Morgan Startup Grants
Funding Amount
Typically ~$1,500 (microgrants, often under $500)
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Grant Type
Foundation
Deadline history & next window
- Cycle
- Rolling — applications accepted year-round
- Tracked since
- September 2026
Source: the cycle recorded on this listing. Confirm dates with the funder.
Can we apply?
Check your organization against each line. Taken from the listing; confirm with the funder's guidelines.
Eligible organizations
- Individuals
Geography
- Ohio
Overview
The Burton D. Morgan Foundation's Morgan Startup Grants program (launched 2021) provides catalytic microgrants — often under $500, with a typical size around $1,500 — to for-profit ventures, disseminated through nonprofit partner organizations and institutions across Northeast Ohio (e.g., universities, community colleges, Bounce Innovation Hub, HFLA of NE Ohio). As of early 2026 it had distributed 919 microgrants to 896 ventures. A 2026 direct 'NEO Community' expansion (with HFLA of NE Ohio and TRI-C Center for Entrepreneurs) opened applications March 16 and closed March 27, 2026, for businesses under $100,000 annual revenue with at least one employee.
How to Apply
Typically accessed through an affiliated nonprofit partner institution's entrepreneurship program (see participating organizations at bdmorganfdn.org/morgan-startup-grants). The direct NEO-community round (HFLA of NE Ohio / TRI-C) opened Mar 16 and closed Mar 27, 2026; future rounds will be posted on the program page.
Past recipients of this program
Recent awards under this program (from Burton D Morgan Foundation Inc's IRS filings)
Kent State University Foundation
Kent, OH · 2024
$40K
Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland, OH · 2024
$30K
Cleveland State University Foundation
Cleveland, OH · 2024
$25K
Berea, OH · 2024
$22K
Cuyahoga Community College Foundation
Cleveland, OH · 2024
$20K
9 grants in Burton D Morgan Foundation Inc's 2024 filings reference “Morgan Startup Grants” in their stated purpose. Amounts and places as reported by the funder.
What Burton D Morgan Foundation Inc actually gave
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, 2024
- Grants in 2024
- 166
- Total given
- $5.78M
- Median grant
- $19K
- Range
- $250–$394K
- 90% of its 2024 grant dollars went to recipients in Ohio, where this grant's project is located.
- By dollars: Ohio 90%, California 5%, New York <1%. Top recipient cities: Cleveland, OH; Akron, OH; Hudson, OH.
- 4% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
- 19% of recipients were new grantees, not repeat recipients.
Example grants
Bounce Innovation Hub · Akron, OH
Entrepreneur support programs and classroom equipment
$394K
Jumpstart Inc · Cleveland, OH
Burton d. morgan mentoring program
$334K
Kent State University Foundation · Kent, OH
Neolaunchnet programming
$213K
University School · Hunting Valley, OH
Youth entrepreneurship programming
$204K
Western Reserve Community Fund · Akron, OH
To support business lending in northeast ohio
$200K
Focus Areas & Funding Uses
Fields of Work
- Startups
- Small businesses
Project Locations
- OH
Categories
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