Microgrant

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A microgrant is a small amount of money given to a person or a group to start or grow a income-creating project. The money is usually hundreds of dollars, often about $50–$500 for individuals, or $2,000–$10,000 for a community project. The aim is to help people living in poverty build a sustainable livelihood or fix local problems. Microgrants do not have to be repaid, so they don’t create debt.

Recipients can be individuals, families, or small grassroots groups doing charitable work. Microgrants are helpful for those who cannot access microloans or prefer not to take on debt.

There are three main types of microgrants:
- Small grants to individuals to start a project (~$50–$500),
- Grants to a community for an impact project (~$2,000–$10,000),
- Flexible grants to an individual for any cause they choose.

Microgrants can fund schools, health centers, farms, and other local projects, giving communities a way to address problems with funding that doesn’t need to be paid back. Spark MicroGrants is a well-known example that combines grants with facilitation to help communities plan and carry out projects successfully.