The Freed Fellowship Grant

The Freed Fellowship is a privately funded small business support initiative designed to empower overlooked and underrepresented entrepreneurs across the United States. It offers a monthly $500 no-strings-attached grant to a selected Freed Fellow, alongside critical business development resources such as structured feedback and community-based mentorship. Operated independently and not affiliated with any federal or nonprofit funding source, the program emphasizes sustainability and value by charging a nominal application fee of $19 to offset operational costs and ensure platform continuity. At the heart of the Freed Fellowship is its proprietary 5C Framework, which evaluates applicants based on five core pillars essential to entrepreneurial success: Context, Content, Community, Chemistry, and Commerce. This evaluative lens shapes both grant selection and the personalized feedback provided to each applicant. Submissions are scored and receive recommendations to help founders refine their approach, clarify their market positioning, and build more resilient and scalable businesses. This framework helps the program go beyond monetary support, offering founders a roadmap to long-term growth. In addition to the monthly $500 grant, Freed Fellows receive several non-monetary benefits. Each selected Fellow gains a one-year membership to the Freed Studio, a virtual platform that offers business development tools, strategy calls, and a mentorship network aimed at helping members build email lists and convert subscribers into customers. Freed Fellows are also typically featured in the program's podcast series, Freed Stories, which helps increase visibility and community support for their ventures. Another major benefit for participants is the chance to qualify for a $2,500 end-of-year grant, awarded to a selected Fellow based on progress, engagement, and business evolution during their fellowship period. This structure incentivizes long-term participation and progress tracking, aligning closely with the Fellowship’s goal of creating sustainable businesses that make a positive impact in their communities. Applications for the Freed Fellowship are accepted on a rolling basis, with a hard deadline at midnight Eastern Time on the last day of each month to be considered for that month's award. Winners and feedback are announced by the end of the following month. While the grant is open to all micro and small business owners in the U.S., the program specifically encourages women, minority entrepreneurs, and other underrepresented groups to apply. Nonprofits, however, are currently not eligible. Interested applicants can begin the process by submitting their name and email online, then completing the full application and paying the $19 fee. This inclusive and practical approach makes the Freed Fellowship a uniquely valuable resource for small business owners seeking both capital and strategic insight.