Open Call: Visa Foundation U.S. Small Business Growth and Innovation Program

Visa Foundation is launching an open-call grant program with a total commitment of $2 million to support nonprofit Entrepreneurial Support Organizations (ESOs) that provide direct services to small and micro businesses (SMBs) across the United States. The program is administered by Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors (RPA), which manages the Request for Proposals (RFP) and grantmaking process. Applications are due 21 October 2026 at 12:00 PM (noon) PT. Opportunity at a Glance

- Opportunity name: Visa Foundation U.S. Small Business Growth and Innovation Program (Open Call)

- Funding organization: Visa Foundation

- Program administrator: Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors (RPA)

- Total funding commitment: $2,000,000 (open-call grant program)

- Estimated grant size per award: $100,000 to $250,000 (determined by organizational budget size)

- Grant duration: 12 months (one-time awards beginning January 2027)

- Eligible applicants: U.S.-based 501(c)(3) public charities / eligible fiscally sponsored organizations

- Eligible geography: Primarily the 50 U.S. states, District of Columbia, or U.S. territories

- Application deadline: 21 October 2026 at 12:00 PM (noon) PT

- Application submission method: Through the online application portal (no email submissions)

- Applicant notification: Funding decisions expected by January 2027

About the Opportunity

This open-call program aims to strengthen the capacity of nonprofit organizations that deliver direct support to operating small and micro businesses (SMBs). Visa Foundation’s stated goal is to help ESOs support SMB resilience, expand economic opportunity, and contribute to thriving local economies. The program will provide flexible grant capital for capacity-building so ESOs can strengthen or expand direct services such as training, coaching, technical assistance, peer learning, and technology adoption support. Funding and Benefits

- Total program funding: Visa Foundation is committing $2M to launch the open-call grant program.

- Grant range: The program anticipates awards of $100,000 to $250,000, with the grant amount determined by organizational budget size.

- Grant period: 12 months for one-time awards beginning January 2027.

- Use of funds (flexible): Grants may support:

- Direct services/programming (e.g., training, technical assistance, coaching, digital adoption) - Operational needs (e.g., staffing, administrative costs) - Learning/engagement: Visa Foundation plans to facilitate engagement opportunities throughout the grant period for grantees to share learnings, challenges, and best practices.

- Final decision authority: As the legal grantor of record, RPA holds final authority on grantmaking decisions.

Who Is Eligible? To apply, organizations must meet the following eligibility criteria: - U.S.-Based 501(c)(3) Organization - Must be a U.S.-based public charity with valid 501(c)(3) status and compliant with applicable requirements. - U.S.-Focused Implementation - Must be located in, and primarily conducting work within, the 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, or U.S. territories. - Annual operating budget size - Annual operating budget must be between $1 million and $10 million. - Direct service to U.S. SMBs - Must provide direct business support services to small and micro businesses, including support such as training, coaching, technical assistance, peer learning, or technology adoption support. - Financial documentation - Must have two years of audited financial statements and/or IRS Form 990s. Additional eligible circumstances considered: - Fiscally sponsored organizations - Eligible if they have a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor and meet all other criteria. - Local chapters of national organizations - Eligible if they have standalone 501(c)(3) status and meet all other criteria.

Additional notes from the program:

- Visa Foundation reserves the right to define, interpret, and verify eligibility criteria and may request additional documentation at any time during or after the application process. Eligible Activities or Priority Areas This program is intended to support ESOs that provide direct business support services to operating small and micro businesses. Competitive applicants are encouraged to demonstrate: - A track record helping SMBs access training, technical assistance, resources, and support to grow and remain competitive in a changing economy - A strong understanding of SMB challenges and opportunities and trusted relationships with communities served - The ability to adapt and innovate, including support that helps SMBs navigate AI, digital tools, and technology adoption - Evidence of meaningful, measurable impact on SMB growth and resilience - Commitment to continuous learning, collaboration, and knowledge sharing - Capacity to strengthen or expand services through grant funding

How the program defines SMBs:

SMBs are independently owned, currently operating businesses that actively sell products or services and are generally smaller in scale. The program notes that while there are no strict cutoffs, businesses would typically have 50 or fewer employees and $1.5 million or less in annual revenue.

Industry focus:

No specific industries are prioritized. The program seeks to support high-performing ESOs across the U.S., and selection will consider how the cohort reflects a range of geographies, service models, and communities served. Potential lower-competitiveness signals include: - Not primarily focused on providing direct business support services to SMBs - Primarily supporting aspiring entrepreneurs or idea-stage businesses rather than currently operating SMBs - Reaching fewer than 200 SMBs per year - Limited ability to demonstrate outcomes or evidence of impact - Proposed grant use not clearly connected to strengthening SMB growth and resilience Why This Opportunity Matters This grant opportunity is designed for organizations that already deliver direct, practical support to SMBs—such as training, coaching, and technology adopt