Progressive® Driving Small Business Forward Fund 2025
This grant provides financial support to small businesses in the U.S. that need a commercial vehicle to grow, specifically targeting those with ten or fewer employees and under $5 million in annual revenue.
The Progressive Driving Small Business Forward Fund is a grant initiative sponsored and administered by Circular Board, Inc., doing business as Hello Alice, and funded by Progressive Casualty Insurance Company. This program aims to support small businesses across the United States that demonstrate a need for a qualifying commercial vehicle to facilitate their growth. It seeks to empower for-profit businesses by awarding financial resources to those led by entrepreneurs committed to their communities and customers. The grant program targets for-profit businesses located and registered in any of the fifty U.S. states or the District of Columbia, with ten or fewer employees and under $5 million in gross annual revenue for the 2024 calendar year. Eligible applicants must be the primary executive officers of their business, such as a Founder, President, CEO, or COO, and be legal U.S. residents who meet age of majority requirements. Businesses primarily focused on rideshare or third-party food delivery services, or those using vehicles that do not qualify under the specified criteria, are excluded from eligibility. Applicants are required to complete and submit an online application via the Hello Alice website by 6 PM ET on June 20, 2025. The application includes questions about the business, its executive officer, and a detailed explanation of the need for a commercial vehicle and how it would support business growth. Only one application is allowed per business and officer. The selection process includes evaluation by a panel from the sponsor and funder organizations based on need (40%), growth plan (40%), and community/customer commitment (20%). A total of 20 grants will be awarded. Each selected business will receive $50,000 to be used toward the purchase of a commercial vehicle, access to the virtual Progressive Boost Camp beginning September 10, 2025, and potential recognition on Hello Alice and Progressive platforms. Grant recipients must also complete an affidavit of eligibility and other documentation within 48 hours of notification. The application period runs from May 12, 2025, to June 20, 2025, followed by a review period from June 23 to August 25, 2025. Winners will be announced in August 2025. The program strictly limits the types of eligible vehicles and does not cover heavy-duty trucks or equipment not suited for public roads. It also upholds comprehensive legal and data use terms, including mandatory arbitration clauses and data-sharing policies. For more information, applicants can visit https://helloalice.com/grants/progressive or contact the sponsoring organization. The application portal and complete question list are available through Hello Alice’s website, and all program details are governed by Delaware law.
Award Range
Not specified - $50,000
Total Program Funding
$1,000,000
Number of Awards
20
Matching Requirement
No
Additional Details
Each grant is intended exclusively for purchasing a qualifying commercial vehicle. Vehicles such as heavy-duty trucks (GVM over 26,000 lbs.) and off-road machinery are excluded. Recipients also gain access to a business development program (Progressive Boost Camp).
Eligible Applicants
Additional Requirements
- To be eligible to enter a business in the Program, you (“Officer”) must be all of the following as of the first day of the Program Period (defined below): - An entrepreneur who is the leading executive (i.e. Founder and/or President, CEO, CFO, COO, or any such other similar title) of a business that meets the below business criteria; - A legal resident of the fifty United States and the District of Columbia; excluding US Territories. - Eighteen (18) years of age or older, or the age of majority under applicable law in their state of residence (19 in AL and NE, 21 in MS). - Officer(s) may **not** be an employee of Progressive Insurance or any of its affiliate companies; an immediate family member of a Progressive Insurance employee, Progressive Insurance affiliate, or independent agents who sell Progressive Insurance; or a Hello Alice employee or immediate family member of a Hello Alice employee. - To be eligible to participate in the Program, the business (“**Entrant**”) must meet all of the following criteria as of the first day of the Program Period: - Be a for-profit business located and registered in one of the fifty United States and the District of Columbia; excluding US Territories; - Have 10 or fewer employees and less than $5M in annual gross revenue in the last year (2024 calendar year); - Have demonstrated need for a qualifying commercial vehicle and have a clear plan for growth as a result of this vehicle purchase; - Heavy trucks with Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) over 26,000 lbs. and vehicles designed principally for use off public roads (e.g. bulldozers, farm machinery, forklifts, etc.) are **not** considered qualifying commercial vehicles for this program. - Businesses may **not** be an independent contractor whose primary business is for a rideshare service such as Uber or Lyft, or third-party food delivery such as UberEats, DoorDash, PostMates, Grubhub, Instacart, etc. - The potential winners are subject to verification of eligibility by Sponsor, which may include completing associated documentation.
Geographic Eligibility
All