Amex Shop Small Grants Program
Small Business Grants
Amex Shop Small Grants Program
Providing grants for small businesses to grow, innovate, and support their local communities.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
The Amex Shop Small Grants Program, in partnership with American Express®, will fund more than 500 grants of $20,000 each, empowering small businesses to grow, innovate, and support their local communities. The program was initially launched with a $5 million contribution, and as a result of its giving pledge for eligible transactions made on Small Business Saturday®, American Express will now contribute an additional $5.1 million to the program – totaling over $10 million in grants.
The Amex Shop Small Grants Program reflects the shared commitment of American Express and Main Street America to champion small businesses that strengthen communities and help local economies thrive.
Recipients will have a 6‑month period in which to complete their projects, so applicants are encouraged to prepare a “ready-to-execute” project plan and a detailed, itemized budget. During that period, Main Street America will provide opportunities for grant recipients to connect and network with each other, complete self-guided e‑learning courses, and share the story of their business and their Amex Shop Small Grants Program project journey with a variety of audiences.
The application period was open from Small Business Saturday, November 29, 2025, to Friday, January 23, 2026 at 11:59 CT.
About Small Business Saturday
Small Business Saturday is a day dedicated to supporting small businesses and communities across the country and is part of the larger Shop Small Movement. Founded by American Express in 2010, this day is celebrated each year on the Saturday after Thanksgiving in the U.S. Since its launch in 2010, U.S. consumers have reported spending an estimated $223 billion at small businesses on Small Business Saturday.1
Program Timeline
- Applications Open: Saturday, November 29, 2025
- Applications Close: Friday, January 23, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. CT (Extended from Friday, January 16, 2026)
- Grant Recipients Notified: March 2026
- Grant Period: April 2026 – September 2026 (6 months)
- Grant Reports Due: Thursday, October 15, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. CT
To stay up to date about announcements regarding this program, sign up for our Small Businesses Resources email list.
QUESTIONS?
Contact smallbizgrant@mainstreet.org or call 708−515−4889 and leave a voicemail with any other questions. Please allow up to five (5) full business days to respond to all inquiries.
Supported By
1 This spend statistic is an aggregate of the average spend as reported by consumers who shopped small on Small Business Saturday in surveys commissioned by American Express reporting spend habits on Small Business Saturday since 2012. It does not reflect actual receipts, sales or American Express Card Member spending data. Each such survey was conducted online among a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults. The data was projected from the samples based on then-current U.S. Census estimates of the U.S. adult population (18+).
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Contact
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53 West Jackson Blvd.
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P 312-610-5613
info@mainstreet.org
© 2026 National Main Street Center, Inc.
For more information, please visit: https://mainstreet.org/about/partner-collaborations/amex-shop-small-grant-program,