MBDA Capital Readiness Program
Funding Amount
Part of $100 million national funding opportunity
Deadline
Deadline not published
Grant Type
Foundation
Can we apply?
Check your organization against each line. Taken from the listing; confirm with the funder's guidelines.
Eligible organizations
- Non-profit organizations
- Institutions of higher education
Other requirements
- Eligible applicants include:
- Private sector entities
- Consortiums of two or more of any of the above-mentioned eligible applicants
Overview
Funder: Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), U.S. Department of Commerce
Funding Source: U.S. Department of Treasury's State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI), reauthorized under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021
Total Funding: $100 million (announced December 21, 2022)
Geographic Scope: National program; administered through Lehigh Valley Workforce Investment Board (Pennsylvania)
Purpose & Mission: Empower underserved entrepreneurs to grow and scale their businesses by becoming capital ready
Eligibility
Eligible applicants include:
- Non-profit organizations
- Private sector entities
- Institutions of higher education
- Consortiums of two or more of any of the above-mentioned eligible applicants
Key Information
- Status: Active funding opportunity
- Application Support: MBDA conducted pre-application technical assistance webinars on January 10th, 17th, and 24th (2023)
- Contact: Workforce Board Lehigh Valley, 555 Union Boulevard, Allentown, PA 18109; Phone: 610-437-5627; Fax: 610-434-4122; TTY: 610-437-0741
Resources Provided
- Official Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)
- Press kit and materials
- CNN exclusive interview with Secretary Raimondo
How to Apply
How to Apply
- Application Link: Available through grant portal (labeled "Apply for Grant" on program page)
- Technical Assistance: Pre-application webinars were conducted to aid potential applicants
- Required Materials: See official NOFO documentation for complete application requirements
- Submission Format: Follow guidelines in official Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)
Note: Specific application details, narrative questions, and step-by-step instructions should be obtained from the official NOFO document and MBDA website.
What Lehigh Valley Workforce Investment Board Inc actually gave
Source: IRS Form 990, 2025
- Grants in 2025
- 4
- Total given
- $6.1M
- Median grant
- $183K
- Range
- $51K–$5.68M
- By dollars: Michigan 93%, Pennsylvania 6%, New York <1%. Top recipient cities: Dearborn, MI; Bethlehem, PA; Easton, PA.
Example grants
Educational Data Systems Inc · Dearborn, MI
Various training
$5.68M
St Luke's Hospital and Health Network · Bethlehem, PA
Various training
$305K
Project of Easton · Easton, PA
Various training
$61K
German American Chamber of Commerce · New York, NY
Various training
$51K
Focus Areas & Funding Uses
Fields of Work
- Minority businesses
- Startups
- Workforce development
Categories
Browse similar grants by category
Related Grants
Open grants from this funder and similar programs
Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator Program (CEAP)
Berks Arts Council
Amount
$500 - $2,000
Deadline
Rolling (quarterly review)
Capital Readiness Program
University City Science Center
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Expected ~December
Based on past cycles
DVREDF Grants for Community and Workforce Development
Delaware Valley Regional Economic
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling
Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator Program
Centre Foundation Inc
Amount
$2,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Philadelphia Growth, Resiliency, Independence, Tenacity Fund (PHL GRIT Fund)
Pennsylvania CDFI Network
Amount
$100,000,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Diverse Teacher Pipeline Grants
Center for Black Educator Development
Amount
~$500,000 total pool/yr across ~8 organizations (award amounts vary)
Deadline
Deadline not published
Ready to apply for MBDA Capital Readiness Program?
Grantable helps you assess fit, draft narratives, and track deadlines — so you can submit stronger applications, faster.
You found MBDA Capital Readiness Program. Now let's win it.