Start Small, Dream BIG Scholarship
There are many talented, entrepreneurial-minded people who have bright ideas that could change the world.
However, many great ideas never materialize into real businesses or products due to financial limitations. For a founder who may be in between jobs and attempting to chase their dream with limited resources, financial assistance can bridge the gap and make it possible to launch or otherwise advance an idea.
This scholarship seeks to support aspiring or current entrepreneurs who are in the early stages of launching their business or idea.
Anyone in the U.S., including students and non-students, may apply for this scholarship opportunity if they’re planning to launch or are currently launching a business or idea, in any field or industry.
To apply, tell us about yourself, your business idea, how this scholarship would help you, and how “Start Small, Dream Big” resonates with your journey. Additionally, include links and/or file uploads that show off your project or business. Include a link to your business website if you have one.
In two paragraphs or less, tell us about yourself and your project or business idea. How would you use this scholarship to help move your idea forward, and how does the theme “Start Small, Dream Big” resonate with your journey?
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FAQ
The application deadline is Jan 16, 2026. Winners will be announced on Feb 16, 2026.
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Award amounts per winner are designated by the donor. Check the award amount for a detailed breakdown.
The winner will be publicly announced on Feb 16, 2026. Prior to the announcement date, we may contact finalists with additional questions about their application. We will work with donors to review all applications according to the scholarship criteria. Winners will be chosen based on the merit of their application.
Award checks will be sent to the financial aid office of the winner's academic institution or future academic institution in their name to be applied to their tuition, and in the name of their institution (depending on the school's requirements). If the award is for a qualified educational non-tuition expense, we will work with the winner directly to distribute the award and make sure it goes towards qualified expenses.
Before we award the scholarship, the winner will be required to confirm their academic enrollment status. Depending on the circumstances, verification of Student ID and/or their most recent transcript will be required.
If you have any questions about this scholarship or the Bold.org platform, just email contact@bold.org and we’ll get back to you as quickly as we can.
Yes. The terms and conditions for this scholarship can be found here.