Ignite: A WBDC Grant Program
Fueling Small Business Growth
The Women’s Business Development Council offers grants of up to $10,000 to qualified women-owned small businesses in Connecticut.
Ignite is designed to help women-owned businesses grow! Grants between $2,500 and $10,000 will be awarded for clearly defined projects that will have a measurable impact on the business, its growth and profitability.
The grant funds cannot be used towards operating expenses (e.g. inventory, on-going marketing expenses, salaries), real estate improvements (e.g. construction costs), reimbursement for past purchases or debt repayment.
Applicants are required to have invested at least $2,500 into their business in the last 12 months, unless located in a distressed municipality.
This round of grant funding is now closed.
Stay tuned for the next round of funding to be announced for early Summer.
This is a competitive process and WBDC may not be able to fund all applicants.
Learn about Ignite
To be eligible, the business must:
- Be 51% or more woman-owned
- Be headquartered in CT, registered in the state of CT, and owned by a CT resident
- Have been in business for at least two years before the application round deadline, with a record of sales
- Have a record of annual sales/revenue in the last twelve months greater than $25,000 and less than $2,000,000
- Be in good standing with the CT Department of Revenue Services (DRS)
- Have an established business bank account
- Currently utilize a formal, digital bookkeeping/financial system (e.g. QuickBooks, Sage, FreshBooks, Wave Accounting)
- Be a for profit business
- Be owned by a woman at least 18 years old
- Have invested at least $2,500 into your business in the last 12 months, unless the business is located in a distressed municipality
The following businesses are not eligible
- Childcare businesses are not eligible for the Ignite Grant. If your business is in the childcare industry, WBDC has other programs for you. We encourage you to visit our Child Care Business Opportunity Fund page to learn more or reach out to us at childcaregrants@ctwbdc.org
- Any individual or business that has already received an Ignite Grant, Equity Match Grant or WBDC Municipal Grant is not eligible.
- Non-profit organizations are not eligible.
- Businesses established as sole proprietors are not eligible; business must register as an LLC or other structure
- Current vendors or contractors of WBDC are not eligible. (Former vendors are eligible to apply a year after working with WBDC.)
- Medical marijuana; liquor stores and alcohol distributors; adult businesses such as strip clubs; vape retailers; tobacco shops and smoking lounges; businesses having to do with gambling; gun stores and ranges; cash advance, check cashing, or pawn shops; bail bonds; collection agencies or services; and auction or bankruptcy or fire or “lost-our-lease” or “going-out-of-business” or similar sale
To download our English FAQ: Click here
Para descargar nuestro Español: Haga clic aquí
How to Prepare
We do not accept emailed applications; you must apply through our application portal.
No aceptamos solicitudes enviadas por correo electrónico; Debe presentar su solicitud a través de nuestro portal de solicitudes.
There are four sections to the application:
Section A: Business Description
Section B: How you would use the grant
Section C: Narrative of your business
Section D: Supporting Documents
WBDC Grant Application Tutorial – Wizehive (ecenterdirect.com)
Are you applying for a WBDC Small Business Grant? We use Wizehive Zengine as our grant application software for all of our grant programs. Join WBDC Ignite Grant Lead, Juliette LaRock, for a tutorial on how to navigate the software.
Thoughtful, complete, and well-developed picture of your business that shows a path to growth.
Exceptionally clear use of funds, with a direct link to growth, focused, strong supporting detail.
Financial Projections are robust and reflect seasonality of business in projections where all numbers make sense.
Display the business’ long-term potential, with strong growth and potential for continued growth
Job creation potential, with the business being on track to adding more jobs
Return on investment, that the funds will unlock growth
Grant will have a meaningful impact on the business and help the business grow and scale
Applications will be reviewed by an independent panel of experts from the community. WBDC Business Advisors will not be making the decisions on who receives grants.
Additional Resources
Click here to download the projected profit and loss template (English & Spanish)
This template is provided as a guide by the Women’s Business Development Council (WBDC). Applicants are welcome to use this template or their own format if they prefer.
Access on-demand lessons about how to create projections based on your business type.
eLearning: Pricing, Profitability, Projections for a Product Business
eLearning: Pricing, Profitability, Projections for Service Business
For additional assistance please email info@ctwbdc.org to request an appointment with a finance advisor.
Please request your letter from the CT DRS myconneCT online center: 𝗺𝘆𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗖𝗧 (ct.gov)
Here is a tutorial to on how to request the status letter: Requesting a Status Letter (of Good Standing) (ct.gov)
Click here to see an example of what your status letter should like. Please note that if it does not look like this – it is the wrong document.
Our Impact
Learn about the impact of the Ignite Grant (formerly known as the Equity Match Grant) and how it has helped some of our amazing recipients!