In the modern world, there are plenty of resources available to help people who have brilliant ideas but limited capital gain funding to turn those ideas into reality. In fact, there are thousands of sources of capital that you can use to make your business plan a reality, and there are even more than that in various countries around the world. But which ones are the best? The easiest to find? The ones with the least amount of red tape involved? Those are the questions you’ll be asking yourself after reading this list of top 10 world finance grants worth your time and money!
1) 5 million dollar grant for developing a mobile medical device
This world finance grant is offered by the US National Science Foundation, in collaboration with J&J Innovation and MIT. Currently, there are only two awards given per year to teams of scientists who have an idea for a healthcare-related device that would help humans live healthier lives. Previous winners have used their grants to create energy-efficient infant incubators and HIV prevention for men. In order to qualify for this award, your team must include at least one individual from each of the following disciplines: engineering; natural sciences; social or behavioral sciences; or medical science (graduate degree).
2) European Investment Bank launches 300 million euro fund to support SMEs in new technologies
The European Investment Bank launched a €300 million (USD$359.2 million) fund to support SMEs in new technologies. The 2-year initiative, called JEREMIE III, will make available credit lines of up to €500,000 for small and medium enterprises as well as guarantee loans of up to €10 million for large corporations interested in investing in innovation. The EIB claims that this initiative will increase total lending by 5% and help finance a broad range of companies across Europe that are seeking investments for innovative technological developments. With high unemployment rates in many European countries, we hope this helps more SMEs get back on their feet again.
3) Is there a job market after college? New York Times says YES
Yes, there is a job market after college. The New York Times suggests that 30% of those who graduate with bachelor’s degrees do not graduate to higher levels in their career. This leads to underemployment, which means they are employed at jobs that require less education than what they have achieved. However, there are also a number of jobs out there for people who want to further their careers with more education and schooling, even if they already hold an undergraduate degree. Here are the top ten world finance grants you should know about.
4) Hackathon brings together citizens and experts to combat street crime using data
In Detroit, a partnership between Ford Foundation and Data Driven Detroit is providing crime alerts to local leaders who can use the data to create real-time public safety plans. They will be able to know what resources are needed in which neighborhoods. For example, if the police need more patrols at a specific intersection, these community leaders can respond with new deployment patterns. Hackathons like this provide an opportunity for citizens and experts to work together on issues that affect all of us.
5) $1.3 billion grant to improve the health sector by 2030
The Global Innovation Fund has announced a $1.3 billion grant to improve the health sector by 2030. The grant aims to strengthen the prevention and treatment of HIV, TB, malaria, and other communicable diseases; develop cures for these diseases; and promote local drug development. The GIF will also provide $270 million in technical assistance over four years to help with coordination and infrastructure support.
6) 500K grant for rural-urban connectivity across Africa
Africa is the world’s poorest continent. More than 25% of the people live on less than $1.25 a day, even though it has more natural resources than any other continent in the world. From 2014 to 2020, under President Obama’s Power Africa Initiative, more than $7 billion has been invested in building out infrastructure and connecting off-grid communities across sub-Saharan Africa. The US government also supports other organizations like Opportunity International which provides micro-finance loans to over 500,000 entrepreneurs living in rural areas across Africa and Asia.
7) $1M grant for clean water technology based on natural filtration mechanism
In today’s world, it’s more important than ever to have clean water. Lack of water can cause hunger, disease, and poverty in both industrialized and developing countries. The Gates Foundation decided to do something about this problem by creating a grant program that would fund innovative approaches to safe drinking water solutions.
8) 250K grant for a program that helps students with disabilities to participate in higher education
A one-time grant of $250,000 is being offered to help eligible undergraduate students with disabilities pursue a four-year degree program. Students who have been diagnosed with a physical, mental, or intellectual disability that requires assistance in order to access the general education curriculum are eligible. The funds will provide up to four years of financial support through self-help scholarships. There is no application fee and there are no special qualifications needed beyond a diagnosis and enrollment in a public community college, state university or the U.S. accredited online institution serving as an accredited higher education institution for this grant program.
9) People’s Energy Summit awards up to 150,000 in grants and prizes worth $2.5 million
The People’s Energy Summit is the nation’s largest energy conference that educates, engages, and advocates on behalf of consumer interests. The event offers a wide range of free educational seminars, exhibits, and professional networking opportunities. Attendees will also be eligible to win a variety of prizes, including six trips to destinations in North America and South America (including airfare), five Apple Watch Series 3s, 150 iPad Minis, and 150 Beats headphones. Furthermore, the People’s Energy Summit awards up to $150,000 in grants and prizes worth $2.5 million during its conference events each year.
10) Seed fund turns down 90% of applicants due to lack of funding opportunities
Seed fund? What’s that? This is a company that provides funding to startups. They typically provide as much as $500,000, although not always. Seed fund recipients include shoe retailer Nisolo, fashion software startup StitchFix, and genetic sequencing startup Color Genomics.