<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0" xmlns:itunes="http://www.itunes.com/dtds/podcast-1.0.dtd" xmlns:googleplay="http://www.google.com/schemas/play-podcasts/1.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[Grants for Small Business Owners]]></title><description><![CDATA[Helping small business owners and non profits discover curated grants, funding opportunities, and expert resources to secure capital and grow their businesses.]]></description><link>https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com</link><image><url>https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!zDJe!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83ea6c04-3772-461c-8539-0cf0e27318d8_1080x1080.png</url><title>Grants for Small Business Owners</title><link>https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com</link></image><generator>Substack</generator><lastBuildDate>Thu, 10 Sep 2026 19:41:44 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/feed" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><copyright><![CDATA[Patrina Dixon]]></copyright><language><![CDATA[en]]></language><webMaster><![CDATA[grantsforsmallbusinessowners@substack.com]]></webMaster><itunes:owner><itunes:email><![CDATA[grantsforsmallbusinessowners@substack.com]]></itunes:email><itunes:name><![CDATA[Patrina Dixon]]></itunes:name></itunes:owner><itunes:author><![CDATA[Patrina Dixon]]></itunes:author><googleplay:owner><![CDATA[grantsforsmallbusinessowners@substack.com]]></googleplay:owner><googleplay:email><![CDATA[grantsforsmallbusinessowners@substack.com]]></googleplay:email><googleplay:author><![CDATA[Patrina Dixon]]></googleplay:author><itunes:block><![CDATA[Yes]]></itunes:block><item><title><![CDATA[FLORIDA SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS — THIS ONE IS FOR YOU! ]]></title><description><![CDATA[Florida business owners: free virtual session with a local Comcast rep, Sept 24th at 12pm EST.]]></description><link>https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/florida-small-business-owners-this</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/florida-small-business-owners-this</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Patrina Dixon]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 04 Sep 2026 17:00:44 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/4c320636-5fb3-4527-8d4b-7b367e382b35_420x300.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>FLORIDA SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS &#8212; THIS ONE IS FOR YOU!</strong> </p><p>As a business owner, having the right resources, connections, and technology in place can make a BIG difference in how efficiently you operate and grow.</p><p>I&#8217;m hosting an exclusive <strong>LIVE Virtual Business Session</strong> for <strong>Florida business owners</strong> <strong>and non profit organizations </strong>featuring a business professional from Comcast who works directly with businesses right here in the sunshine state. </p><p>This is your opportunity to:</p><p>&#9989;  Learn about resources and solutions available to small businesses</p><p>&#9989; Discover ways technology can help your business stay connected and operate more efficiently</p><p>&#9989; Meet and connect directly with a local Comcast business professional</p><p>&#9989; Ask questions and get information specific to YOUR business needs</p><p>&#9989; Explore options you may not even know are available to you</p><p>And most importantly you&#8217;ll have a <strong>real person and local connection</strong> you can reach out to when your business has questions or needs support.</p><p>Whether you&#8217;re an entrepreneur, small business owner, nonprofit leader, or building a growing company, come get informed and make a valuable connection.</p><p>&#128205; <strong>Florida Business Owners Only</strong></p><p>&#128187; LIVE Virtual Session</p><p>&#128197; Thursday, September 24th</p><p>&#9200; 12:00pm EST</p><p>&#128279;<a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScIMmgjo64-weOUDEymrbd0iYrznysZHc5PmUHNOf2WE1MP0g/viewform?usp=header"> REGISTRATION LINK</a></p><p><strong>Your network contributes to your net worth. It&#8217;s not just about what you know, it is also about knowing the right people and resources to help your business grow.</strong></p><p>Your business bestie,</p><p>Patrina</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe now&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/subscribe?"><span>Subscribe now</span></a></p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/florida-small-business-owners-this/comments&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Leave a comment&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/florida-small-business-owners-this/comments"><span>Leave a comment</span></a></p><div class="install-substack-app-embed install-substack-app-embed-web" data-component-name="InstallSubstackAppToDOM"><img class="install-substack-app-embed-img" src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!zDJe!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83ea6c04-3772-461c-8539-0cf0e27318d8_1080x1080.png"><div class="install-substack-app-embed-text"><div class="install-substack-app-header">Get more from Patrina Dixon in the Substack app</div><div class="install-substack-app-text">Available for iOS and Android</div></div><a href="https://substack.com/app/app-store-redirect?utm_campaign=app-marketing&amp;utm_content=author-post-insert&amp;utm_source=grantsforsmallbusinessowners" target="_blank" class="install-substack-app-embed-link"><button class="install-substack-app-embed-btn button primary">Get the app</button></a></div><p></p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[10 Business Tools I Actually Use to Run My Business]]></title><description><![CDATA[The exact tools that save me time, keep me organized, and help me serve clients better.]]></description><link>https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/10-business-tools-i-actually-use</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/10-business-tools-i-actually-use</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Patrina Dixon]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 04 Sep 2026 12:01:13 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/65140053-ae2d-4713-b0f1-9c93747c7f7f_1284x1700.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Hi Business Besties,</p><p>Running a business requires more than a great idea it requires the right systems and tools to help you stay organized, save time, serve your clients, and keep things moving.</p><p>Over the years, I&#8217;ve tried plenty of platforms, but there are a handful that have become part of how I actually run my business.</p><p>So instead of giving you another long list of <em>&#8220;100 tools every entrepreneur needs,&#8221;</em> I created something much simpler:</p><p><strong>10 Business Tools I Actually Use + 1 Bonus</strong></p><p>Inside the guide, I share tools I use for:</p><ul><li><p>Creating branded content</p></li><li><p>Managing my finances</p></li><li><p>Working with clients</p></li><li><p>Organizing projects and my team</p></li><li><p>Email marketing</p></li><li><p>Virtual meetings and scheduling</p></li><li><p>Accepting payments</p></li><li><p>Using AI to work more efficiently</p></li><li><p>And even documenting SOPs for my business</p></li></ul><p>You&#8217;ll probably recognize some of them:Canva, QuickBooks, HoneyBook, Asana, Google Workspace, Mailchimp, Zoom, Calendly, Stripe, and ChatGPT.</p><p>And I included <strong>Penzu as a bonus</strong> because of the way I use it to document SOPs and give my team a place to review and add to our processes.</p><p><strong>Why am I sharing this?</strong></p><p>Because small business owners don&#8217;t necessarily need <strong>more</strong> tools. We need the <strong>right tools</strong>.</p><p>If something can help you save time, create a better client experience, stay organized, or take one more repetitive task off your plate, it&#8217;s worth knowing about.</p><p>I&#8217;ve put everything into a simple resource you can save and refer back to as your business grows.</p><p><strong>&#128073;&#127997; Document attached: 10 Business Tools I Actually Use + 1 Bonus</strong></p><div class="file-embed-wrapper" data-component-name="FileToDOM"><div class="file-embed-container-reader"><div class="file-embed-container-top"><image class="file-embed-thumbnail-default" src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!0Cy0!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack.com%2Fimg%2Fattachment_icon.svg"></image><div class="file-embed-details"><div class="file-embed-details-h1">Its My Money Business Tools Working Clickable</div><div class="file-embed-details-h2">1.96MB &#8729; PDF file</div></div><a class="file-embed-button wide" href="https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/api/v1/file/c24d255e-6420-49f6-88e1-e7042341c2fc.pdf"><span class="file-embed-button-text">Download</span></a></div><a class="file-embed-button narrow" href="https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/api/v1/file/c24d255e-6420-49f6-88e1-e7042341c2fc.pdf"><span class="file-embed-button-text">Download</span></a></div></div><p></p><p>I hope you find at least one tool that makes running your business a little easier.</p><p><strong>Work smarter. Grow stronger. Keep building your legacy!</strong></p><p>&#8212; Patrina</p><p><em>Disclosure: Some of the links included in this resource are affiliate or referral links. If you choose to sign up or make a purchase through one of these links, I may receive a commission or benefit at no additional cost to you. I only included tools I actually use and recommend.</em></p><p></p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe now&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/subscribe?"><span>Subscribe now</span></a></p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/10-business-tools-i-actually-use/comments&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Leave a comment&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/10-business-tools-i-actually-use/comments"><span>Leave a comment</span></a></p><div class="install-substack-app-embed install-substack-app-embed-web" data-component-name="InstallSubstackAppToDOM"><img class="install-substack-app-embed-img" src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!zDJe!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83ea6c04-3772-461c-8539-0cf0e27318d8_1080x1080.png"><div class="install-substack-app-embed-text"><div class="install-substack-app-header">Get more from Patrina Dixon in the Substack app</div><div class="install-substack-app-text">Available for iOS and Android</div></div><a href="https://substack.com/app/app-store-redirect?utm_campaign=app-marketing&amp;utm_content=author-post-insert&amp;utm_source=grantsforsmallbusinessowners" target="_blank" class="install-substack-app-embed-link"><button class="install-substack-app-embed-btn button primary">Get the app</button></a></div><p></p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Missed Power Lunch Hour? Here's your recording]]></title><description><![CDATA[The 60-minute session that helps you stop being the bottleneck]]></description><link>https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/missed-power-lunch-hour-heres-your</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/missed-power-lunch-hour-heres-your</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Patrina Dixon]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 02 Sep 2026 12:03:07 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/f15d1433-f78f-4e7b-a8bf-e366a967a838_420x300.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>Hi Business bestie,</strong></p><p>We had a great session last week and if you missed it, don&#8217;t worry &#8212; we&#8217;ve got you covered.</p><p>Barbara Turner-Chappell joined us for Power Lunch Hour, and honestly, it was the kind of conversation that makes you want to rethink how you&#8217;re running things. Barbara&#8217;s spent over a decade helping entrepreneurs, small businesses, and nonprofits build systems that don&#8217;t just work today, but actually hold up long-term.</p><p>We talked about why so many of us end up being the bottleneck in our own business and what to do about it.</p><p><strong>A Few Things That Stuck With Us</strong></p><ol><li><p><strong>You&#8217;re probably the bottleneck, and that&#8217;s okay &#8212; it&#8217;s fixable.</strong> Most business owners don&#8217;t even realize how much runs through them by default. Once you see it, you can start building around it.</p></li><li><p><strong>Onboarding doesn&#8217;t have to be chaos.</strong> A clear, repeatable process means less back-and-forth and a better first impression for your clients.</p></li><li><p><strong>Write it down once, stop repeating yourself forever.</strong> SOPs mean you&#8217;re not reteaching the same thing every single time &#8212; to clients, to your team, to future you.</p></li></ol><p><strong>&#127909; Catch the Full Recording</strong></p><p>The full session is now up for our Elite (paid) subscribers.</p><p>Elite subscribers get:<br>&#9989; The complete recording<br>&#9989; Barbara&#8217;s frameworks for onboarding, SOPs, and getting your finances/marketing/sales in order<br>&#9989; The ability to go back and rewatch anytime</p><p><strong>Haven&#8217;t upgraded yet?</strong></p><p>This is exactly the kind of session that&#8217;s worth it. Upgrading gets you this recording plus everything else that comes with being an Elite subscriber:</p><p>&#128204; Monthly live sessions with guest experts<br>&#128204; Access to every past recording<br>&#128204; Resources to help you build a business that doesn&#8217;t need you in every corner of it<br>&#128204; Practical tools you can actually use, not just theory</p><p>Running a smooth business isn&#8217;t about doing more, it&#8217;s about doing it once, the right way.</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Upgrade Your Subscription&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/subscribe?"><span>Upgrade Your Subscription</span></a></p>
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   ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[We're live in a few hours 🍽️ (link inside)]]></title><description><![CDATA[Noon EST today. Grab your lunch, click the link, let's fix your bottleneck.]]></description><link>https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/were-live-in-a-few-hours-link-inside</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/were-live-in-a-few-hours-link-inside</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Patrina Dixon]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 27 Aug 2026 12:30:58 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/760e701b-2602-4b28-be4e-9c26d90d2fa5_420x300.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Hi Business bestie,</p><p>Today&#8217;s the day! <strong>Power Lunch Hour</strong> with Barbara Turner-Chappell kicks off at <strong>12:00 PM EST</strong> &#8212; grab your lunch and clear your calendar for the next 60 minutes.</p><p>Barbara&#8217;s spent over a decade helping entrepreneurs, small businesses, and nonprofits build the kind of structure that doesn&#8217;t just work today, but holds up for the long haul. Today, she&#8217;s bringing that experience straight to you &#8212; no fluff, no theory, just the systems you can put to use immediately.</p><p>Here&#8217;s what you&#8217;re getting in the next hour:</p><ul><li><p>How to stop being the bottleneck for everything</p></li><li><p>A smoother way to onboard clients &#8212; no more back-and-forth chaos</p></li><li><p>A plan to actually organize your finances, marketing, and sales</p></li><li><p>Simple SOPs so you&#8217;re not reteaching the same thing over and over</p></li><li><p>That feeling of being <em>in control</em> instead of constantly putting out fires</p></li></ul><p><strong>&#128279; Zoom link below </strong></p><p>Not on the list? There&#8217;s still a small window to upgrade before we start.</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;UPGRADE HERE&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/subscribe?"><span>UPGRADE HERE</span></a></p>
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   ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Grant Application Playbook: What I Learned From Opportunity to SUBMIT]]></title><description><![CDATA[You watched me submit the grant. Now I&#8217;m showing Elite subscribers the exact playbook I used to evaluate, prepare, review, submit, and track the opportunity.]]></description><link>https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/the-grant-application-playbook-what</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/the-grant-application-playbook-what</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Patrina Dixon]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 26 Aug 2026 19:29:18 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/aab160ea-67b2-46fc-9d26-f922e20637bb_5712x4284.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Hi Business bestie,</p><p>If you&#8217;ve been following my Grant Journey, you already know the story.</p><p>&#10004;&#65039; I found a $5,000 grant opportunity.</p><p>&#10004;&#65039; I questioned the $25 application fee.</p><p>&#10004;&#65039; I asked a Facebook group of women entrepreneurs what they thought&#8212;and 34 women had plenty to say. &#128514;</p><p>&#10004;&#65039; I decided to move forward.</p><p>&#10004;&#65039; I worked with the professional grant writer on my team.</p><p>&#10004;&#65039; I reviewed and revised the responses.</p><p>&#10004;&#65039; And I hit <strong>SUBMIT.</strong></p><p>But I promised my Elite subscribers something different.</p><p><strong>Everyone gets to come on the journey. Elite gets a look inside the Playbook.</strong></p><p>So I&#8217;m not going to spend this post retelling you everything that happened. Instead, I&#8217;m taking what I learned from actually going through the process and turning it into something <strong>you can use when you&#8217;re evaluating your next grant opportunity.</strong></p><p>One woman following the journey called it a <strong>&#8220;real live case study.&#8221; </strong>That&#8217;s exactly what it became. Now let&#8217;s turn the case study into a system.</p><p><strong>The Grant Behind the Playbook</strong></p><p><strong>Grant:</strong> Women Founders Grant</p><p><strong>Award:</strong> $5,000</p><p><strong>Application Fee:</strong> $25</p><p><strong>Deadline for my round:</strong> August 31, 2026</p><p><strong>Status:</strong> Submitted &#9989;</p><p>One thing I should also share: looking for grant opportunities isn&#8217;t new to me. Each month, I review my <strong>Grants for Small Business Owners</strong> list, on the 15th of every month, for opportunities that may be a good fit for both my business and nonprofit. But I don&#8217;t apply for everything I find. <strong>Finding the grant is only the beginning. Deciding whether it&#8217;s worth pursuing is where the work starts.</strong></p><p>And that&#8217;s where this Playbook begins.</p><p><strong>&#128274; What&#8217;s Inside the Elite Playbook</strong></p><p>I&#8217;m giving you the frameworks I wish every business owner considered <strong>before</strong> hitting APPLY:</p><p><strong>&#10003; My &#8220;Should I Apply?&#8221; framework</strong></p><p><strong>&#10003; How I evaluate an application fee</strong></p><p><strong>&#10003; How to decide between DIY and professional grant-writing support</strong></p><p><strong>&#10003; How to turn a broad funding need into a specific request</strong></p><p><strong>&#10003; What to review when your grant writer sends the draft back</strong></p><p><strong>&#10003; What to save so you&#8217;re not starting from scratch next time</strong></p><p><strong>&#10003; What to do after SUBMIT</strong></p><p><strong>&#10003; My Grant-Ready checklist</strong></p><p><strong>&#10003; The downloadable It&#8217;$ My Money Grant Opportunity Tracker</strong></p><p>You watched me do it.</p><p><strong>Now here&#8217;s a system you can use to do it yourself.</strong></p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/subscribe&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;UPGRADE TO ELITE&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/subscribe"><span>UPGRADE TO ELITE</span></a></p>
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   ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Tomorrow: Power Lunch Hour with Barbara Turner-Chappell]]></title><description><![CDATA[Your seat's waiting &#8212; grab the link before we go live at noon.]]></description><link>https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/tomorrow-power-lunch-hour-with-barbara</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/tomorrow-power-lunch-hour-with-barbara</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Patrina Dixon]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 26 Aug 2026 12:31:47 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/4614fa05-f6d9-4d7d-87a3-7e9f0aef83fe_420x300.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Hi Business bestie,</p><p>Tomorrow&#8217;s the day.</p><p><strong>Power Lunch Hour</strong> goes live at 12:00 PM EST with Barbara Turner-Chappell, and if your business has ever ground to a halt because <em>you</em> had to be the one holding it together, this hour is for you.</p><p>Barbara built Purpose Fully Chosen LLC to help entrepreneurs and small business owners move from &#8220;just an idea&#8221; to something with real structure, real financial clarity, and real staying power. She&#8217;s not here to talk theory. She&#8217;s here to hand you the systems.</p><p>Quick reminder of what you&#8217;re walking away with:</p><ul><li><p>A clear plan to stop being the bottleneck</p></li><li><p>A smoother, chaos-free client onboarding process</p></li><li><p>Organized finances, marketing, and sales &#8212; finally</p></li><li><p>Simple SOPs so you stop repeating yourself</p></li><li><p>That &#8220;I&#8217;ve actually got this&#8221; feeling instead of constant fire-fighting</p></li></ul><p>&#128197; <strong>Tomorrow &#8212; Thursday, August 27, 2026 @ 12:00 PM EST</strong></p><p><strong>&#128279; Link below to save your seat!</strong></p>
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   ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[You're the bottleneck. Here's how to fix that.]]></title><description><![CDATA[What happens to your business if you take a sick day? Let's fix that this Thursday.]]></description><link>https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/youre-the-bottleneck-heres-how-to</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/youre-the-bottleneck-heres-how-to</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Patrina Dixon]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 24 Aug 2026 12:31:24 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/59787ba0-8f90-4ca7-be84-ba2052a02d62_420x300.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Hi Business bestie,</p><p>When&#8217;s the last time you took a full day off and your business didn&#8217;t feel it?</p><p>If you&#8217;re wincing right now, you&#8217;re not alone  and that&#8217;s exactly why we&#8217;re doing this.</p><p>This Thursday, August 27 @ 12:00 PM EST, we&#8217;re kicking off <strong>Power Lunch Hour</strong> with special guest Barbara Turner-Chappell, Founder &amp; Lead Consultant of Purpose Fully Chosen LLC.</p><p>Barbara&#8217;s spent over a decade in private banking, business development, and nonprofit strategy  and she&#8217;s built a career helping business owners go from &#8220;I&#8217;m doing it all myself&#8221; to &#8220;I finally have systems that hold this thing up without me.&#8221;</p><p>In just 60 minutes, over your lunch break, you&#8217;ll learn how to:</p><ul><li><p>Stop being the bottleneck for everything</p></li><li><p>Onboard clients without the back-and-forth chaos</p></li><li><p>Get your finances, marketing, and sales actually organized</p></li><li><p>Build simple SOPs so you&#8217;re not reteaching the same thing 10 times</p></li><li><p>Finally feel in control instead of constantly putting out fires</p></li></ul><p>Grab your lunch, save your seat, and give yourself an hour to fix what&#8217;s actually breaking your business.</p><p>&#128197; <strong>Thursday, August 27, 2026 @ 12:00 PM EST</strong></p><p>Elite Subscribers, be on the lookout &#8212; your Zoom link is coming your way. Not on the list yet? Upgrade now, this Thursday's coming up fast.</p><p>Talk soon!</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe now&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/subscribe?"><span>Subscribe now</span></a></p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/youre-the-bottleneck-heres-how-to/comments&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Leave a comment&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/youre-the-bottleneck-heres-how-to/comments"><span>Leave a comment</span></a></p><div class="install-substack-app-embed install-substack-app-embed-web" data-component-name="InstallSubstackAppToDOM"><img class="install-substack-app-embed-img" src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!zDJe!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83ea6c04-3772-461c-8539-0cf0e27318d8_1080x1080.png"><div class="install-substack-app-embed-text"><div class="install-substack-app-header">Get more from Patrina Dixon in the Substack app</div><div class="install-substack-app-text">Available for iOS and Android</div></div><a href="https://substack.com/app/app-store-redirect?utm_campaign=app-marketing&amp;utm_content=author-post-insert&amp;utm_source=grantsforsmallbusinessowners" target="_blank" class="install-substack-app-embed-link"><button class="install-substack-app-embed-btn button primary">Get the app</button></a></div><p></p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Grant Journey: I Hit Submit. Now We Wait.]]></title><description><![CDATA[It&#8217;s official.]]></description><link>https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/grant-journey-i-hit-submit-now-we</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/grant-journey-i-hit-submit-now-we</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Patrina Dixon]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 21 Aug 2026 16:05:24 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!aMId!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F877ac1db-b480-4a82-a760-cb04c80024ea_1320x478.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!aMId!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F877ac1db-b480-4a82-a760-cb04c80024ea_1320x478.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!aMId!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F877ac1db-b480-4a82-a760-cb04c80024ea_1320x478.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!aMId!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F877ac1db-b480-4a82-a760-cb04c80024ea_1320x478.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!aMId!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F877ac1db-b480-4a82-a760-cb04c80024ea_1320x478.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!aMId!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F877ac1db-b480-4a82-a760-cb04c80024ea_1320x478.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!aMId!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F877ac1db-b480-4a82-a760-cb04c80024ea_1320x478.jpeg" width="1320" height="478" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/877ac1db-b480-4a82-a760-cb04c80024ea_1320x478.jpeg&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:&quot;normal&quot;,&quot;height&quot;:478,&quot;width&quot;:1320,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:0,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!aMId!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F877ac1db-b480-4a82-a760-cb04c80024ea_1320x478.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!aMId!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F877ac1db-b480-4a82-a760-cb04c80024ea_1320x478.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!aMId!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F877ac1db-b480-4a82-a760-cb04c80024ea_1320x478.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!aMId!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F877ac1db-b480-4a82-a760-cb04c80024ea_1320x478.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg aria-hidden="true" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>It&#8217;s official.</p><p><strong>I submitted my grant application. &#9989;</strong></p><p>Last night, I completed my final review. I read through the responses one more time, made sure I was comfortable with the story we were telling, and confirmed that the application reflected my business, my voice, and the impact I want to make.</p><p>Then came the moment I&#8217;ve been documenting this entire journey toward. <strong>I paid the $25 application fee + SUBMITTED  </strong>and just like that, the application was out of my hands.</p><p><strong>This Was About More Than Filling Out an Application</strong></p><p>One of the reasons I decided to document this process was because I wanted you to see what applying for a grant can look like behind the scenes.</p><p>For me, for this grant, that included working with a professional grant writer. Having someone with experience across multiple businesses and grant applications added a level of strategy, thoughtfulness, and attention to detail that I truly valued throughout this process.</p><p><strong>And there&#8217;s another value I don&#8217;t want to overlook. </strong>While these responses were thoughtfully written for this specific grant opportunity, the work doesn&#8217;t necessarily end with this application. I now have stronger language around my business, my story, the audiences I serve, and the impact of my work that I can reference when pursuing other grant opportunities.</p><p>That doesn&#8217;t mean copying and pasting the same answers into every application. Every grant has its own questions, requirements, and priorities. But I&#8217;m not starting from scratch next time either.</p><p><strong>I&#8217;m building a stronger foundation for future applications.</strong></p><p>To me, that&#8217;s another part of the value of working with an experienced grant writer. I&#8217;m investing in this application, but some of the strategy and thoughtfulness that went into developing these responses can continue to serve my business beyond this one opportunity.</p><p><strong>Then came my part.</strong></p><p>When I received the draft, I printed it, sat down with my coffee, grabbed my highlighters and pens, and went through every response. I added more color to my personal story. I made sure the audiences I&#8217;ve served over the years were represented. I added more of my digital footprint. And I looked for places where I could be more specific.</p><p>That review reminded me of something important:</p><p><strong>No one knows your story and your business like you do. That said, having experienced eyes helping you shape and communicate that story can make a difference in the process.</strong></p><p><em>And, as I&#8217;ve said throughout this journey, professional grant-writing support does not guarantee funding.</em></p><p><strong>And Then There Was That $25. </strong></p><p></p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!YvDs!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Feac3c130-a8ee-4284-8b1e-523409a56815_1320x868.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!YvDs!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Feac3c130-a8ee-4284-8b1e-523409a56815_1320x868.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!YvDs!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Feac3c130-a8ee-4284-8b1e-523409a56815_1320x868.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!YvDs!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Feac3c130-a8ee-4284-8b1e-523409a56815_1320x868.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!YvDs!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Feac3c130-a8ee-4284-8b1e-523409a56815_1320x868.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!YvDs!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Feac3c130-a8ee-4284-8b1e-523409a56815_1320x868.jpeg" width="1320" height="868" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/eac3c130-a8ee-4284-8b1e-523409a56815_1320x868.jpeg&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:&quot;normal&quot;,&quot;height&quot;:868,&quot;width&quot;:1320,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:0,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!YvDs!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Feac3c130-a8ee-4284-8b1e-523409a56815_1320x868.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!YvDs!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Feac3c130-a8ee-4284-8b1e-523409a56815_1320x868.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!YvDs!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Feac3c130-a8ee-4284-8b1e-523409a56815_1320x868.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!YvDs!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Feac3c130-a8ee-4284-8b1e-523409a56815_1320x868.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg aria-hidden="true" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>If you&#8217;ve been following this grant journey series from the beginning, you already know the $25 application fee became a whole conversation. I asked a Facebook group of women entrepreneurs:</p><p><strong>Would you pay $25 to apply for a $5,000 grant?</strong></p><p>Thirty-four responses later, I had A LOT to think about.</p><p>&#10145;&#65039; Some said absolutely not.</p><p>&#10145;&#65039; Some said they never pay application fees for grants.</p><p>&#10145;&#65039; Some questioned where the money goes and wanted more transparency.</p><p>&#10145;&#65039; Some said they evaluate opportunities like this on a case-by-case basis.</p><p>&#10145;&#65039; And others encouraged me to do my research and consider the potential ROI.</p><p>I listened. I researched. I asked questions. And then I made the financial decision that was right for <strong>me and my business. I paid the $25.</strong></p><p>Does That Mean I&#8217;ll Get the $5,000?<strong> </strong>No. And I want to be very clear about that.</p><p>Paying an application fee doesn&#8217;t guarantee funding. Working with a professional grant writer doesn&#8217;t guarantee funding. Putting together an application I&#8217;m proud of doesn&#8217;t guarantee funding.</p><p><strong>There are no guarantees. </strong>But I do know this: <strong>I put my business in the room for consideration. </strong>And I&#8217;m glad I did.</p><p>That&#8217;s something I talk about often when it comes to money and business. We can research. We can prepare. We can seek professional support. We can make thoughtful decisions. But we can&#8217;t control every outcome.</p><p>Sometimes our job is to prepare ourselves as best we can, take the opportunity, and then see what happens. That&#8217;s where I am now. </p><p><strong>So, What Happens Next?</strong></p><p>One thing I don&#8217;t want to do is submit the application and forget about it.</p><p>The grantor explains that the review will be 8 weeks past the deadline and applicants who make the shortlist will be contacted for a <strong>30-minute conversation</strong> so they can learn more about the founder and the business and verify the application.</p><p>What caught my attention was their statement that <strong>&#8220;No preparation is required, just the vision and passion.&#8221; </strong>If selected, that would be the next step in my journey and yes, I&#8217;ll take you along for that too.</p><p>They also indicate that winners are announced <strong>the following month</strong>, with results shared through their website and social media.</p><p>So I&#8217;m doing something else that I think is important when applying for grants: I&#8217;m adding this opportunity to<strong> my grant tracker, along with the anticipated response timeframe.</strong></p><p>Because applying is only part of the process.</p><p>I want to keep track of:</p><ul><li><p>What I applied for</p></li><li><p>When I submitted</p></li><li><p>How much I paid, if anything</p></li><li><p>The expected notification timeframe</p></li><li><p>Whether there is an interview or additional step</p></li><li><p>The final outcome</p></li></ul><p>That way, I&#8217;m not relying on my inbox, or my memory to manage my grant opportunities.</p><p><strong>Now We Wait.</strong></p><p>This may be the hardest part. The application is submitted. The fee is paid. My part is done. Now the decision belongs to someone else. And whether the answer is <strong>YES or NO</strong>, I&#8217;ll come back and share what happens. Because when I started this Grant Journey, I didn&#8217;t promise to show you how to <strong>win</strong> a grant. <strong>I promised to take you through my real process of applying for one. </strong>And that&#8217;s exactly what I&#8217;ve done.</p><p><strong>Grant Journey Status</strong></p><p>&#9989; Grant researched<br>&#9989; Professional grant-writing support<br>&#9989; Draft completed<br>&#9989; My review and revisions<br>&#9989; Final review<br>&#9989; $25 application fee paid<br>&#9989; <strong>APPLICATION SUBMITTED</strong></p><p>&#9203; <strong>Now we wait.</strong></p><p></p><p><strong>&#128274; For My Elite Subscribers</strong></p><p>Now that the application has officially been submitted, it&#8217;s time for me to go deeper.</p><p>I&#8217;m putting together the <strong>Grant Application Playbook</strong> I&#8217;ve been promising you.  I&#8217;m going deeper into the strategy, due diligence, questions, decision-making framework, lessons from working with a professional grant writer, and practical tools you can use when evaluating and preparing for your own grant opportunities.</p><p><strong>Everyone gets to come on the journey. Elite gets a look inside the playbook.</strong></p><p>Several readers have also asked about the professional grant-writing support I&#8217;m using. I&#8217;ll share more about that resource and how you can access that support as well.</p><p></p><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:null,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Upgrade to Elite Subscriber</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input type="email" class="email-input" name="email" placeholder="Type your email&#8230;" tabindex="-1"><input type="submit" class="button primary" value="Subscribe"><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div><p></p><p>For now&#8230;<strong>The application is submitted. </strong>Now we wait.</p><p><em>Your business bestie,</em></p><p>Patrina </p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Your business needs this (and it's free to learn how) 👀]]></title><description><![CDATA[August 27, 2026 at 12pm &#8212; the systems that keep your business running when YOU can't.]]></description><link>https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/your-business-needs-this-and-its</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/your-business-needs-this-and-its</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Patrina Dixon]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 19 Aug 2026 20:36:21 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/a92350a2-cab7-4b00-9a49-94546e897609_1200x630.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Hi Business bestie,</p><p>Quick question: what happens to your business if you take a sick day?</p><p>If the answer is &#8220;everything falls apart,&#8221; this one&#8217;s for you.</p><p>We&#8217;re bringing in <strong>Barbara Chappelle</strong> to break down the systems every small business owner needs, the ones that let your business run smoothly whether you&#8217;re in the driver&#8217;s seat or on a beach somewhere.</p><p><strong>In 60 minutes, you&#8217;ll walk away knowing how to:</strong></p><ul><li><p>Stop being the bottleneck for everything</p></li><li><p>Onboard clients without the back-and-forth chaos</p></li><li><p>Get your finances, marketing, and sales actually organized</p></li><li><p>Build simple SOPs so you&#8217;re not reteaching the same thing 10 times</p></li><li><p>Finally feel in control instead of constantly putting out fires</p></li></ul><p>This isn&#8217;t theory. It&#8217;s the real, practical stuff you can start using immediately.</p><p><span>Save the date: </span><strong>August 27, 2026 @ 12:00 PM EST</strong></p><p><span>The link is going to our </span><strong>Elite Subscribers</strong><span> first. Not on the list? Upgrade now &#8212; time&#8217;s not on your side.</span></p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe now&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/subscribe?"><span>Subscribe now</span></a></p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/your-business-needs-this-and-its/comments&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Leave a comment&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/your-business-needs-this-and-its/comments"><span>Leave a comment</span></a></p><div class="install-substack-app-embed install-substack-app-embed-web" data-component-name="InstallSubstackAppToDOM"><img class="install-substack-app-embed-img" src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!zDJe!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83ea6c04-3772-461c-8539-0cf0e27318d8_1080x1080.png"><div class="install-substack-app-embed-text"><div class="install-substack-app-header">Get more from Patrina Dixon in the Substack app</div><div class="install-substack-app-text">Available for iOS and Android</div></div><a href="https://substack.com/app/app-store-redirect?utm_campaign=app-marketing&amp;utm_content=author-post-insert&amp;utm_source=grantsforsmallbusinessowners" target="_blank" class="install-substack-app-embed-link"><button class="install-substack-app-embed-btn button primary">Get the app</button></a></div><p></p><p></p><p></p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Grant Journey: My Grant Application Draft Is Back. Here’s What I Learned.]]></title><description><![CDATA[When I decided to apply for the Women Founders Grant, I promised I would take you behind the scenes and share the process in real time.]]></description><link>https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/grant-journey-my-grant-application</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/grant-journey-my-grant-application</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Patrina Dixon]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 17 Aug 2026 16:37:33 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!AZWb!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa13dbb2f-3514-4fb3-ae76-5fd1db6783f2_4032x3024.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>When I decided to apply for the Women Founders Grant, I promised I would take you behind the scenes and share the process in real time.</p><p>I received the first draft of my application from my grant writer and one of the biggest lessons I learned had nothing to do with grammar, formatting, or editing. It had everything to do with <strong>clarity. </strong>One of the things I love about this process is that it forces me to slow down as opposed to just taking a first and only pass at my responses. I printed the responses received, went out on my lanai, sat down with a cup of coffee, grabbed my highlighters and pens, and started reviewing every response. </p><p></p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!AZWb!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa13dbb2f-3514-4fb3-ae76-5fd1db6783f2_4032x3024.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!AZWb!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa13dbb2f-3514-4fb3-ae76-5fd1db6783f2_4032x3024.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!AZWb!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa13dbb2f-3514-4fb3-ae76-5fd1db6783f2_4032x3024.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!AZWb!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa13dbb2f-3514-4fb3-ae76-5fd1db6783f2_4032x3024.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!AZWb!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa13dbb2f-3514-4fb3-ae76-5fd1db6783f2_4032x3024.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!AZWb!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa13dbb2f-3514-4fb3-ae76-5fd1db6783f2_4032x3024.jpeg" width="3024" height="4032" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/a13dbb2f-3514-4fb3-ae76-5fd1db6783f2_4032x3024.jpeg&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:&quot;normal&quot;,&quot;height&quot;:4032,&quot;width&quot;:3024,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:0,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!AZWb!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa13dbb2f-3514-4fb3-ae76-5fd1db6783f2_4032x3024.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!AZWb!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa13dbb2f-3514-4fb3-ae76-5fd1db6783f2_4032x3024.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!AZWb!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa13dbb2f-3514-4fb3-ae76-5fd1db6783f2_4032x3024.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!AZWb!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa13dbb2f-3514-4fb3-ae76-5fd1db6783f2_4032x3024.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg aria-hidden="true" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p></p><p>That may sound simple, but as entrepreneurs, we don&#8217;t always give ourselves permission to slow down and really think about our businesses. We&#8217;re usually moving from one task to the next. But this process created space for me to step away from my daily responsibilities and think more strategically.</p><p>My grant writer did exactly what I hoped she would do. She helped me organize my story, strengthen my message, and think more intentionally about how I was presenting my business.</p><p><strong>My edits were very minimal:</strong></p><p><strong>&#10004;&#65039;</strong> I added more color to my personal story and expanded the information about the audiences I&#8217;ve served over the years all of which I had not initially shared with her.</p><p>&#10004;&#65039; I also made sure my complete digital footprint was represented by including all of my social media platforms rather than highlighting just one.</p><p>And as I worked through each page, one thing became very clear: <strong>Specificity matters.</strong></p><p>It&#8217;s easy to say you want to grow, expand, or enhance your business. It&#8217;s much harder to clearly explain who you serve, why your work matters, and the impact you want to create.</p><p>That&#8217;s one of the reasons I appreciate working with a professional grant writer. Not because someone else can tell my story better than I can, but because another set of experienced eyes can help you see your business differently. Having someone with experience across multiple businesses and grant applications adds a level of strategy, thoughtfulness and attention to detail that I truly value.</p><p><strong>Grant Journey Status</strong></p><p>&#9989; Application: In progress </p><p>&#9989; Community feedback collected</p><p>&#9989; Grant application draft received</p><p>&#9989; Revisions completed</p><p>&#128064; Next step: Final review and submission</p><p><strong>The journey continue&#8230;</strong></p><p></p><p><strong>Your business bestie,</strong></p><p><em><strong>Patrina</strong></em><strong> </strong></p><p></p><p>&#128274; <strong>Elite subscribers:</strong> Several readers have already asked about my grant-writing process and the support I&#8217;m using. I&#8217;ll be sharing more about that resource and turning this experience into a practical grant evaluation framework as this journey continues.</p><p></p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Grant Insider | August 15th Edition ]]></title><description><![CDATA[Your trusted monthly source for curated grant opportunities, funding strategies, and exclusive resources for small businesses and nonprofits.]]></description><link>https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/the-grant-insider-august-15th-edition</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/the-grant-insider-august-15th-edition</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Patrina Dixon]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 15 Aug 2026 15:02:27 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PniX!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7e722ab3-29f5-4138-b132-16addfd7e39a_1200x630.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PniX!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7e722ab3-29f5-4138-b132-16addfd7e39a_1200x630.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PniX!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7e722ab3-29f5-4138-b132-16addfd7e39a_1200x630.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PniX!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7e722ab3-29f5-4138-b132-16addfd7e39a_1200x630.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PniX!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7e722ab3-29f5-4138-b132-16addfd7e39a_1200x630.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PniX!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7e722ab3-29f5-4138-b132-16addfd7e39a_1200x630.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PniX!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7e722ab3-29f5-4138-b132-16addfd7e39a_1200x630.png" width="1200" height="630" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/7e722ab3-29f5-4138-b132-16addfd7e39a_1200x630.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:630,&quot;width&quot;:1200,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:1045486,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/i/211227870?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7e722ab3-29f5-4138-b132-16addfd7e39a_1200x630.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PniX!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7e722ab3-29f5-4138-b132-16addfd7e39a_1200x630.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PniX!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7e722ab3-29f5-4138-b132-16addfd7e39a_1200x630.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PniX!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7e722ab3-29f5-4138-b132-16addfd7e39a_1200x630.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!PniX!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7e722ab3-29f5-4138-b132-16addfd7e39a_1200x630.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg aria-hidden="true" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>As many of you know, I&#8217;ve been sharing pieces of my <strong>Grant Journey</strong> along the way. One thing I&#8217;ve learned is that funding opportunities are out there, but finding the right ones can take a lot of time, research, and patience.</p><p>That&#8217;s why I created this monthly grant list.</p><p>My goal is simple: to help you spend less time searching and more time applying for opportunities that can help you grow, whether you&#8217;re building a business, leading a nonprofit, creating a community program, or simply looking for resources to support your next step.</p><p>This month, we&#8217;ve pulled together several funding opportunities that I believe are worth your attention. As always, I&#8217;m sharing a few grants with all subscribers before unlocking the full list for our <strong>Elite</strong> community. </p><h1><strong>1. 4imprint One by One&#174; Grant Program</strong></h1><p><strong>Award amount: </strong>Promotional products (valued up to $500) donated directly to your organization</p><p><strong>Application deadline: </strong>Rolling &#8212; apply at least 60 days before your event</p><p><strong>Who qualifies: </strong>501(c)(3) nonprofits, accredited schools, religious organizations, and registered Canadian charities. Must be actively making a difference in your community. Organizations can only receive the grant once every 12 months.</p><p><strong><a href="https://onebyone.4imprint.com/application">Apply here</a> </strong></p><h1><strong>2. Hey Helen Grant</strong></h1><p><strong>Award Amount:</strong> $10,000 unrestricted cash (awarded monthly &#8212; use it however your business needs it most)</p><p><strong>Application Deadline:</strong> August 30, 2026 at 7:00 PM ET <em>(monthly rounds after that close on the last day of each month)</em></p><p><strong>Who Qualifies:</strong></p><ul><li><p>Women-owned businesses (at least 50% women-owned)</p></li><li><p>U.S.-based, legally registered for-profit business</p></li><li><p>Generating under $1M in annual revenue</p></li><li><p>Pre-revenue businesses welcome</p></li><li><p>Must have a U.S. business bank account for ACH transfer</p></li><li><p>Nonbinary founders aligned with the intent of the grant are also welcome</p></li><li><p>Nonprofits are not eligible</p></li><li><p>Note: $15 application fee applies </p></li></ul><p><strong><a href="https://visionaries.co/helen-grant/">Apply Here</a></strong></p><h1><strong>3. TEDxUTAustin Speaker Application &#8212; 2027 Conference</strong></h1><p><strong>Award amount: </strong>Speaking opportunity on the TEDx stage (visibility + platform &#8212; no cash award)</p><p><strong>Application deadline: </strong>September 18, 2026 at 11:59 PM CST</p><p><strong>Who qualifies: </strong>UT students (undergraduate, graduate, and PhD), UT faculty, alumni, and Austin community members with a powerful idea worth sharing.</p><p><strong><a href="https://www.tedxutaustin.com/speakerapplication">Apply here</a></strong></p><h1><strong>4. Intuit IDEAS Program</strong></h1><p><strong>Award Amount:</strong> 12-month program including free QuickBooks, Mailchimp, and TurboTax software + monthly business coaching + a grant awarded at program completion</p><p><strong>Application Deadline:</strong> Rolling &#8212; join the interest list now (cohorts open by city)</p><p><strong>Who Qualifies:</strong> Diverse small business owners in Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York City, San Diego, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, New Orleans, Philadelphia &#8212; and a nationwide cohort open to veteran and military spouse entrepreneurs.</p><p><strong><a href="https://www.intuit.com/company/corporate-responsibility/intuit-ideas/">Apply Here</a> </strong></p><h2>Need a grant writer - we got you. </h2><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://form.jotform.com/Evans_Anissa/grant-writing-request-form&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Grant Writing Service&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://form.jotform.com/Evans_Anissa/grant-writing-request-form"><span>Grant Writing Service</span></a></p><p><strong>This month, paid subscribers will also receive 20 additional grant opportunities.</strong></p><ul><li><p> <strong>20</strong> additional grants sourced</p></li><li><p><strong>$1,170,725.00</strong> in potential funding identified</p></li><li><p> <strong>11</strong> grants specifically for entrepreneurs</p></li><li><p> <strong>9</strong> grants for nonprofits</p></li><li><p> <strong>9</strong> grants with deadlines in the next 30 days</p></li><li><p> <strong>1</strong> accelerator program</p></li><li><p> <strong>3</strong> pitch opportunities</p><p><br><em>Please note that some grant opportunities fall under the same categories, e.g., grants being available to entrepreneurs and nonprofits at the same time.</em></p></li></ul>
      <p>
          <a href="https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/the-grant-insider-august-15th-edition">
              Read more
          </a>
      </p>
   ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[I Asked Women Entrepreneurs If They Would Pay $25 to Apply for a $5,000 Grant. Here’s What They Told Me.]]></title><description><![CDATA[Grant Journey continues &#8230;..Yesterday, I shared that I&#8217;m applying for the Women Founders Grant, a $5,000 grant opportunity with a $25 application fee.]]></description><link>https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/i-asked-women-entrepreneurs-if-they</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/i-asked-women-entrepreneurs-if-they</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Patrina Dixon]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 13 Aug 2026 17:08:52 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!MS6E!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F13cbd741-189c-474f-8b78-70e639814bdd_1080x1350.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>Grant Journey continues</strong> &#8230;..Yesterday, I shared that I&#8217;m applying for the Women Founders Grant, a $5,000 grant opportunity with a $25 application fee.</p><p>Then I asked a simple question in a Facebook group for women entrepreneurs:</p><p><strong>Would you pay $25 to apply for a $5,000 grant?</strong></p><p>I thought I&#8217;d get a few comments. I was wrong. </p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!MS6E!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F13cbd741-189c-474f-8b78-70e639814bdd_1080x1350.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!MS6E!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F13cbd741-189c-474f-8b78-70e639814bdd_1080x1350.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!MS6E!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F13cbd741-189c-474f-8b78-70e639814bdd_1080x1350.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!MS6E!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F13cbd741-189c-474f-8b78-70e639814bdd_1080x1350.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!MS6E!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F13cbd741-189c-474f-8b78-70e639814bdd_1080x1350.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!MS6E!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F13cbd741-189c-474f-8b78-70e639814bdd_1080x1350.png" width="1080" height="1350" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/13cbd741-189c-474f-8b78-70e639814bdd_1080x1350.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:1350,&quot;width&quot;:1080,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:2017917,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/i/211062626?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F13cbd741-189c-474f-8b78-70e639814bdd_1080x1350.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!MS6E!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F13cbd741-189c-474f-8b78-70e639814bdd_1080x1350.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!MS6E!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F13cbd741-189c-474f-8b78-70e639814bdd_1080x1350.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!MS6E!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F13cbd741-189c-474f-8b78-70e639814bdd_1080x1350.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!MS6E!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F13cbd741-189c-474f-8b78-70e639814bdd_1080x1350.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg aria-hidden="true" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>The responses started coming in quickly, and before I knew it, entrepreneurs, grant recipients, board members, a former grant manager, and even a professional grant writer had joined the conversation.</p><p>And honestly, I appreciated every perspective. </p><p>&#128073;&#127997; Some women said they would never pay to apply for a grant. </p><p>&#128073;&#127997; Others questioned where the $25 was going and whether application fees were being used to help fund the grants themselves.</p><p>&#128073;&#127997; Several women shared that they&#8217;ve received grants before and had never paid an application fee.</p><p>&#128073;&#127997; One professional grant writer responded with two words: <strong>Absolutely not.</strong></p><p>And then there were the women who landed somewhere in the middle. One response really stood out to me: <strong>Research first. Then look at the ROI.</strong></p><p>That comment stopped me for a minute, because I&#8217;m a financial educator who teach people to ask questions, do their research, and make informed financial decisions. So it hit me, why wouldn&#8217;t I apply that same mindset to a grant application?</p><p>As I continued reading through the comments, I realized something. Maybe this conversation isn&#8217;t really about $25. <strong>Maybe it&#8217;s about how we evaluate opportunities.</strong></p><p>&#128073;&#127997; Do we automatically say yes?</p><p>&#128073;&#127997; Do we automatically say no?</p><p>&#128073;&#127997; Or do we slow down, gather information, ask questions, and make the best decision we can with the information we have?</p><p>That&#8217;s exactly what I&#8217;m doing just like I would with other financial or business decision. In regards to this decision, I have landed on, I am still applying.</p><p>This conversation really reinforced something I&#8217;ve always believed, research and transparency matters. Also, understanding where your money is going matters.</p><p>I&#8217;m glad I asked the question because the responses challenged me to think even more deeply about my decision and that&#8217;s one of the reasons I&#8217;m documenting this journey in real time. I also know I am not the only entrepreneur grappling with paying for a grant opportunity or not.  </p><p><strong>Grant Journey Status</strong></p><p>Application responses: In progress &#9989;</p><p>Community feedback: Collected &#9989;</p><p>Grant writer draft: Coming &#128064;</p><p>The journey continues&#8230;.</p><p><em><strong>Your business bestie,</strong></em></p><p><strong>Patrina</strong></p><p><strong>Elite subscribers:</strong> I&#8217;m taking everything I&#8217;ve learned from this conversation and turning it into a practical framework for evaluating grant opportunities, including the exact questions I&#8217;m now asking before paying an application fee. Stay tuned.</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Become an Elite Subscriber&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/subscribe?"><span>Become an Elite Subscriber</span></a></p><div class="captioned-button-wrap" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/i-asked-women-entrepreneurs-if-they?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Share&quot;}" data-component-name="CaptionedButtonToDOM"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Thanks for being in the Grants for Small Business Owners community! We would love for your to share with other business owners or non profits directors or presidents. </p></div><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/i-asked-women-entrepreneurs-if-they?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Share&quot;}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/i-asked-women-entrepreneurs-if-they?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share"><span>Share</span></a></p></div><p></p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[I’m Applying for a $5,000 Grant ]]></title><description><![CDATA[Come Behind the Scenes With Me]]></description><link>https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/im-applying-for-a-5000-grant</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/im-applying-for-a-5000-grant</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Patrina Dixon]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 12 Aug 2026 01:35:41 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!xFiL!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F32fd6ecd-5f76-4dca-bd45-25d4e4016ae1_1175x1425.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Today, I sat down with our grant writer and reviewed a grant opportunity I&#8217;m considering for my business.</p><p>And I&#8217;ve decided. <strong>I&#8217;m applying.</strong></p><p>But I want to do something a little different this time. Instead of quietly completing the application, submitting it, and only telling you about it if I win, I&#8217;m going to take you behind the scenes of the entire process.</p><p>&#10145;&#65039; The research.</p><p>&#10145;&#65039; The questions</p><p>&#10145;&#65039; The conversations with my grant writer.</p><p>&#10145;&#65039; The application.</p><p>&#10145;&#65039; The $25 application fee. &#128064;</p><p>&#10145;&#65039; The waiting.</p><p>And yes &#8212; eventually, the decision.</p><p><strong>Why am I sharing this?</strong></p><p>As an entrepreneur, I talk to a lot of people who are looking for funding for their businesses. And one of the words that ALWAYS comes up is: <strong>GRANTS.</strong></p><p>Everybody wants to know where to find them. Of course I tell them, <strong><a href="https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/">Grants for Small Business </a> </strong>but<strong> </strong>finding a grant is only the beginning.</p><p>&#10145;&#65039; How do you know whether it&#8217;s legitimate?</p><p>&#10145;&#65039; Is your business actually a good fit?</p><p>&#10145;&#65039; What makes you competitive?</p><p>&#10145;&#65039; How much time should you spend on an application?</p><p></p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!xFiL!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F32fd6ecd-5f76-4dca-bd45-25d4e4016ae1_1175x1425.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!xFiL!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F32fd6ecd-5f76-4dca-bd45-25d4e4016ae1_1175x1425.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!xFiL!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F32fd6ecd-5f76-4dca-bd45-25d4e4016ae1_1175x1425.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!xFiL!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F32fd6ecd-5f76-4dca-bd45-25d4e4016ae1_1175x1425.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!xFiL!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F32fd6ecd-5f76-4dca-bd45-25d4e4016ae1_1175x1425.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!xFiL!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F32fd6ecd-5f76-4dca-bd45-25d4e4016ae1_1175x1425.jpeg" width="1175" height="1425" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/32fd6ecd-5f76-4dca-bd45-25d4e4016ae1_1175x1425.jpeg&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:&quot;normal&quot;,&quot;height&quot;:1425,&quot;width&quot;:1175,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:0,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!xFiL!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F32fd6ecd-5f76-4dca-bd45-25d4e4016ae1_1175x1425.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!xFiL!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F32fd6ecd-5f76-4dca-bd45-25d4e4016ae1_1175x1425.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!xFiL!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F32fd6ecd-5f76-4dca-bd45-25d4e4016ae1_1175x1425.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!xFiL!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F32fd6ecd-5f76-4dca-bd45-25d4e4016ae1_1175x1425.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg aria-hidden="true" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>And here&#8217;s one I get asked very frequently: <strong>Should you pay to apply for a grant? </strong>This particular grant I am applying for has a <strong>$25 application fee</strong>. I know some people will immediately say: <em>&#8220;Nope. Never pay to apply for a grant.&#8221; </em>And trust me I see that perspective but I don&#8217;t automatically say yes or no. o want to know what I&#8217;m paying for, who&#8217;s behind the opportunity, what they&#8217;re offering, whether my business qualifies, and whether the potential opportunity justifies the cost. That&#8217;s part of the financial decision-making process, too. So I&#8217;m going to share how I made that decision.</p><p><strong>Step 1: I didn&#8217;t immediately apply.</strong></p><p>Today, our grant writer and I reviewed the opportunity together. That&#8217;s an important part of my process. Finding a grant that sounds good doesn&#8217;t automatically mean it&#8217;s a good grant <strong>for my business</strong>.</p><p>Before submitting anything, I want to understand:</p><p>&#8226; Who is offering the money?<br>&#8226; What types of businesses have they funded before?<br>&#8226; What are they looking for?<br>&#8226; Does my business align with that?<br>&#8226; What information do they want from me?<br>&#8226; How would I use the money if I received it?<br>&#8226; And is this application worth my time AND money?</p><p>That&#8217;s where we started.</p><p><strong>It is important for you to understand, applying for grants isn&#8217;t just about finding the opportunity. </strong>It&#8217;s also about being able to clearly communicate your business, your impact, your needs, and what additional capital would allow you to accomplish.And sometimes the exercise of answering those questions is valuable even before you know whether you&#8217;re getting the money.</p><p><strong>So over the next few posts, I&#8217;m taking you with me. </strong>I&#8217;ll share what I&#8217;m comfortable sharing from my application, how I&#8217;m approaching the $25 application fee, what I decide to emphasize about my business, what I&#8217;m learning along the way, and what happens after I hit SUBMIT.</p><p><strong>And for our Elite subscribers, we&#8217;re going even deeper.</strong> I&#8217;ll take you behind the strategy, sharing more of my decision-making process, lessons from working with our <strong><a href="https://form.jotform.com/Evans_Anissa/grant-writing-request-form">grant writer</a></strong>, and practical takeaways you can use when pursuing funding opportunities for your own business.</p><p><em><strong>Everyone gets to come on the journey. Elite gets a look inside the playbook.</strong></em></p><p>And when the decision comes? I&#8217;ll share that too,  whether it&#8217;s <strong>YES or NO. </strong>Because I believe there&#8217;s something to learn from both.</p><p><strong>Today&#8217;s Grant Journey status:</strong></p><p>Grant reviewed. &#9989;<br>Decision made. &#9989;<br>I&#8217;m applying. &#9989;</p><p>Now it&#8217;s time to build the application.</p><p>Stay tuned. <strong>Grant Journey, Day 1</strong></p><p></p><p><em><strong>Your business bestie </strong></em></p><p><strong>Patrina </strong></p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[We Found One You Need to See Before It Close]]></title><description><![CDATA[Up to $20,000 in grant money &#8212; Pennsylvania businesses, this one's for you.]]></description><link>https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/we-found-one-you-need-to-see-before</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/we-found-one-you-need-to-see-before</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Patrina Dixon]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 05 Aug 2026 19:21:52 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/6eee5aa7-e6af-4fa8-8646-fb89a18bbd58_1200x630.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Hi Business bestie, </p><p>Pennsylvania business owners &#8212; we couldn&#8217;t wait until the next issue for this one.</p><p><strong>PA CDFI Network Microgrants Program</strong><br><em>Funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Community &amp; Economic Development</em></p><p><strong>Award:</strong> $7,500 &#8211; $20,000 <em>(no repayment, ever)</em></p><p>&#128205; <strong>Who Qualifies:</strong><br>For-profit businesses in PA, 51%+ owned by a historically disadvantaged individual, &#8230;</p>
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   ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[LAST CALL – LIMITED SEATING! ]]></title><description><![CDATA[Only a few seats remain. RSVP today before registration closes and the meeting location is sent to attendees.]]></description><link>https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/last-call-limited-seating</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/last-call-limited-seating</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Patrina Dixon]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 04 Aug 2026 18:00:58 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/3f20dd4f-cc78-4deb-accc-f07230cec888_1200x630.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Hi Business bestie,</p><p>I can&#8217;t to meet you all in person. </p><p>If you&#8217;re in the New York area and have been thinking about attending, now is the time to reserve your spot!</p><p>Join me for an <strong>in-person Grant Information Session</strong> where we&#8217;ll discuss grant opportunities, who qualifies, and strategies to help you prepare for funding.</p><p>&#128197; <strong>This Thursday - August 6th</strong></p><p>&#128347; <strong>12:00 PM (Noon)</strong></p><p>&#128205; <strong>Harlem, NY</strong></p><p><strong>Space is limited, and registration will close once all seats are filled.</strong></p><p><strong>The exact meeting location will be sent tomorrow to everyone who has RSVP&#8217;d. </strong></p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;mailto:anissa@itsmymoney.info?cc=patrina@itsmymoney.info&amp;subject=Harlem%20Grant%20Information%20Session%20RSVP&amp;body=Hi%20Patrina%2C%0A%0AI%27d%20love%20to%20join%20the%20meetup%20in%20Harlem%20on%20Thursday%20at%2012%3A00%20PM%21%0A%0APlease%20send%20me%20the%20location%20details.%0A%0AName%3A%0ABest%20way%20to%20reach%20me%3A%0A%0ALooking%20forward%20to%20it%21&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;RSVP NOW&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="mailto:anissa@itsmymoney.info?cc=patrina@itsmymoney.info&amp;subject=Harlem%20Grant%20Information%20Session%20RSVP&amp;body=Hi%20Patrina%2C%0A%0AI%27d%20love%20to%20join%20the%20meetup%20in%20Harlem%20on%20Thursday%20at%2012%3A00%20PM%21%0A%0APlease%20send%20me%20the%20location%20details.%0A%0AName%3A%0ABest%20way%20to%20reach%20me%3A%0A%0ALooking%20forward%20to%20it%21"><span>RSVP NOW</span></a></p><p><em><strong>If you have already RSVP&#8217;d you do not need to do so again. </strong></em></p><p>If you&#8217;re a business owner, nonprofit leader, entrepreneur, or simply interested in learning more about grants, I&#8217;d love for you to be there. </p><p>Don&#8217;t miss this opportunity to gain valuable information and connect with others in our grant community.</p><p><strong>Reserve your seat today before it&#8217;s too late!</strong></p><p>Your business bestie,</p><p>Patrina </p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe now&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/subscribe?"><span>Subscribe now</span></a></p><div class="install-substack-app-embed install-substack-app-embed-web" data-component-name="InstallSubstackAppToDOM"><img class="install-substack-app-embed-img" src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!zDJe!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83ea6c04-3772-461c-8539-0cf0e27318d8_1080x1080.png"><div class="install-substack-app-embed-text"><div class="install-substack-app-header">Get more from Patrina Dixon in the Substack app</div><div class="install-substack-app-text">Available for iOS and Android</div></div><a href="https://substack.com/app/app-store-redirect?utm_campaign=app-marketing&amp;utm_content=author-post-insert&amp;utm_source=grantsforsmallbusinessowners" target="_blank" class="install-substack-app-embed-link"><button class="install-substack-app-embed-btn button primary">Get the app</button></a></div><p></p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[New York Besties—Let’s Meet Next Thursday!]]></title><description><![CDATA[Casual meetup in Harlem, August 6, 2026 at 12:00pm.]]></description><link>https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/new-york-bestieslets-meet-next-thursday</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/new-york-bestieslets-meet-next-thursday</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Patrina Dixon]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 31 Jul 2026 14:55:39 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/35545e3e-e805-4f8b-8b68-b62398b32957_1200x630.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>One of my favorite parts of this Grants for Small Business Community is knowing there are real people on the other side of the screen. We may not have met yet, but over time it starts to feel like we&#8217;re on this grant and business  journey together.</p><p>Well&#8230;I will be in <strong>New York next week</strong>, and I thought, <em>why not see if anyone wants to meet in person? </em>If you&#8217;re in the area and have some time, I&#8217;d love for you to join me for a casual meetup on <strong>Thursday at 12:00 PM in Harlem</strong>. </p><p>No formal agenda just good, relaxed conversation about grants, access to capitol,  finances or business. </p><p>To keep the meetup intimate, I am sharing the location with table who RSVP. </p><p>If you&#8217;d like to come, just click the link below to RSVP to send me an email, and I&#8217;ll send you all the details.</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;mailto:patrina@itsmymoney.info?cc=anissa@itsmymoney.info&amp;subject=RSVP%3A%20NYC%20Meetup%20Thursday&amp;body=Hi%20Patrina%2C%0D%0A%0D%0AI'd%20love%20to%20join%20the%20meetup%20in%20Harlem%20on%20Thursday%20at%2012%3A00%20PM!%0D%0A%0D%0APlease%20send%20me%20the%20location%20details.%0D%0A%0D%0AName%3A%0D%0ABest%20way%20to%20reach%20me%3A%0D%0A%0D%0ALooking%20forward%20to%20it!&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;RSVP Here&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="mailto:patrina@itsmymoney.info?cc=anissa@itsmymoney.info&amp;subject=RSVP%3A%20NYC%20Meetup%20Thursday&amp;body=Hi%20Patrina%2C%0D%0A%0D%0AI'd%20love%20to%20join%20the%20meetup%20in%20Harlem%20on%20Thursday%20at%2012%3A00%20PM!%0D%0A%0D%0APlease%20send%20me%20the%20location%20details.%0D%0A%0D%0AName%3A%0D%0ABest%20way%20to%20reach%20me%3A%0D%0A%0D%0ALooking%20forward%20to%20it!"><span>RSVP Here</span></a></p><p>Whether you have been in this community since the beginning of subscribed last week, I&#8217;d love the chance to say hello and thank you for being part of this community.</p><p>I hope to meet some of you next Thursday!</p><p><em>Your business bestie</em></p><p>Patrina</p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe now&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/subscribe?"><span>Subscribe now</span></a></p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/new-york-bestieslets-meet-next-thursday/comments&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Leave a comment&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/new-york-bestieslets-meet-next-thursday/comments"><span>Leave a comment</span></a></p><div class="install-substack-app-embed install-substack-app-embed-web" data-component-name="InstallSubstackAppToDOM"><img class="install-substack-app-embed-img" src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!zDJe!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83ea6c04-3772-461c-8539-0cf0e27318d8_1080x1080.png"><div class="install-substack-app-embed-text"><div class="install-substack-app-header">Get more from Patrina Dixon in the Substack app</div><div class="install-substack-app-text">Available for iOS and Android</div></div><a href="https://substack.com/app/app-store-redirect?utm_campaign=app-marketing&amp;utm_content=author-post-insert&amp;utm_source=grantsforsmallbusinessowners" target="_blank" class="install-substack-app-embed-link"><button class="install-substack-app-embed-btn button primary">Get the app</button></a></div><p></p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[New York, Let’s Meet!]]></title><description><![CDATA[I'm heading to Harlem next week &#8212; first 20 to RSVP get the exact location. Let's meet in person!]]></description><link>https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/new-york-lets-meet</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/new-york-lets-meet</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Patrina Dixon]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 28 Jul 2026 12:02:15 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/6aae9ffd-cdd3-45f2-8a65-f34dd11b4cdb_1320x985.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Hi Business Bestie,</p><p>I&#8217;ll be in <strong>New York City</strong> next week and I&#8217;d love to meet members of our <strong>Grants for Small Business Owners</strong> community in person!</p><p>I&#8217;m hosting a casual <strong>Grants Meetup</strong> in <strong>Harlem</strong> on <strong>Thursday - August 6th</strong> where we&#8217;ll connect, network, discuss grant opportunities, share resources, and answer your grant questions in a relaxed setting. Whether you&#8217;re a small business owner, nonprofit leader, or entrepreneur just getting started, I&#8217;d love to see you there.</p><p>&#128205; The meetup will be limited to keep the conversations meaningful, and the <strong>exact Harlem location will be shared only with those who RSVP.</strong></p><p><strong>Interested?</strong> Leave a comment below or reply to this post to RSVP. <strong>The first 20 people to RSVP will receive an invitation.</strong> I want to keep this meetup small so everyone has an opportunity to connect, ask questions, and network. Once your spot is confirmed, I&#8217;ll send you the exact Harlem location and meetup details.</p><p>I&#8217;m looking forward to putting faces with names and spending time with this amazing community. I hope to see you there!</p><p>Your business bestie,</p><p>Patrina </p><p></p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/new-york-lets-meet/comments&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Leave a comment&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/new-york-lets-meet/comments"><span>Leave a comment</span></a></p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe now&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/subscribe?"><span>Subscribe now</span></a></p><div class="install-substack-app-embed install-substack-app-embed-web" data-component-name="InstallSubstackAppToDOM"><img class="install-substack-app-embed-img" src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!zDJe!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F83ea6c04-3772-461c-8539-0cf0e27318d8_1080x1080.png"><div class="install-substack-app-embed-text"><div class="install-substack-app-header">Get more from Patrina Dixon in the Substack app</div><div class="install-substack-app-text">Available for iOS and Android</div></div><a href="https://substack.com/app/app-store-redirect?utm_campaign=app-marketing&amp;utm_content=author-post-insert&amp;utm_source=grantsforsmallbusinessowners" target="_blank" class="install-substack-app-embed-link"><button class="install-substack-app-embed-btn button primary">Get the app</button></a></div><p></p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[🎥 SBA Live Session Replay]]></title><description><![CDATA[Our SBA live session replay is here, key takeaways on funding, credibility, and getting grant-ready.]]></description><link>https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/sba-live-session-replay</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/sba-live-session-replay</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Patrina Dixon]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 27 Jul 2026 16:40:08 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/8eb4aa24-9666-4898-9995-20c02860a9dd_473x338.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Hi Business bestie,</p><p><strong>What Small Business Owners Need to Know About SBA Resources</strong></p><p>If you are a small business owner, entrepreneur, or someone preparing to start a business, understanding where to find credible resources and support can make a significant difference.</p><p>During our most recent Grants for Small Business Owners live session, our special guest was Rosaliend Gibson from the <strong>U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)</strong>.</p><p>We discussed resources available to small business owners and answered questions that many entrepreneurs have when trying to navigate funding, business support, and SBA programs.</p><p><strong>A Few Key Takeaways from the Conversation</strong></p><p><strong>1. Don&#8217;t overlook the resources available beyond grants. </strong>Many business owners focus solely on finding grant funding, but organizations like the SBA provide a variety of resources and support that can help businesses become better prepared for funding opportunities and long-term growth.</p><p><strong>2. Knowing where to find reliable information matters.</strong></p><p>There is a lot of information online about business funding. Learning how to identify legitimate resources and understand what is actually available can save you time and help you avoid misinformation.</p><p><strong>3. Preparation is important before the opportunity arrives. </strong>Whether you are pursuing a grant, loan, contract, or another type of business opportunity, having your business information and documents organized can make the process much easier.</p><p><strong>&#127909; Watch the Full SBA Session</strong></p><p>The full recording and presentation are now available to our Elite (paid) subscribers.</p><p><strong>Elite subscribers receive access to:</strong></p><p>&#9989; The complete recording of the live session</p><p>&#9989; The presentation shared during the session</p><p>&#9989; Information directly from an SBA representative</p><p>&#9989; The ability to revisit the session and reference the information shared</p>
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   ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[7 Small Business Money Tips That Actually Move the Needle]]></title><description><![CDATA[Building a successful business isn't just about generating more revenue; it's about making smarter financial decisions every step of the way.]]></description><link>https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/7-small-business-money-tips-that</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/7-small-business-money-tips-that</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Patrina Dixon]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 25 Jul 2026 21:09:58 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!TjSK!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5b772230-8041-4e0d-81d3-432e977471e6_1246x1256.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Building a successful business isn't just about generating more revenue; it's about making smarter financial decisions every step of the way.</p><p>Many business owners unknowingly lose money through avoidable mistakes, inconsistent cash flow management, or failing to plan ahead. Fortunately, small improvements in your financial habits can lead to meaningful long-term growth.</p><p>My latest blog explores <strong>seven practical money tips</strong> designed to help entrepreneurs strengthen their financial foundation, improve profitability, and make more confident business decisions.</p><p>Whether you're just getting started or looking to take your business to the next level, these strategies can help you focus on the financial habits that truly move the needle.</p><p>&#127803; Read the full article here:</p><p><a href="https://itsmymoney.info/blog/7-small-business-money-tips-that-actually-move-the-needle/">https://itsmymoney.info/blog/7-small-business-money-tips-that-actually-move-the-needle/</a><br></p><p>I learned number 7 after almost 2 years in business. I promise you will thank yourself for this every January. </p><p>&#9989; What money strategy has made the biggest difference in your business? I would love to hear your experience in the comments.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!TjSK!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5b772230-8041-4e0d-81d3-432e977471e6_1246x1256.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!TjSK!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5b772230-8041-4e0d-81d3-432e977471e6_1246x1256.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!TjSK!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5b772230-8041-4e0d-81d3-432e977471e6_1246x1256.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!TjSK!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5b772230-8041-4e0d-81d3-432e977471e6_1246x1256.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!TjSK!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5b772230-8041-4e0d-81d3-432e977471e6_1246x1256.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!TjSK!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5b772230-8041-4e0d-81d3-432e977471e6_1246x1256.jpeg" width="1246" height="1256" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/5b772230-8041-4e0d-81d3-432e977471e6_1246x1256.jpeg&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:&quot;normal&quot;,&quot;height&quot;:1256,&quot;width&quot;:1246,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:0,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!TjSK!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5b772230-8041-4e0d-81d3-432e977471e6_1246x1256.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!TjSK!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5b772230-8041-4e0d-81d3-432e977471e6_1246x1256.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!TjSK!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5b772230-8041-4e0d-81d3-432e977471e6_1246x1256.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!TjSK!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5b772230-8041-4e0d-81d3-432e977471e6_1246x1256.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg aria-hidden="true" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[It's today. Grab your lunch, grab your questions 🥗]]></title><description><![CDATA[2PM EST &#8212; Zoom link is live. Don't miss your seat at the table.]]></description><link>https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/its-today-grab-your-lunch-grab-your</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.grantsforsmallbusinessowners.com/p/its-today-grab-your-lunch-grab-your</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Patrina Dixon]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 22 Jul 2026 12:01:06 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/fbb9fb38-1fc0-42a9-93c1-82d8bd8c24fa_1200x630.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Hi Business bestie,</p><p>It&#8217;s lunch date day! &#129367;&#128204;</p><p>Today @ 12PM EST, we&#8217;re live with SBA rep Rosalind Gibson &#8212; funding, grants, loans, and resource talk, served up during your lunch break. No fluff, just straight answers from someone who&#8217;s spent 35+ years in the trenches of business development.</p><p>This is your shot to ask an actual SBA rep the things you&#8217;ve been Googling at 2AM. &#128517;</p><p><strong>&#128227; FREE SUBSCRIBERS &#8212; </strong><span>This one&#8217;s exclusive to Elite members. If you&#8217;ve been on the fence about upgrading, this is your sign. Your Zoom link is waiting right below, all you have to do is upgrade.</span></p>
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