Maker Mindset Grant: Eligibility, Requirements, Funding, Deadline, and How to Apply
- October 5, 2026
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What to Know About the Maker Mindset Grant
The Maker Mindset Grant is officially the Makers Mindset x The Equity Studio 2026 Grant. It gives five U.S. women-led beauty and wellness consumer brands $10,000 each in equity-free funding, plus mentorship and visibility. Applications close October 9, 2026, at 11:59 PM PST.
This guide provides all the essential information you need about the Maker Mindset Grant:
Maker Mindset Grant Quick Facts
Item |
Current Information |
|---|---|
Program
|
Maker's Mindset x The Equity Studio 2026 Grant
|
Sponsors
|
Makers Mindset and The Equity Studio
|
Current status
|
Open as of October 1, 2026
|
Eligible applicants
|
U.S.-registered, women-owned beauty or wellness CPG businesses
|
Eligible projects
|
Business growth in marketing, manufacturing, or research and development
|
Grant amount
|
10,000perawardee(50,000 total)
|
Number of awards
|
Five
|
Application deadline
|
October 9, 2026,
|
Application method
|
Online form on the Makers Mindset website
|
Awardees selected
|
November 2026
|
Official source
|
What Is the Maker Mindset Grant?
The official name is the Makers Mindset x The Equity Studio 2026 Grant. Searchers usually write “Maker Mindset,” but the organization uses “Makers Mindset.”
Two organizations run the Makers Mindset grant program together:
- Makers Mindset is a platform founded by entrepreneur and investor Nancy Twine. It offers workshops, grants, and digital resources for aspiring founders.
- The Equity Studio is a consumer investment firm founded by Anna Sweeting. It works with beauty, wellness, and conscious-living brands.
This marks the second consecutive year of their partnership. The program offers equity-free grant funding, meaning winners give up no ownership in their companies.
What Is the Maker Mindset Program?
The Maker Mindset program is broader than one grant. The Maker Mindset organization also runs an accelerator, office hours, a podcast, and a resource library. Its stated mission is to widen access to entrepreneurship for underrepresented founders.
Joining the Maker Mindset community is free. Members get access to grants and resources.
Who Can Apply?
Only businesses that meet every criterion below can apply. The grant is not open to individual artists or creators without a qualifying business.
Applicants must be:
- Legally registered in the United States
- Selling a consumer packaged goods (CPG) product in Beauty or Wellness
- Employing no more than 10 people
- At least 51% women-owned
- Earning annual revenue over $50,000 and up to $2 million
- Generating revenue for at least one full year
Eligible product categories
- Beauty: Skincare, color cosmetics, haircare, scalpcare, bodycare, oralcare, fragrance, hygiene, and family & baby care.
- Wellness: Supplements, ingestibles, nutritional powders, functional foods & beverages, better-for-you foods, longevity & performance support, and hormone care.
Eligibility Requirements
The list above is the full set of eligibility requirements for it. The program does not state any age or citizenship rule. Check the official terms and conditions for anything else.
Revenue and employee limits are strict. A business with $40,000 in sales, or one that began selling six months ago, does not qualify. Check these numbers before you spend time on an application.
Question |
What to Verify |
|---|---|
Applicant
|
Is the business at least 51% women-owned, with 10 or fewer employees?
|
Location
|
Is the business legally registered in the U.S.?
|
Product
|
Is it a CPG product in an eligible beauty or wellness category?
|
Revenue
|
Is annual revenue between $50,000 and $2 million, with at least one full year of sales?
|
Funding purpose
|
Will the grant be allocated toward marketing, manufacturing, or research and development?
|
How to Apply
Step 1: Confirm the 2026 Grant Cycle
Check that the 2026 application is currently open.
Step 2: Review the Eligibility Requirements
Make sure your business meets all of the grant’s eligibility criteria before applying. Our grant research services can help you identify relevant eligibility requirements and determine whether your business is a good fit for the grant.
Step 3: Read the Terms and Conditions
Review the official terms carefully, including information about the media release and newsletter subscription.
Step 4: Create an Account
Register for a free account on the Makers Mindset website to access the application.
Step 5: Complete the Application Form
Answer all required questions thoroughly and provide accurate information about your business and growth plans.
Step 6: Submit Before the Deadline
Submit your completed application by October 9, 2026. Late applications are not accepted. Our grant submission support can help ensure your application is complete, accurate, and submitted on time.
Step 7: Monitor Your Email
Check your email regularly after submitting your application. Selected applicants must confirm their award within 48 hours.
Application Process
The confirmed stages are: eligibility review, application submission, review, award decision, and notification. Awardees will be selected in November 2026 and notified by email. The program reviews applications for eligibility and the potential impact of the grant on business growth.
The official page does not publish a scoring rubric. In the 2025 cycle, listings showed finalists attended a “Pitch the Panel” session. That is historical information, so check whether it applies this year. The team also stated it cannot give feedback on individual applications.
Amount
The amount is $10,000 USD per awardee. Five brands will receive awards, for $50,000 in total. The funding is equity-free.
Awards may be subject to local taxes. The winner will be responsible for covering these costs. Ask a tax professional how this affects your business.
Yes. The ZenBusiness Small Business Grant is a legitimate grant opportunity offered by ZenBusiness, a U.S.-registered company with a confirmed public profile and a proven history of providing services that support small business development.
The program maintains transparency around its application process, selection criteria, and award announcements. Past grant recipients and grant winners have been publicly recognized, and the ZenBusiness editorial team has published program details across multiple platforms.
As with any competitive grant program, no outcome is guaranteed. Grants are awarded based on merit and program funding availability. Always apply through the official ZenBusiness website to ensure you’re engaging with the legitimate program.
What Can It Be Used For?
Official eligible uses: marketing, manufacturing, and research and development.
General expenses to plan around: Many brands budget for packaging, inventory, ad spend, lab testing, or formulation. Whether a specific cost counts under one of the three official categories is a question for the program team.
Note: Final eligibility of any specific expense should be confirmed with the program team, as allowable costs may vary depending on how the expense is classified.
Deadline
The application period for 2026 opened on September 9, 2026.
- Deadline: October 9, 2026, at 11:59 PM PST
- Awardees Selected: November 2026
- Late Applications: Not accepted
Check the official grant page for the latest deadline information.
Common Application Mistakes
- Applying without checking eligibility
- Missing the deadline
- Relying on outdated or third-party information
- Describing vague goals
- Planning to use the funds beyond approved purposes
- Leaving questions incomplete
- Waiting until the last day
Avoiding these common application mistakes can improve your chances of submitting a complete and competitive application. For additional guidance on strengthening your application and avoiding common pitfalls, see our guide, “Top 10 Grant Writing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them.”
Application Checklist
- Confirm the program is open
- Confirm your eligibility
- Review the terms and conditions
- Prepare your business description and growth goals
- Plan how you would use $10,000
- Complete the online form
- Proofread everything
- Save your confirmation
- Be ready to confirm within 48 hours if selected
Grants for Creative Entrepreneurs and Small Businesses
Do not treat these categories as interchangeable:
The ZenBusiness grant is one entry point into a much larger landscape of business funding and grants. Exploring multiple options improves your startup funding outcomes.
- Individual creative grants support personal creative work.
- Project grants fund a defined project.
- Funding for startups and startup business grants target early-stage companies. Some small business grants for startups require a minimum track record, as this program does.
Feature |
Maker Grant |
Small Business Grant |
|---|---|---|
Typical applicant
|
Maker, creator, project
|
Eligible business
|
Main focus
|
Creative or maker activity
|
Business objective
|
Project requirement
|
Often
|
Depends on program
|
Business registration
|
Depends on program
|
May be required
|
Eligible expenses
|
Program-specific
|
Program-specific
|
Funding amount
|
Varies
|
Varies
|
How to Find Other Funding Opportunities
Research is how you find funding opportunities for makers. Look at foundations, community foundations, arts organizations, corporate programs, and economic development offices. Our grant finding services can help identify relevant funding opportunities and narrow them down based on your project’s needs. Compare each one on eligibility, purpose, geography, award size, deadline, workload, and reporting. Apply only where your project fits. One grant should never be your whole funding plan.
How Grant Writing Company Can Help
Applying for a grant involves more than completing an application form. The process often requires finding suitable opportunities, understanding eligibility requirements, developing a clear project strategy, preparing a realistic budget, and making sure every part of the application is complete and consistent.
Grant Writing Company can provide support across different stages of the process, including:
- Grant research services: Identifying grant opportunities that align with your organization, project, goals, and eligibility.
- Eligibility reviews: Reviewing grant requirements to help determine whether an opportunity is a realistic fit before you invest time in an application.
- Grant strategy creation: Developing an approach for pursuing grants based on your priorities, funding needs, timelines, and available opportunities.
- Grant proposal writing: Helping develop clear, well-structured proposal content that explains the need, proposed activities, expected outcomes, and impact of a project.
- Budget development: Organizing project costs and developing budgets that are practical, clearly explained, and aligned with the proposed work.
- Organizing supporting documents: Helping identify, prepare, and organize the documents and information required for an application.
- Compliance review and application editing: Reviewing applications for completeness, consistency, clarity, formatting, and alignment with the funder's requirements.
- Grant submission support: Helping with final application checks and submission preparation so required components are in place before the deadline.
- Long-term grant planning: Building a longer-term funding approach that helps organizations identify opportunities, plan ahead, and develop a sustainable grant pipeline.
Professional grant support does not guarantee funding. Grant decisions are made by the funder and depend on factors such as eligibility, application quality, available funding, and the funder’s priorities.
Conclusion
It is a $10,000 equity-free award for U.S. women-led beauty and wellness CPG brands. Check the eligibility requirements, read the terms, and submit before the deadline.
If you are an artist or a creative entrepreneur without a qualifying business, look at other creative grants and funding. Grant Writing Company can help you research options and prepare a clear application.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Maker Mindset Grant?
A $50,000 program from Makers Mindset and The Equity Studio. It funds five women-led beauty and wellness brands at $10,000 each.
Who can apply?
U.S.-registered, 51%+ women-owned beauty or wellness CPG businesses with up to 10 employees and $50,000 to $2 million in revenue.
What are the eligibility requirements?
See the six criteria listed above, including one full year of revenue.
How do I qualify?
Meet every criterion, then submit a complete application.
How do I apply?
Register on the Makers Mindset site and complete the online form.
What is the application process?
Submit, get reviewed, and be notified by email in November 2026 if selected. Confirm within 48 hours
Note: This guide is for informational purposes only. Grant details, eligibility requirements, deadlines, and funding availability may change at any time. Always verify the most current program information through official sources before making any business or funding decisions.
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