Understanding AT&T She's Connected Grant
The AT&T She’s Connected Grant (officially the AT&T Small Business Contest) awards $50,000 to one small business owner plus $5,000 each to four runners-up. Eligible U.S. small business owners with 99 or fewer employees and 1–5 locations can apply through an online form and two short essays.
This guide covers everything you need to know about the AT&T She’s Connected Grant:
- What Is the AT&T She's Connected Grant?
- Why the AT&T She's Connected Grant Matters
- What Does the Grant Include?
- Who Can Apply?
- How to Apply for the AT&T She's Connected Grant
- Documents to Prepare
- Tips to Improve Your Chances
- Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Other Grants Like the AT&T She's Connected Grant
- Frequently Asked Questions
What Small Business Owner Need to Know Before Applying
Raising capital is one of the hardest parts of running a small business. Bank loans require collateral. Venture capital favors a narrow slice of high-growth startups. For many women entrepreneurs and small business owners, traditional financing simply doesn’t fit their stage.
That’s part of why corporate grants have become such a valuable funding opportunity. Programs like the AT&T She’s Connected Grant don’t require repayment or equity, and often add business resources like mentorship and visibility that a loan never would.
What Is the AT&T She's Connected Grant?
The AT&T She’s Connected Grant is the funding component of She’s Connected by AT&T, a platform spotlighting entrepreneurs, athletes, and community leaders. The associated AT&T Small Business Contest is a nationwide small business contest now in its fourth year, having awarded grant funding to small businesses since 2020.
Rather than a grant scored purely on financial documents, this is a grant competition: applicants submit essays and business information, and a judging panel selects a winner and runners-up.
Beyond the cash award, winners gain:
- 12 months of AT&T service plus a new device
- Mentorship resources focused on local community impact
- The chance to be featured in an episode of She's Connected
- Access to a community of small business owners and additional business resources
Why the AT&T She's Connected Grant Matters
Small business funding gaps hit certain groups harder, including women entrepreneurs, minority business owners, and founders without existing banking relationships.
Corporate grant programs like this one support:
- Economic empowerment for women-owned and local businesses
- Digital transformation and technology adoption
- Community impact, since many winners run mission-driven businesses
- Business sustainability, via non-dilutive capital for operations
What Does the Grant Include?
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Prize Tier
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Award
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Additional Benefits
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|---|---|---|
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Grand Prize Winner
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$50,000 grant
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One year of AT&T service with a new device, along with mentorship, access to a community network, and a feature in a She's Connected episode
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Runner-Up (4 winners)
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$5,000 each
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Recognition as a contest finalist
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Key takeaway: Total prize pool across all five winners is $70,000, plus mentorship and exposure that can be as valuable for business growth as the cash itself.
Who Can Apply?
Despite the “She’s Connected” name, this is not limited to women-owned businesses, official rules state the contest is open to all eligible small business owners regardless of gender. If you want women-only funding, see the comparison section below.
Eligibility Checklist
- You are a legal resident of the 50 U.S. states or Washington, D.C.
- You are the sole or majority owner of the business
- You have reached the age of majority in the state where you live
- Your business has 1 to 5 physical locations
- Your business has 99 or fewer full- or part-time employees
- Your business is registered and operating in the United States
- You are not an employee or immediate family member of AT&T or affiliated organizations
- Only one entry is submitted per eligible business
- Nonprofits that operate a for-profit business may apply if that business meets the criteria above
- Previous applicants may reapply
Note: Sources describe the employee cap and territory eligibility differently across cycles. Before applying, make sure to check the official AT&T website for the most recent updates.
How to Apply for the AT&T She's Connected Grant
Step 1: Confirm eligibility
Confirm eligibility against the checklist above before investing time in essays. Grant Matching Service can help you identify opportunities that best fit your qualifications before you begin the application process.
Step 2: Gather documentation
Gather documentation including business registration, ownership details, and basic financials.
Step 3: Draft essays
Typically two essays (roughly 750 words each): business vision/community impact, and alignment with AT&T’s brand purpose.
Step 4: Write for the reviewer
Use specific numbers, dates, and named outcomes, not general statements.
Step 5: Complete application
Complete the online form with personal and business information plus optional supporting photos.
Step 6: Review before submitting
Review before submitting, check word counts, spelling, and required fields.
Step 7: Submit application
Submit and save a copy of your essays outside the portal.
Step 8: Watch for notification
Finalists are typically contacted by phone or email; confirm response deadlines promptly.
Documents to Prepare
Application Checklist
- Evidence of registered business status or ownership
- Personal identification details (name, birthdate, contact information)
- Business information (name, address, website, social handles)
- Vision/mission essay describing your business and community impact
- Second essay describing alignment with AT&T's program values
- Revenue or basic financial information, if requested
- Growth strategy or planned use of funds
- Optional supporting photos of your team or business activities
A clear business plan, even an informal one, makes essay-writing easier by forcing you to articulate your growth strategy and impact metrics upfront.
AT&T She's Connected Grant Requirements & Deadline
Deadlines, open dates, and even eligibility figures have varied across cycles, and sources currently disagree on some specifics. Rather than repeat a date that may already be outdated, treat the following as fixed rules and verify the current window separately:
- One contest entry per eligible business
- Applicants must meet the ownership, size, and location requirements above
- The grant amount has consistently been $50,000 for the winner and $5,000 per runner-up
Always verify the latest information on the official AT&T website before applying, including the exact deadline and open date.
Tips to Improve Your Chances
- Lead with a specific story
- Quantify community impact
- Tie funding to concrete outcomes
- Show innovation and sustainability
- Proofread for clarity
- Respect word limits precisely
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Missing the deadline entirely
- Submitting more than one entry per business
- Writing generic essays that could fit any small business grant
- Leaving out required documents or ownership proof
- Skipping proofreading and rushing answers
- Ignoring stated eligibility requirements anyway
Other Grants Like the AT&T She's Connected Grant
If this isn’t the right fit, or you want to diversify your funding search, consider these established options for women entrepreneurs and small business owners:
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Program
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Focus
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Notes
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|---|---|---|
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Amber Grant
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Women-owned businesses
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Monthly grants; verify current amounts on their website
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Women-led, impact-driven startups
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Global program with mentorship components
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|
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Women entrepreneurs
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Includes fellowship and capital-access initiatives
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Women business owners
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Crowdfunding plus grant opportunities
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Small businesses broadly
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Periodic contest-style funding
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Always verify current eligibility, deadlines, and amounts directly on each organization’s site, as rules update regularly.
How American Grant Experts Can Help
Experienced grant support can help applicants strengthen their overall approach and improve the quality and clarity of their submissions:
- Researching grant opportunities that align with your business stage and goals through structured grant research services
- Identifying suitable programs by assessing eligibility and alignment through grant matching support before time is invested in full applications
- Providing guidance on grant resources, including documentation requirements, timelines, and common funder expectations
- Offering support in shaping business plans and impact narratives so they are clear, structured, and easy to evaluate
- Reviewing applications for compliance with stated guidelines, formatting rules, and submission criteria
- Assisting with submission preparation and logistics to reduce errors and missed deadlines
- Providing access to grant community support services where applicants can learn from shared experiences, updates, and peer insights
For founders and organizations managing day-to-day responsibilities, this type of support is often as much about saving time and reducing uncertainty as it is about improving writing quality.
Conclusion
The AT&T She’s Connected Grant offers a meaningful funding opportunity for small business owners, including cash, connectivity resources, mentorship, and visibility, without giving up equity. Because it’s a grant competition, a specific, honest, well-prepared application matters more than simply meeting the eligibility bar. A second set of eyes from an experienced grant consultant can help you submit a more organized, compliant application, for this program and other small business grants you pursue afterward.
Need Help Preparing a Winning Grant Application?
Grant funding is highly competitive, and a professionally prepared application can make a meaningful difference. The American Grant Association helps businesses with:
- Grant opportunity research
- Eligibility review
- Grant matching
- Application review
- Grant resource guidance
- Grant strategy consulting
- Grant community support
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the AT&T She's Connected Grant?
A small business contest under AT&T’s She’s Connected platform, awarding a $50,000 grand prize and four $5,000 runner-up grants.
Who can apply?
Any legal U.S. resident who is the sole or majority owner of an eligible small business meeting AT&T’s size and location requirements.
Is it only for women?
No. Despite the name, it’s open to all eligible small business owners regardless of gender.
Can nonprofits apply?
Yes, if the nonprofit operates a for-profit business meeting the eligibility criteria.
How much funding is available?
Recent cycles offered $50,000 for the winner and $5,000 each for four runners-up, $70,000 total.
What is the deadline?
Deadlines vary by cycle. Always verify the latest information on the official AT&T website before applying.
How are winners selected?
Applications are reviewed for business story and community impact, with finalists chosen before a winner is announced. Confirm exact judging criteria on the official rules page.
Can previous applicants apply again?
Yes, reapplying in future cycles is welcomed.
Note: This guide is for informational purposes only. Grant details, eligibility requirements, deadlines, and funding availability may change at any time. Always verify the most current program information through official sources before making any business or funding decisions.