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We are looking for innovations that help entrepreneurs to better manage, plan, and grow their small businesses. Illustrative examples of the types of solutions we are excited to support fall into three general categories:&nbsp; Manage: Innovations that improve daily financial managementInnovations that leverage AI and digital solutions to give small businesses clearer visibility into their finances, streamline operations, and simplify daily decision-making. For example:<ul><li>AI-driven dashboards or digital platforms that give entrepreneurs real-time visibility into their finances and daily business decisions</li><li>Voice-enabled AI interfaces that let business owners check financial metrics, approve payments, and receive alerts&nbsp;</li><li>AI-assisted cash-on-hand calculators that factor in pending bills, uncertain receivables, and required reserves</li></ul> Plan: Innovations that build financial resilience&nbsp;Innovations that use digital solutions to help small businesses anticipate risks, plan for variability, and build stronger buffers against shocks. For example:<ul><li>AI-driven forecasting tools that prepare businesses for seasonal revenue fluctuations</li><li>Digital early warning systems, enhanced through AI, for potential cash flow problems</li><li>Platforms that optimize insurance coverage using AI and data analysis&nbsp;for changing business needs</li><li>Digital tools that build contingency plans for supply chain or market disruptions</li></ul> Grow: Innovations that enable small businesses to grow sustainablyInnovations that apply technology-driven approaches to help small businesses uncover opportunities, scale effectively, and access resources for sustainable growth. For example:<ul><li>AI- and data-driven platforms that identify the most profitable customer segments and expansion opportunities</li><li>Digital tools that matching businesses with optimal financing options based on performance data</li><li>Automated systems that allocate resources efficiently as operations scale</li><li>AI-enabled models that evaluate ROI of growth investments before capital commitment</li></ul> The solution should be able to integrate seamlessly into daily operations, deliver measurable financial health improvements, and work across different business sectors. Most importantly, your innovation must create lasting value beyond your own organization, whether via partnerships with mission-driven organizations, open source development, or accessible licensing that strengthens the entire ecosystem.

What are examples of solutions we are interested in funding?

The Mastercard Strive USA 2025 Innovation Fund application <a href="https://web.miniextensions.com/IfR3yAwIz3z7fcOD3MWD" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">can be found here</a>. For any questions on the application, please email <a href="mailto:striveusagrants@dai.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: blue;">striveusagrants@dai.com</a>

How do I apply? 

<ul><li>Target U.S. small businesses as customers or end users</li><li>Be implemented in the U.S.</li><li>Solve critical and systemic challenges to small business financial health</li><li>Must be in the prototyping or early testing phase; solutions may be piloted with users but should not yet be deployed at scale.</li><li>Includes a digital tool or platform (not solely training or mentorship)</li></ul>

Proposed projects must

Project eligibility

The Mastercard Strive USA 2025 Innovation Fund&nbsp;is open to any organization developing innovations for small business financial health including nonprofits, CDFIs, credit unions, universities, and for-profit companies that is registered in the U.S. We will also encourage applications from coalitions of partners working on a specific financial health innovation (e.g., a fintech-CDFI partnership).&nbsp; We recognize the scope of this innovation fund will naturally attract fintechs and other private sector companies developing distinct products for commercial markets. However, grant funds cannot support the development of products intended solely for commercial use. All applicants must demonstrate a clear commitment to public benefit by selecting one or more of the following pathways: Pathway 1: Mission-Driven Implementation. The applicant either operates as a mission-driven organization (nonprofit, CDFI, credit union, university) OR partners with such an organization to co-develop, implement, or distribute the innovation to serve their constituencies. Pathway 2: Open Source Development. The applicant will release all or core components of the technology, algorithms, and methodologies under open source licenses (such as Apache 2.0, MIT, or GPL) that allow free use, modification, and distribution by others in the ecosystem. Pathway 3: Public Benefit Licensing. The applicant commits to licensing the innovation at cost or for free to nonprofits, CDFIs, and organizations focused specifically on serving low-to-moderate income small businesses. Pathway 4: Alternative Public Benefit Approach. The applicant proposes an alternative pathway that ensures meaningful public benefit and broad ecosystem access. Proposals must be specific and measurable as well as demonstrate comparable public benefit to the above pathways. Generic commitments to "help small businesses" will not be considered sufficient.

Organizational eligibility

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Eligibility

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Strengthening the financial health of small businesses


We are now accepting applications. The deadline to apply is November 21, 2025.

The Mastercard Strive USA 2025 Innovation Fund, supported by the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth and implemented by DAI, will award grants to organizations who are testing new products and services that improve the financial health of small businesses with high potential for impact and scale.

Mastercard Strive USA 2025 Innovation Fund

When small businesses flourish, they become engines for inclusive economic growth — creating jobs, driving innovation, and strengthening community resilience. Yet today, half of all new small businesses fail within five years, often because they lack access to affordable financial services, tools to build savings, or protection against rising digital threats, among other challenges.&nbsp; A financially healthy small business — where daily systems free up capacity to build resilience and pursue new opportunities —&nbsp;is better equipped to navigate these challenges. To make financial health more achievable for entrepreneurs across the country, the Mastercard Strive USA 2025 Innovation Fund will award $1 million total in grants — up to $250,000 per organization — to support early-stage solutions that help small businesses simplify daily operations, reduce complexity, and enable small businesses to thrive rather than just survive. This opportunity helps innovative small business support organizations to grow their next big idea.&nbsp;

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Overview

Innovative solutions that improve small business financial health

<ul><li>Does the applicant articulate a specific problem and compelling need for their solution?</li><li>Is the solution innovative, offering a novel approach or significant improvement over existing alternatives?</li><li>Is the technical solution well-designed, feasible, and appropriate for the target user base?</li></ul>

Solution

<ul><li>How effectively will this innovation reach and benefit small businesses, particularly those in underserved communities?&nbsp;</li><li>Does the chosen public benefit pathway have the potential to create meaningful, lasting value for the broader ecosystem beyond the applicant organization?&nbsp;</li><li>What is the potential for other organizations to adopt, adapt, or build upon this innovation?</li></ul>

Impact

<ul><li>Does the team demonstrate the necessary expertise, experience, and track record to successfully develop and implement this innovation?</li><li>Is the solution at an appropriate stage where grant funding could meaningfully accelerate development and deployment?&nbsp;</li><li>Does the project have the potential to scale beyond the grant period or catalyze capital from alternative sources following the end of the grant?</li></ul>

Feasibility

Applicants will be scored on the following selection criteria:

Selection

Applications Open

Applications Close

Shortlisted Applicants Selected

Shortlisted Applicants Submit Mini Proposals

Finalist Selected

Finalists pitch

Winners notified

Winners announced

Timeline

Whether you're a nonprofit building financial management solutions, a mission-driven private company that works closely with small businesses, a fintech creating cash flow tools, or a university piloting new approaches, we want to support your work.&nbsp; We're particularly excited about the potential for partnerships between fintechs and mission-driven organizations that combine technical innovation with deep community connections. If your innovation strengthens small business financial health and you're committed to creating broader public benefit beyond your own organization, we encourage you to apply.

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Who should apply?

Barriers to financial health limit entrepreneurs from realizing the full potential of their businesses. Key challenges we want to address through this fund include: 1. Hard-to-understand finances. Many entrepreneurs have limited visibility into their financial position and often rely on manual processes that are time-consuming, error-prone, and reactive.2. Vulnerability to shocks. Most small businesses lack early warning systems or planning tools to anticipate economic downturns, supply chain disruptions, natural disasters, and other unexpected expenses.3. Limited access to growth resources. Even profitable businesses often struggle to access capital, identify their strongest opportunities, or optimize operations for sustainable scaling. Barriers to financial health are interconnected — weak daily financial management makes businesses more vulnerable to shocks, while both&nbsp;limit growth. We are seeking innovations that break this cycle and create positive feedback loops toward financial health.

What problems do we want to solve?

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