Your Path to $10,000 in Free Business Funding
Article Introduction:
Finding funding for your small business often feels like searching for a needle in a haystack—while wearing a blindfold, in a field full of identical haystacks. Grant programs promise support but deliver complicated applications, unclear requirements, and odds that make success feel like winning the lottery.
Verizon Digital Ready takes a different approach.
This fall, they’re awarding $10,000 to 50 small businesses—and the eligibility path is refreshingly straightforward. Enroll for free, complete 2 courses or attend 2 events (also free), and submit your application by December 10, 2025. No application fees. No hidden costs. No confusing bureaucracy.
The twist that makes this program valuable? The learning requirement isn’t just a box to check. It’s practical business education that improves your operations whether you win the grant or not.
Let’s break down everything you need to know to apply successfully.
Understanding the Verizon Digital Ready Grant Program
What Makes This Grant Different
Most grant programs create barriers. Verizon Digital Ready creates pathways.
Traditional grants often require extensive documentation upfront, lengthy applications before you even know if you’re eligible, and requirements that eliminate most small businesses before they start. The process drains time and energy with minimal chance of success.
Digital Ready flips that model. You invest time in education that directly benefits your business. Then—when you’re more knowledgeable and better positioned to use funding effectively—you apply for the grant. The educational requirement serves dual purposes: it prepares you to maximize grant funding if you win, and it strengthens your business even if you don’t.
Grant Program Details
💰 Funding Amount: $10,000 per recipient
🏆 Number of Awards: 50 small businesses
⏰ Application Deadline: December 10, 2025 at 11:59 PM PT
✨ Cost to Apply: $0 (completely free)
✅ Eligibility Requirement: Complete 2 Digital Ready courses OR attend 2 Digital Ready events
🎁 Repayment Terms: None—this is a grant, not a loan
Step-by-Step Application Process
Step 1: Free Enrollment (5 Minutes)
Create your Verizon Digital Ready account. The process is quick and straightforward—no credit card required, no commitments, no catches.
You’ll gain immediate access to the full library of courses, upcoming events, and business resources. Browse the catalog to identify topics that address your current challenges. The time you invest here pays dividends throughout your entrepreneurial journey.
Pro tip: Set up your profile completely. While it’s not required for enrollment, having your business information ready streamlines the grant application later.
Step 2: Complete Your Educational Requirements (2-4 Weeks)
Choose any combination of 2 courses or 2 events. All options are free and designed specifically for small business owners facing real operational challenges.
Popular Course Categories:
- Financial Management: Master cash flow, understand profit margins, and make data-driven financial decisions. Small business owners report this category directly impacts profitability.
- Digital Marketing: Learn to create content that converts, build social media strategies that work, and reach customers where they’re already spending time online.
- Customer Retention: Discover why keeping current customers is more profitable than constantly chasing new ones. Implement loyalty strategies that boost lifetime value.
- Operational Efficiency: Explore digital tools and systems that save hours each week. Streamline processes so you can focus on growth instead of just keeping up.
How to Choose Your Courses:
- Identify your biggest business pain point right now—the challenge costing you the most time, money, or opportunity
- Select a course that directly addresses that challenge
- Choose a second course that complements the first or tackles your second-biggest priority
- Complete both thoughtfully, taking notes on insights you’ll implement
The Strategic Advantage:
These courses do more than make you eligible for funding. They provide frameworks and strategies you can implement immediately. Past participants report measurably improved business performance after completing Digital Ready education—regardless of grant outcome.
Step 3: Submit Your Grant Application (1-2 Hours)
Once you’ve completed your 2 courses or events, the application portal opens. You’ll explain how $10,000 would impact your business and share your entrepreneurial story.
Application Best Practices:
✅ Be Specific About Fund Usage
Vague plans like “marketing and operations” don’t stand out. Detailed strategies do. Explain exactly what you’ll purchase, implement, or invest in—and why those specific choices will drive growth.
✅ Show How Education Informed Your Plan
Connect insights from your courses to your funding request. This demonstrates you’re not just checking boxes—you’re actively applying what you learned.
✅ Quantify Expected Impact
Whenever possible, estimate outcomes. “This equipment will increase production capacity by 40%” is stronger than “This equipment will help us grow.”
✅ Proofread Thoroughly
Typos and errors undermine credibility. Have someone you trust review your application before submission.
Real Success Story: Scary Strokes
LaNeta and Doug Roth didn’t just dream about bringing family entertainment to their Maryland community—they built a strategic plan to make it happen.
Their Waldorf, Maryland-based business—an 11,000-square-foot black light mini golf course and arcade—opened in 2017 with huge potential but a critical challenge: tucked away in an industrial park with no street-facing signage, they were nearly invisible to potential customers.
Through Verizon Digital Ready, LaNeta accessed free courses on social media marketing and digital strategy. She applied these insights to launch and grow a social media account from the ground up, achieving 10 times the average views for new accounts. The live Digital Ready events connected her with fellow entrepreneurs across industries, providing both education and community support.
In 2024, the Roths received a $10,000 Digital Ready grant, enabling them to make critical facility repairs including expensive blacklight and LED lighting. They’ve since expanded their arcade from 17 games to more than 40 while exploring new locations for growth.
The Roths’ journey demonstrates the program’s dual value: practical knowledge combined with strategic funding creates sustainable growth opportunities for small businesses ready to scale.
Read the complete success story from Verizon
Maximizing Your Chances of Grant Success
Start Early, Don’t Wait
December 10th arrives faster than you expect. Give yourself adequate time to:
- Complete courses thoughtfully (not just quickly)
- Develop a compelling grant proposal
- Gather any supporting documentation
- Proofread and refine your application
Rushed applications rarely win. Strategic, well-considered applications stand out.
Engage Fully with Course Content
Take notes. Pause videos to reflect. Complete exercises and worksheets. The more actively you engage with educational content, the more you’ll gain—and the stronger your application will be.
Many successful grant recipients report that insights from courses directly shaped their funding proposals, making applications more strategic and compelling.
Network Through Events
Digital Ready events offer more than education—they provide networking opportunities with fellow entrepreneurs. The connections you make could prove as valuable as the funding. Other small business owners face similar challenges and can offer insights, partnerships, or support.
Follow All Instructions Carefully
Missing requirements or ignored guidelines eliminate applications immediately. Read all instructions thoroughly. Double-check submission requirements. Confirm your application is complete before the deadline.
What $10,000 Could Mean for Your Small Business
Grant funding of $10,000 represents different opportunities depending on your business stage and needs:
For Early-Stage Businesses:
- Equipment purchases that enable service delivery
- Initial inventory investment to meet customer demand
- Website development and digital infrastructure
- First marketing campaign to build customer base
- Legal, licensing, or certification costs
For Growing Businesses:
- Marketing expansion to reach new customer segments
- Technology upgrades to increase efficiency
- Staff hiring to support increased demand
- Product line expansion or service additions
- Physical space improvements or expansion
For Established Businesses:
- Major equipment upgrades or replacements
- Comprehensive marketing campaigns
- Strategic hiring for specialized roles
- Significant inventory investment
- Expansion into new markets or locations
The key is strategic allocation—investing grant funding in areas that generate ongoing returns, not just covering operating expenses.
Beyond the Grant: Why Digital Ready Education Matters
Here’s the perspective shift that makes this program valuable: you win whether or not you receive the grant.
If you receive funding: You have both capital and knowledge to deploy it effectively.
If you don’t receive funding: You’ve gained practical business education that improves operations, increases revenue, and strengthens decision-making—without paying tuition or application fees.
Small business owners rarely have time or budget for professional development. Digital Ready provides both at zero cost. The educational component isn’t a hoop to jump through—it’s an investment in your capabilities as a business leader.
Past participants report specific improvements after completing courses:
- More strategic financial management
- Improved marketing effectiveness
- Better customer retention
- Increased operational efficiency
- Greater confidence in business decisions
These improvements compound over time, creating value that far exceeds a single grant award.
Have Questions?
We’ve got you covered. Visit the official Verizon Digital Ready grants page for complete eligibility details, application guidelines, and answers to all your questions:
Get All Your Grant Questions Answered
Take Action: Your Next Steps
50 small businesses will receive $10,000 this fall. Yours could be one of them—but only if you take the first step.
Your immediate action plan:
- Enroll today in Verizon Digital Ready
- Browse course catalog and identify 2 that address your biggest challenges
- Complete educational requirements over the next 2-3 weeks
- Develop your grant proposal as you learn
- Submit application well before December 10th deadline
The opportunity is real. The funding is substantial. The process is transparent. The education is valuable. The only question: Will you pursue it?
Start Your Free Enrollment and Grant Application
Your business deserves this shot at funding. Don’t let hesitation or procrastination cost you the opportunity. Enroll today, start learning immediately, and position your small business for success—whether through grant funding, improved operations, or both.
The deadline is firm. The competition is real. But so is your potential. Take the first step now.
Key Takeaways
✅ Verizon Digital Ready is awarding $10,000 to 50 US-based small businesses
✅ Applications close December 10, 2025 at 11:59 PM PT
✅ Eligibility requires free Digital Ready enrollment and completion of 2 courses or 2 events
✅ All enrollment, courses, events, and applications are completely free
✅ Education provides value regardless of grant outcome
✅ Strategic application preparation increases success chances
✅ Real small businesses are winning funding and transforming operations