After 2025: Are Grants Dead—or Just Harder to Find?
After 2025: Are Grants Dead—or Just Harder to Find? What You Should Know
Over the past few years, many familiar grant programs have been cut, restructured, or deprioritized in federal and state budgets. That has led to confusion, frustration, and a lot of myths: “There are no grants anymore,” or “Only nonprofits get them.” The reality is more nuanced. Grants still exist in many forms—but identifying and capturing them requires strategy, insight, and persistence.
As a financial coaching service dedicated to helping clients leverage every resource available, Lionhood Financial Coaching helps individuals and small businesses understand which grants are still available, how to qualify, and how to incorporate them into your larger financial plan.
What’s Happening with Grants in 2025–2026?
📉 Cuts, Restructuring & Tightening Eligibility
- Many traditional grant programs—especially for small businesses, arts, and community services—have seen budget cuts.
- Eligibility requirements for many grants have become more restrictive (e.g., higher revenue minimums, stricter documentation).
- Priorities have shifted; government and philanthropic funding now often favor climate tech, workforce retraining, infrastructure, and underserved communities.
✅ Grants That Still Exist
Here are types of grants or programs that remain active in many states or nationally:
- State and local small business innovation or recovery grants
- Energy efficiency and green remodeling grants
- Workforce development and training grants
- Veteran, minority, or rural business grants
- Arts & culture microgrants
- Education and scholarship grants
Even with cutbacks, these programs often go under-utilized because qualifying and applying is complex.
Why People Say “Grants Are Gone”—But That’s Not Entirely True
- It’s harder to find them now — Many grant databases haven’t caught up, or only show high-profile federal grants.
- Applications are more competitive — You must present stronger proposals, impact metrics, and sustainability plans.
- Smaller, grassroots grants often fly under the radar — Local programs may still exist but have low visibility.
- Many assume “nonprofits only,” when some grants do allow for for-profits or hybrid models (depending on purpose).
How Lionhood Financial Coaching Helps You Navigate the Grant Landscape
At Lionhood Financial Coaching, we treat grants not as magic money, but as strategic supplements to your broader financial plan. Here’s how we work with clients:
- Grant Discovery & Research
We scan federal, state, and local grant databases relevant to your industry, location, and qualifications (e.g. minority business, green retrofit, workforce training). - Grant Viability Assessment
Not every grant is worth chasing. We evaluate grant size, reporting burden, match requirements, and your capacity to deliver. - Proposal Strategy & Writing Support
We help you build compelling narratives, budgets, outcome metrics, and documentation required for successful applications. - Integration into Your Financial Plan
We show how grant awards (if secured) can feed into debt reduction, capital investment, or growth initiatives — without destabilizing your budget. - Fallback Planning
Because grants are not guaranteed, we also help you prepare alternate funding paths (e.g., loans, equity, self-funding) so you’re never left stranded.
3 Real-World Grant Strategies You Can Try Now
Here are three practical strategies that clients we’ve worked with have used:
| Strategy | Grant Type | How We Leveraged It |
|---|---|---|
| Energy Efficiency Upgrade | State or utility grants for commercial buildings | A small shop in Tulsa got $5,000 toward solar panels and HVAC upgrade, reducing energy costs |
| Workforce Training Grant | Local workforce boards or state training grants | A budding entrepreneur used a training grant to reimburse tuition and expand staff |
| Micro-Grant for Women / Minority Business | Local economic development grants | A service business used it to purchase new equipment and expand offerings |
These grants often require careful budgeting, matching funds, and outcome reporting — which is where coaching adds real value.
What To Do Next (Your Grant Roadmap)
- Assess your eligibility — industry, location, certifications, business size
- Set realistic timelines — many grants have quarterly or annual cycles
- Develop strong metrics & outcomes — grant reviewers want measurable impact
- Assign someone to manage the grant process (proposal, reporting, compliance)
- Let your financial plan adapt — don’t overpromise in grant proposals; require contingency funding
Final Thoughts & How We Can Help
Yes, the grant environment after 2025 is more constrained — but not closed. Grants can still play a valuable role in your financial strategy if pursued wisely. The difference between those who fail and those who win often comes down to preparation, structure, and expert guidance.
At Lionhood Financial Coaching, we help clients:
- Identify and apply for the right grants
- Integrate grants into debt, growth, or capital plans
- Build fallback funding strategies
- Stay accountable to both grant objectives and long-term financial health
👉 Schedule your coaching session today and let’s build your grant plan — one that positions you to win, not just hope.