight (applicant’s local time) on August 26, with award announcements made during the week of September 16. Grant recipients are expected to complete their funded projects within 12 months, and a final report must be submitted within 90 days of project completion. There are no pre-application requirements such as LOIs or concept papers. Applications are evaluated based on how well proposed projects help maintain, reopen, preserve, expand, or start women-led businesses along Route 66. Additional preference is given to small and independently owned businesses located in historic buildings, those with cultural significance or inclusive narratives, and those that have been disproportionately affected by economic or other hardships. Proposals including a 50% or greater funding match from other sources and those situated directly on Route 66 are also prioritized. However, no match is required for eligibility. The program is grounded in principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion. It explicitly prohibits discrimination and requires nonprofit applicants to submit their IRS determination letters. All application materials become the property of the program, and applicants must agree to potential public use of submitted information for promotional purposes if awarded. Contact information for the program and further application steps are provided online, though no direct phone or email contact is specified in the source materials.

Priority to applicants with inclusive stories, cultural value, historic locations, or match funding; Avoid digital-only applications.