op 25 Grants for Female Entrepreneurs in South America in 2025
The entrepreneurial landscape in South America is burgeoning with opportunities for female founders. To support and accelerate this growth, numerous grants are available specifically for women entrepreneurs in 2025.
Below is a comprehensive list of the Top 25 Grants for Female Entrepreneurs in South America in 2025, highlighting the grant amounts, eligibility criteria, deadlines, focus areas, and links to their respective official pages.
Write FREE SEO-optimized Blog Articles! Our Article Writer ensures your blog is loved by both Google and your readers, turning those clicks into customers.
👉 Write your article here
1. Giving Joy Grants
Description: Micro-grants for women over 18 to launch or expand businesses or nonprofits. Grant Amount: Up to $500.
Eligibility: Women over 18; businesses in North and South America.
Deadline: Applications for North and South America are accepted from January 1 through January 31, 2025, with grants awarded in June.
Focus: Launching or expanding businesses and nonprofits.
2. Santander's Cultivate Small Business
Description: Program for early-stage entrepreneurs in the food industry, with a focus on women, immigrant, and BIPOC-owned businesses in low-to-moderate income areas.
Grant Amount: Up to $13,000.
Eligibility: Must be operating in the food industry, at least one year in business; specific regions may apply for certain cohorts (e.g., New York, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island).
Program Details: Includes a 12-week virtual curriculum with mentorship and networking.
Focus: Food industry, early-stage businesses.
3. EmpowHER Grants
Description: Grants for female small-business owners addressing societal issues.
Grant Amount: Up to $25,000 (reimbursement for business expenses).
Eligibility: Female business owners, at least 22 years old, business established within the last three years, and must address poverty/hunger, sustainability/environment, or strong communities.
Deadline: Applications are accepted quarterly; the next deadline is February 15, 2025.
Focus: Businesses addressing social issues.
Boost Your SEO by listing your startup and get a FREE backlink.
Create a profile in the F/MS Startup Game, add the link to your website and submit.
👉 List your startup now!
4. The Bayer Foundation Women Entrepreneurs Award 2025
Description: Award for women-led enterprises with sustainable solutions in health or food security.
Grant Amount: €25,000.
Eligibility: Women-led enterprises in Asia Pacific, Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East.
Deadline: February 18, 2025.
Focus: Health and food security solutions, sustainable businesses.
Additional Benefits: 6-month accelerator program, sponsored trip to award ceremony.
5. IFundWomen Grants
Description: Connects women entrepreneurs with business training and grant opportunities through corporate partnerships.
Grant Amount: Varies based on the specific grant and sponsoring partner.
Eligibility: Women-owned small businesses.
Application Process: Fill out the Universal Grant Application to be entered into their database; eligible businesses are matched with opportunities.
Focus: Women-owned businesses.
6. Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) Program
Description: U.S. Department of State initiative to support women's economic opportunities.
Grant Amount: Varies by location. For the U.S. Embassy in Bridgetown, awards may range from $10,000 to $17,500 for single countries or up to $35,000. The U.S. Embassy in Cameroon is offering awards ranging from $25,000 to $35,000.
Eligibility: Organizations or individuals to implement the program in specified regions.
Program Details: Includes online education, mentorship, and networking.
Focus: Women entrepreneurs, gender equality, economic opportunity.
7. Amber Grant Foundation
Description: Monthly grants for women-owned small businesses.
Grant Amount: $10,000 monthly, $25,000 year-end grants.
Eligibility: At least 18 years old, businesses at least 50% women-owned, operating in the U.S. or Canada.
Focus: Women-owned small businesses.
8. GrantWatch
Description: A grant listing directory with numerous grants for women entrepreneurs, including those from BIPOC communities.
Grant Amount: Varies; examples include grants from $1,000 to $10,000.
Eligibility: Varies by grant, often focusing on minority women, BIPOC communities, and specific business types.
Focus: Minority women-owned businesses, businesses owned by women of African and Caribbean descent.
9. Women's Venture Competition 2025
Description: Competition for women-led oncology companies worldwide.
Deadline: March 15, 2025.
Focus: Women-led oncology businesses.
10. World Bank Group's Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative
Description: Initiative providing women with access to capital and resources.
Focus: Gender inclusivity, economic growth.
Boost Your SEO with 1,500+ Free Business Directories: increase your DA, get backlinks and traffic.
We've compiled an exclusive list of directories and websites where you can submit your business and start building high-quality backlinks to boost your website traffic and get your SEO snowball rolling.
👉 Submit your startup now!
11. Visa Everywhere Initiative
Description: Competition to solve payment and commerce challenges with innovative solutions. Grant Amount: Up to $100,000. Eligibility: Startups from around the world including South America. Focus: Payments and commerce. Learn more about Visa Everywhere Initiative
12. Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards
Description: International business plan competition involves seven regions, rewarding women entrepreneurs’ projects. Grant Amount: Up to $100,000. Eligibility: Women entrepreneurs from any country. Focus: Creative and impact-driven businesses. Learn more about Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards
13. Nestlé Creating Shared Value Prize
Description: Recognizes initiatives addressing challenges in nutrition, water, or rural development. Grant Amount: Up to CHF 500,000. Eligibility: Entrepreneurs, NGOs, academic institutions across the globe. Focus: Nutrition, water, and rural development. Learn more about Nestlé Creating Shared Value Prize
14. Echoing Green Fellowship
Description: Provides seed funding and support to social entrepreneurs globally. Grant Amount: Up to $90,000. Eligibility: Social entrepreneurs starting new organizations. Focus: Social change. Learn more about Echoing Green Fellowship
15. Coca-Cola Foundation's Global Community Support
Description: Supports community organizations and initiatives focused on women’s empowerment and entrepreneurship. Grant Amount: Varies. Eligibility: Non-profits, NGOs, and similar entities. Focus: Women’s empowerment, entrepreneurship. Learn more about Coca-Cola Foundation
Boost Your SEO by Getting Featured in Our Blogs and get a backlink.
We publish content about startups, education, tech, funding, etc. that ranks well not only in Google but also in Perplexity, ChatGPT, Grok and other AI tools.
👉 Get featured now!
16. VentureWell's E-Team Program Grants
Description: For developing and commercializing innovations. Grant Amount: Up to $25,000. Eligibility: Faculty and student teams from higher education institutions. Focus: Invention and innovation. Learn more about E-Team Program
17. Anzisha Prize
Description: Supports young African entrepreneurs aged 15-22. Grant Amount: Up to $100,000. Eligibility: Young African entrepreneurs. Focus: Early-stage businesses. Learn more about Anzisha Prize
18. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Action Plan
Description: Grants for non-profits addressing the SDGs in Latin America. Grant Amount: Varies. Eligibility: Non-profits in Latin America. Focus: Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more about SDGs Action Plan
19. NEXUS Startup Hub at the American Center Grants
Description: Financial support and incubation for startups. Grant Amount: Varies. Eligibility: Startups utilizing innovation and technology. Focus: Innovation, technology, and social impact. Learn more about NEXUS
20. Ladies Who Launch Grants
Description: For early-stage female business owners. Grant Amount: Up to $5,000. Eligibility: Early-stage female-owned businesses. Focus: Business launch and growth. Learn more about Ladies Who Launch Grants
21. Latino Founders Fund by Google for Startups
Description: Financial backing for Latino entrepreneurs in South America. Grant Amount: Up to $100,000. Eligibility: Latino-owned startups. Focus: Tech-based startups. Learn more about Latino Founders Fund
22. CEMEX-TEC Award
Description: For sustainable development projects by students and entrepreneurs. Grant Amount: Varies. Eligibility: Students and entrepreneurs worldwide. Focus: Sustainable development. Learn more about CEMEX-TEC Award
23. WeXchange Pitch Competition by IDB Lab
Description: Recognizes high-growth women entrepreneurs in STEM. Grant Amount: Up to $100,000. Eligibility: Women-led startups in Latin America and the Caribbean. Focus: STEM and high growth. Learn more about WeXchange
24. Kering Foundation Awards for Women in Innovation
Description: For female entrepreneurs disrupting traditional industry approaches. Grant Amount: Up to €30,000. Eligibility: Female-led, innovative businesses. Focus: Innovation and disruption. Learn more about Kering Foundation Awards
25. Shell LiveWIRE Global
Description: Focuses on innovative solutions to energy and related challenges. Grant Amount: Varies. Eligibility: Youth entrepreneurs globally. Focus: Energy innovation. Learn more about Shell LiveWIRE Global
Join F/MS: Startup Facilitator & Incubator and unlock your startup dreams today! Get your first customers, register you company in the Netherlands and get startup visas for the team.
FAQ
Q: What are the Giving Joy Grants?
A: Giving Joy Grants provide micro-grants of up to $500 for women over 18 to launch or expand businesses or nonprofits. Applications for North and South America are accepted from January 1 through January 31, 2025. Learn more about Giving Joy Grants.
Q: Who is eligible for Santander's Cultivate Small Business program?
A: The program targets early-stage food industry entrepreneurs, particularly women, immigrants, and BIPOC-owned businesses in low-to-moderate income areas. Businesses should have been operating for at least one year in regions like New York, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. Learn more about Santander's Cultivate Small Business.
Q: What does the EmpowHER Grants program support?
A: The EmpowHER Grants offer up to $25,000 to female business owners addressing social issues such as poverty, sustainability, and community building. Applicants must be at least 22 years old, and their businesses should have been established within the last three years. The next application deadline is February 15, 2025. Learn more about EmpowHER Grants.
Q: What is the Bayer Foundation Women Entrepreneurs Award 2025?
A: This award offers €25,000 to women-led enterprises focusing on sustainable solutions in health or food security. It also includes a 6-month accelerator program and a sponsored trip to the award ceremony. The deadline for applications is February 18, 2025. Learn more about Bayer Foundation Women Entrepreneurs Award 2025.
Q: How can women-owned businesses benefit from IFundWomen Grants?
A: IFundWomen Grants connect female entrepreneurs with business training and various grant opportunities. By filling out a Universal Grant Application, eligible businesses enter a database to be matched with specific opportunities. Learn more about IFundWomen Grants.
Q: What does the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) Program offer?
A: The AWE Program is an initiative by the U.S. Department of State to support women's economic opportunities. The grant amounts vary by location, with some regions offering up to $35,000. The program includes online education, mentorship, and networking. Learn more about AWE Program.
Q: What are the Amber Grant Foundation's awards for women entrepreneurs?
A: The Amber Grant Foundation offers $10,000 monthly grants and $25,000 year-end grants to at least 50% women-owned businesses. Applicants must be at least 18 years old and operating in the U.S. or Canada. Learn more about Amber Grant Foundation.
Q: How can GrantWatch help women entrepreneurs?
A: GrantWatch is a directory listing numerous grants for women entrepreneurs, including those from BIPOC communities. Grant amounts vary, with examples ranging from $1,000 to $10,000. Learn more about GrantWatch.
Q: What is the Women’s Venture Competition 2025?
A: This competition is specifically for women-led oncology companies worldwide. The application deadline is March 15, 2025. Learn more about Women’s Venture Competition 2025.
Q: What is the World Bank Group’s Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative?
A: This initiative aims to provide women with access to capital and resources, promoting gender inclusivity and economic growth. Learn more about Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative.
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond and launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks.
