Grants for Youth Entrepreneurship Programs 2026: Funders
Quick Answer: If you're running a teen business course, a kids' market day or a youth pitch night, grants for youth entrepreneurship programs come mostly from private foundations, with federal workforce and after-school money available only through state and local gatekeepers.
Full answer and how we checked it
Grantsights analysis of 990-PF youth grants pulled October 31, 2026 found 75 foundations that made 120 grants to youth entrepreneurship programs, totaling $6,041,668. California (16 foundations), Connecticut (9) and New York (9) lead, and California's free preview sample is the Banc of California Charitable Foundation. The median gift was about $10,150, so plan on many modest grants rather than 1 big one.
This guide is for directors, teachers and board members who run teen business programs, kids' market days, youth pitch competitions, children's business fairs and school-based startup courses. It also fits a youth center or chamber of commerce with a youth entrepreneurship track inside a bigger budget.
Data note: The counts come from a Grantsights search of 990-PF youth grants, pulled October 31, 2026, for recipients or purposes naming youth or teen entrepreneurship, young entrepreneurs, student business programs, pitch competitions and children's business fairs. Grantsights checked 40 matched youth-tagged recipients by hand, and all 40 were youth entrepreneurship programs or a group's youth entrepreneurship program. Junior Achievement gifts count only where the purpose names entrepreneurship; JA BizTown and JA Finance Park gifts were left out as financial literacy. The statewide youth figures further down are from a separate Grantsights pull of youth-tagged 990-PF filings dated October 29, 2026.
In this guide (12 sections)
- 4 Program Models and Who Pays for Each
- Grants for Youth Entrepreneurship Programs: What 990-PF Filings Show
- Why the Youth List
- What the Labor Department Doesn't Tell You About WIOA Youth Money
- 3 Other Federal Streams Worth Checking
- 6 Youth Business Projects Foundations Have Paid For
- Costing a Teen Business Program for a Grant Request
- Common Mistakes in Youth Entrepreneurship Grant Requests
- A Youth Entrepreneurship Program's Funding Calendar
- Related Guides for Youth Business Programs
- FAQ: Common Questions
- Sources
Foundations near you already fund this work. See three in your state that take requests, with how to apply. Free, about a minute.
Youth entrepreneurship source review, Grantsights, October 31, 2026: Grantsights checked the statute text of 29 U.S.C. 3164 on GovInfo (opens in a new tab), the regulation defining entrepreneurial skills training at 20 CFR 681.560 (opens in a new tab), the 21st Century Community Learning Centers subgrant rules in 20 U.S.C. 7174 (opens in a new tab) and the IRS page about Form 990-PF (opens in a new tab) against foundation filings that name teen business programs. Where official sources stop: no federal page counts youth entrepreneurship programs or says what a semester of a student startup course costs per student, so your request has to bring those numbers.
Foundations that fund this work
38,167 private foundations gave to youth clubs, camps, scouts and children's programs
From their own IRS Form 990-PF filings (tax years 2019 to 2025). Pick your state to see who gave there, with one foundation in full. About the list
Across the US, these foundations gave 241,391 grants totaling $9,713,736,850.
Historical giving does not establish an open application or eligibility for your organization. For-profit operators should check each foundation's applicant rules before buying.
The full list names all 38,167, state by state: what each gave, to whom, for what, and a link to its filings. One payment, no subscription.
4 Program Models and Who Pays for Each
The 120 grants in the pull went to 4 broad program models, and funders choose among them on purpose. Pick your row before you draft. This table is illustrative, not data: costs and sizes vary a lot.
| Program model | What students do | Main costs | Who usually pays |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-day market or business fair | Kids build a stand or booth and sell for a day | Starter kits, event permits, volunteer training | Local family foundations, banks, pro sports charities |
| School or after-school course | A semester of lessons ending in a business plan | Teacher training, curriculum licenses, materials | Corporate foundations, education funders, school partners |
| Pitch competition or accelerator | Teams pitch to judges for seed money | Prize money, mentors, venue, travel | Bank foundations, family foundations, local business groups |
| Youth-run business or incubator | Teens run a real shop, farm stand or service | Inventory, wages, space, insurance | Workforce funders, community foundations, youth centers |
A market day sells reach: hundreds of kids, one weekend, a lot of local press. A semester course sells depth: fewer students, tested skills and a plan each student can show. Don't promise both in one letter, because the funders who back each model want different proof.
Grants for Youth Entrepreneurship Programs: What 990-PF Filings Show
Foundations reporting grants on IRS Form 990-PF are a main source of grants for youth entrepreneurship programs, alongside corporate sponsors, school district contracts and program fees. According to IRS guidance, private foundations file Form 990-PF to report their activities and the grants they pay, so every gift below can be traced to a filing. Grantsights analysis of 990-PF youth grants pulled October 31, 2026 found 75 foundations that made 120 grants, totaling $6,041,668, or about $50,000 each on average.
That average misleads. The median was about $10,150, the 25th percentile was $5,000 and the 75th was $50,000. A few national programs pull in six- and seven-figure gifts, and most local programs live on checks under $10,000.
Many of the largest gifts carried no cause tag at all, so the youth count misses them. These gifts, drawn from a wider search across causes, show the top of the range:
| Funder | Program | State | Grant | Purpose as filed | Tax year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Citi Foundation | Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) | NY | $1,100,000 | Own Your Future initiative | 2023 |
| Accenture Foundation | Sky's the Limit (YBI USA) | CA | $750,000 | Digital support for youth entrepreneurs | 2023 |
| The Draper Foundation | BizWorld Foundation | CA | $500,000 | Education program | 2023 and 2024 |
| Koch Family Foundation | Youth Entrepreneurs Inc | KS | $500,000 | Academic year support | 2023 and 2024 |
| Charles Stewart Mott Foundation | P4L dba Lemonade Day | TX | $360,000 | Expanding youth participation | 2024 |
| Astros Foundation | Lemonade Day | TX | $300,000 | Program support | 2024 |
| The Lemelson Foundation | TiE Oregon Foundation | OR | $203,177 | TiE Young Entrepreneurs program | 2024 |
| M.R. and Evelyn Hudson Foundation | House of Shine | TX | $125,000 | Season 10 of a student entrepreneurship program | 2024 |
For example, the Ritter Family Foundation gave the Youth Business Initiative in Norwalk, Connecticut $50,000 in 2023, $50,000 in 2024 and $51,000 in 2025, filed simply as a donation. Three years of steady, unrestricted money is the best grant a small program can hope for. One organization in Oklahoma, ONABEN in Tulsa, received $25,000 from the Calvin K. Kazanjian Economics Foundation in 2023 for its Real Change youth entrepreneurship initiative, which shows a regional group can land a gift from a national economics funder.
Youth entrepreneurship grants by state
| Place | Funders | Grants | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 16 | 21 | $1,489,621 |
| Connecticut | 9 | 14 | $284,250 |
| New York | 9 | 13 | $786,322 |
| Texas | 8 | 8 | $431,000 |
| Kansas | 7 | 12 | $1,542,700 |
| Ohio | 5 | 10 | $441,000 |
| District of Columbia | 4 | 7 | $302,066 |
Each row counts grants by the state where the program is based, using the youth-tagged gifts from the October 31, 2026 pull. 12 places had 3 or more foundations giving to these programs; Florida, Michigan, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Virginia had 3 each.
Why Kansas looks so big
1 recipient explains Kansas. Youth Entrepreneurs Inc in Wichita drew the Koch Family Foundation's $500,000 gifts in 2023 and 2024, which alone make up about 65% of the state's $1,542,700. The George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation added $100,000 in each of those years to start and grow the program in Utah. A new program in Topeka shouldn't read that total as a sign of easy money; it's the record of one national model with deep local backing.
Connecticut tells the opposite story: 9 funders and an average of about $20,000 a grant. The NewAlliance Foundation, which says it takes requests and lists what to send, deadlines, limits and a contact in its filings, gave Youth Entrepreneurs Inc in Hamden $5,000 in 2023 for facilitators, rent, marketing and training. That's a realistic first grant for a local program.
California's youth entrepreneurship funders
California's 16 foundations made 21 grants worth $1,489,621, though the Accenture Foundation's $750,000 to Sky's the Limit in Oakland is about half of it. The free preview on the Grantsights youth funder list for California leads with the Banc of California Charitable Foundation, which says it takes requests and lists what to send and a contact in its filings. It gave the Youth Business Alliance in Los Angeles $15,000 in 2024 for community development programs. The Fox Family Kalb Foundation gave the same Los Angeles group $25,000 in 2025 as a general charitable gift.
Other California filings show funders at both ends of the state. The Peter and Helen Molloy Foundation gave Boost at Berkeley Haas $30,000 in both 2023 and 2024 for its young entrepreneurs program at UC Berkeley, and the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation gave Community Initiatives in Oakland $150,000 in 2023 and again in 2024 to widen the circle of funders behind youth entrepreneurship.
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Why the Youth List
Youth is the right list for these programs, even though most matched gifts carried no cause tag at all. In a broader October 31, 2026 search that Grantsights didn't hand-check across causes, more foundations tagged these gifts youth than education. A teen business program sells growth in young people: confidence, earnings and a first job of their own making. Youth funders judge requests on those results, and that's what most programs can measure.
| Place | Youth gifts in filings | Youth funders | Funders taking requests | Median youth gift |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 25,920 | 6,012 | 1,337 | $10,000 |
| New York | 16,945 | 4,958 | 1,153 | $5,200 |
| Texas | 15,973 | 3,321 | 1,106 | $9,960 |
| Ohio | 7,764 | 1,792 | 638 | $5,000 |
| Connecticut | 5,033 | 1,327 | 336 | $5,000 |
| Kansas | 1,696 | 489 | 217 | $5,000 |
In this October 29, 2026 Grantsights pull of youth filings, half of all youth gifts were $5,000 or less in Ohio, Connecticut and Kansas, while California's midpoint reached $10,000. A single state's youth funder list from Grantsights costs $29, a year of lists across every cause costs $99, and you can ask for a refund on either within 30 days.
What the Labor Department Doesn't Tell You About WIOA Youth Money
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) youth program is the federal stream that names your work, but the Labor Department (DOL) pages don't say how hard it is for a small group to reach. Set the law beside the filings and 5 lessons show up.
- Entrepreneurship is written into the law. Under 29 U.S.C. 3164(c)(2), local youth programs must make 14 elements available, and element (L) is entrepreneurial skills training. The regulation at 20 CFR 681.460 (opens in a new tab) repeats the list, and 681.560 names 3 ways to teach it: entrepreneurship education, enterprise development that helps youth get small loans or grants, and experiential programs where young people run a business.
- You don't apply to Washington. According to DOL's WIOA youth formula page (opens in a new tab), funds go to states and local areas by formula, and local programs run under the direction of local workforce development boards. Your door is the local board, as a youth service provider or a subcontractor to one. The WIOA workforce grants guide explains how boards buy services.
- Out-of-school youth come first. The statute requires that at least 75% of local youth funds go to out-of-school youth, and the DOL page says the program serves ages 14 to 24. A program that only runs in middle schools fits poorly. One that recruits young people who've left school fits well.
- Work experience gets 20%. Per the statute, section 3164(c)(4) requires at least 20% of local youth funds to go to paid and unpaid work experience. A youth-run shop that pays teens can sit on both lines, which makes it easier for a board to buy.
- Not every provider runs every element. The statute says plainly that no single provider has to offer all 14 elements. A board can contract with you for entrepreneurship alone, so pitch that piece instead of pretending to be a full workforce agency.
What most guides skip is the paperwork gap. A workforce contract usually pays by participant and outcome, with eligibility files for every teen. Many market-day programs can't document income or school status for a thousand kids at a fair, so WIOA suits a smaller, longer cohort model better.
3 Other Federal Streams Worth Checking
Beyond WIOA, 2 education laws can reach a teen business program, plus a third route through schools. None of them funds a nonprofit directly from Washington.
21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC). Under 20 U.S.C. 7174, states run local competitions for these after-school grants, each award runs 3 to 5 years, and none can be under $50,000. The definition of an eligible entity in 20 U.S.C. 7171 includes community-based organizations and other public or private entities, not just schools. The list of allowed activities in 20 U.S.C. 7175 (opens in a new tab) includes financial literacy programs and programs that build career competencies tied to Perkins and WIOA, which is where a startup club fits. Grantsights couldn't load the Education Department's 21st CCLC page on October 31, 2026, so this section describes the law, not this year's funding: ask your state education agency whether a competition is open. The after-school programs guide covers how these centers partner.
Perkins V career and technical education. According to the Education Department Perkins V program page on cte.ed.gov (opens in a new tab), the 2018 law continued nearly $1.4 billion a year for career and technical education. The definition in 20 U.S.C. 2302 (opens in a new tab) says career and technical education builds knowledge of all aspects of an industry, including entrepreneurship. Eligible recipients are school districts, career schools, colleges and similar public bodies, so a nonprofit's role is partner, not grantee. The Perkins V grants guide shows how those partnerships work.
School district contracts. Many districts buy curriculum, teacher training or a pitch event from an outside group with their own or federal dollars. That's a purchase, not a grant, but it's often the steadiest money a school-based program gets.
6 Youth Business Projects Foundations Have Paid For
All 6 projects below drew a foundation gift, per filings in the October 31, 2026 pull. Each one is a narrow, fundable request worth copying.
- Expanding a market day to a new city. The Adolph Coors Foundation gave Lemonade Day $100,000 in 2023 to launch its Colorado program, and the Daniels Fund gave $100,000 the same year for Lemonade Day Metro Denver.
- A regional office. The M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust gave Lemonade Day $172,500 in 2023 for a western regional director and territory.
- A youth challenge with cash awards. The Daniels Fund gave Griptape in New York $100,000 in 2024 for its youth entrepreneurship challenge.
- A high school program in one metro. The Capital One Foundation gave Businesses United in Investing, Lending and Development (BUILD) $50,000 in 2024 for its Metro DC youth entrepreneurship program, and the Glenn W. Bailey Charitable Trust gave BUILD $35,000 for its high school program in both 2023 and 2024.
- School-based programming with data. The Annie E. Casey Foundation gave Team WeThrive in Brooklyn $100,000 in 2024 to widen access to youth entrepreneurship programming and analyze results.
- A neighborhood youth center track. The Harold and Grace Upjohn Foundation gave the Kzoo Center for Youth and Community, known as Eastside Youth Strong, $12,500 in 2024 for youth entrepreneurship program support in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
The pattern: national funders back expansion into a new city, and local funders back the program once it's there. If you run a chapter of a national model, ask the national office which funders are already paying for your launch before you send your own requests.
Costing a Teen Business Program for a Grant Request
Most programs underestimate mentor time and the seed money students need. A pitch event looks cheap until you add prizes, judges' meals, venue insurance and the follow-up coaching winners expect. This table is illustrative, not data: costs vary by region and program length.
| Budget line | What it pays for | Often left out? |
|---|---|---|
| Instructor or coach pay | Weekly sessions and office hours | No |
| Mentor recruiting and training | Volunteer screening and a short orientation | Yes |
| Student seed money or prize pool | Inventory, startup kits, competition awards | Yes |
| Curriculum license | National model fees per site or per student | Yes |
| Event costs | Venue, permits, insurance, tables and signs | No |
| Follow-up support | Coaching for teens who keep their business going | Yes |
Report students served, business plans finished, businesses launched and revenue students earned. Those 4 numbers let a funder compare you with an after-school club or a job training program, and they show real results instead of attendance.
Common Mistakes in Youth Entrepreneurship Grant Requests
These 5 mistakes come up when a program writes like a business club instead of a youth development group.
- Leading with the business, not the young person. A common mistake is describing student products in detail and skipping what changed for the students. Youth funders pay for growth in kids, so lead with it.
- Calling it financial literacy. A red flag for an entrepreneurship funder is a request that reads like a budgeting class. If you teach both, say which part the grant pays for, and send the budgeting piece to funders in the financial literacy programs guide.
- No tax status. A school club or volunteer committee without 501(c)(3) status needs a home. Read what a fiscal sponsor is before asking; a community foundation or chamber often fills that role.
- Underestimating the national fee. If you license a national curriculum, put the per-site fee in the budget. Funders notice when it's missing.
- Guessing the ask. Use how to read a 990-PF to see what a funder gives programs like yours. Asking a $5,000 funder for $50,000 usually ends the talk.
A Youth Entrepreneurship Program's Funding Calendar
This 12-month plan follows a school-year course that ends in a spring market or pitch night.
| Month | Action |
|---|---|
| January | Total last year's students, plans finished, businesses launched and student revenue |
| February | Ask your local workforce board about youth provider contracts and timing |
| March to May | Send 8 to 12 requests to local youth funders and bank foundations |
| June to August | Run a summer cohort or youth-run shop and collect photos with consent |
| September | Report results to funders and recruit fall mentors |
| October to December | Line up sponsors for the spring event and ask your state about 21st CCLC timing |
The Grantsights grant database tracks open federal and state notices, including state workforce and after-school competitions.
Related Guides for Youth Business Programs
The funders behind the $6,041,668 in youth entrepreneurship grants also give to other youth programs, and these guides cover them.
Programs that pair each teen with a business owner should read grants for mentoring programs. If your model leans toward job placement or paid internships, grants for job training programs covers workforce funders. Groups that run entrepreneurship inside a wider youth center can borrow from grants for youth programs, which lists the general youth funders behind clubs and drop-in centers.
FAQ: Common Questions
How many foundations fund youth entrepreneurship programs? 75 in Grantsights' search of 990-PF youth grants pulled October 31, 2026.
What's a typical grant for a teen entrepreneurship program? The median was about $10,150, and half of the grants were under $10,000.
Can federal workforce money pay for a youth entrepreneurship program? Yes. Entrepreneurial skills training is a WIOA youth element, reached through your local workforce board.
Who gives the largest youth entrepreneurship grants? Corporate and large family foundations, such as the Citi, Accenture and Draper foundations.
Is a youth entrepreneurship program the same as financial literacy? No. Entrepreneurship has students build a business; financial literacy teaches money management.
Does a small program with no staff have a chance? Yes, with asks of $5,000 to $15,000 sent to local funders.
Sources
- GovInfo: 29 U.S.C. 3164, Youth workforce investment activities (opens in a new tab)
- eCFR: 20 CFR 681.460, Services local programs must offer (opens in a new tab)
- eCFR: 20 CFR 681.560, Entrepreneurial skills training (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Department of Labor: WIOA Youth Formula Program (opens in a new tab)
- GovInfo: 20 U.S.C. 7171, 21st CCLC definitions (opens in a new tab)
- GovInfo: 20 U.S.C. 7174, Local competitive subgrant program (opens in a new tab)
- GovInfo: 20 U.S.C. 7175, Local activities (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Department of Education: Perkins V (opens in a new tab)
- GovInfo: 20 U.S.C. 2302, Perkins definitions (opens in a new tab)
- IRS: About Form 990-PF (opens in a new tab)
Last updated October 31, 2026. Published by Grantsights from public sources. See our editorial policy, how we build and check guides, corrections and how we make money.
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