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Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →The widely discussed Facebook small-business grants were pandemic-era programs announced in 2020; the sources available here do not show that general relief program accepting applications today. Meta’s currently surfaced community grant program is narrower and is not a general-purpose grant for ordinary small businesses. If you are looking for funding now, verify any opportunity directly with its official administrator before applying.
What happened to Facebook’s small-business grants?
In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Facebook announced several relief initiatives. One U.S. initiative, announced by Meta COO Sheryl Sandberg on August 19, 2020, allocated $40 million in grants to support 10,000 Black-owned businesses. Sandberg wrote, “Starting today, any majority Black-owned business with 50 or fewer employees can apply for a grant.” That statement described that specific historical program, not a standing offer to all small businesses.
Meta’s 2021 civil-rights audit report later said nearly all of its additional $100 million commitment in grants and ad credits had been distributed to Black-owned small and medium-sized businesses, creators, and nonprofits. This is a retrospective account, not an announcement of a current application round or an independently audited impact estimate. Meta’s 2020 announcement and its 2021 civil-rights audit report provide the historical context.
Is there a Meta grant a small business can apply for now?
Meta’s currently surfaced Data Center Community Action Grants program is not the same as the 2020 business-relief initiative. Its eligible applicants are schools, registered nonprofits, and community organizations in communities where Meta has data centers. Applications go through ChangeX, which administers the awards. An ordinary small business should not assume it qualifies simply because it operates near a data center; check the current program’s requirements and location rules before taking any steps.
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See Meta’s Data Center Community Action Grants page for program information. The page’s applicant types and geographic limits distinguish it from a general small-business grant.
How to look for a grant that fits your business
- Define what you need. Identify the business purpose, amount, location, ownership characteristics, and timing that may affect eligibility. These details help you rule out programs that cannot serve your business.
- Start with the official administrator. Check a government agency’s website or the organization that actually runs the grant. Do not rely on a social-media post, an old article, or a third-party listing as proof that applications are open.
- Confirm eligibility before preparing an application. Read the rules for applicant type, location, business size, ownership, permitted uses, and required documents. Grants.gov advises applicants to establish eligibility before starting an application; see its applicant eligibility guidance.
- Check the application window and instructions. Verify the deadline, submission method, required attachments, and whether the administrator is accepting applications now. Use only the application route named by that administrator.
- Keep a copy of the official terms. Save the application instructions and any confirmation you receive so you can track what you submitted and respond through verified channels if the administrator contacts you.
How to recognize and verify a grant scam
Unexpected social-media messages promising a grant or financial relief deserve caution. The Federal Trade Commission reported almost $117 million in losses to scams that started on social media during the first six months of 2020. That figure covers social-media scams generally—not grant scams specifically—and is not a current annual estimate.
- If a friend sends you a grant or financial-relief message, contact them directly using a phone number or other channel you already know. The FTC advises against trusting the message alone, since an account may be compromised.
- Verify the grant and its application process through the official agency or named administrator. Do not treat a social-media account or an unsolicited message as confirmation that a program exists.
- Be wary of claims that you have been selected for an award when you did not apply, or of requests that do not match the administrator’s published instructions.
The FTC’s social-media scam guidance explains how to verify messages about grants or financial relief.
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