📍 Three high-value funding windows open now—April deadlines approaching fast. ⸻ TL;DR ▪️ The Black Ambition Prize 2026 is live — up to $1M in growth capital for Black and Hispanic founders, with applications closing in late April. ▪️ The American Heart Association's EmPOWERED to Serve Accelerator is accepting health and social tech founders — deadline April 27. ▪️ L'Oréal and the NAACP are awarding six $25,000 grants to beauty-sector entrepreneurs — deadline April 23. ▪️ All three are non-dilutive or low-barrier — you don't have to give up equity to compete. ⸻ Hey Builder! A new spring funding window is open. Each year, April marks a surge in grant funding, prize competitions, and accelerator applications. Foundations release new capital, corporate partners activate programs, and application cycles open—many with deadlines just weeks away. This moment represents one of the most active periods on the funding calendar—particularly for non-dilutive capital and founder-friendly opportunities. For builders ready to move, the window is open. ⸻ Here are three opportunities currently live. 1️⃣ Black Ambition Prize 2026 Up to $1,000,000 in capital Backed by Pharrell Williams, this is one of the highest-signal funding platforms for underrepresented founders, combining capital with long-term ecosystem access. ▪️ Focus: Tech, AI, healthcare, and consumer startups ▪️ Eligibility: Black and Hispanic founders ▪️ Stage: Idea through post-MVP, with less than $1M in prior dilutive funding ▪️ Edge: Tiered funding model plus network access that compounds beyond the initial check Apply: blackambitionprize.com (Deadline: Late April) 2️⃣ EmPOWERED to Serve Business Accelerator Non-dilutive funding + national platform Run by the American Heart Association, this 8-week accelerator targets founders building scalable solutions at the intersection of health equity and social impact. ▪️ Focus: Health tech, social impact, and community-based innovation ▪️ Eligibility: U.S.-based founders (nonprofit and for-profit) ▪️ Stage: Early to growth-stage ventures with scalable models ▪️ Edge: Combines expert training, national exposure, and non-equity grant funding Apply: empoweredtoserve.org (Deadline: April 27) 3️⃣ L’Oréal x NAACP Beauty Grant $25,000 non-dilutive capital (6 awards) A partnership between L'Oréal and the NAACP delivering direct capital to Black-owned beauty and wellness businesses. ▪️ Focus: Beauty, wellness, and personal care businesses ▪️ Eligibility: Black-owned, legally registered businesses ▪️ Stage: Revenue-generating or growth-stage operators ▪️ Edge: Direct cash plus brand validation from two globally recognized institutions Apply: naacp.org/find-resources/grants (Deadline: April 23) ⸻ 💬 Quote of the Day "Don't sit down and wait for the opportunities to come. Get up and make them." — Madam C.J. Walker ⸻ ⚡️ OHUBNext Daily Brief — investments, edge tech, and moves that matter. For 12+ years, OHUB has been building pathways and on-ramps to multi-generational wealth — without reliance on pre-existing wealth. Through exposure, skills, entrepreneurship, capital markets, and inclusive ecosystems, we've helped people create new jobs, new companies, and new wealth.