Microgrants — small grants for people taking the leap into independent work
- $100 to $1,000 grants
- Started by Ryan Prendergast
- For people trying to work independently: builders, operators, writers, designers, consultants, and future founders
- Rolling applications
- Apply by email: ryan@zenobiapay.com
This is meant to be simple. No equity. No cohort. No complicated process. Just direct support for a concrete next step.
What is this?
I started Microgrants because the distance between "I could do this" and "I can afford to try" is often small.
Sometimes a few hundred dollars is enough to buy time, pay for tools, cover childcare, ship a prototype, travel to meet a customer, or create the first real version of something independent.
This is a personal fund for that gap. The goal is to help more people make the jump into working for themselves.
Who it is for
- People leaving a job to try consulting, client work, or a tiny studio
- Builders who need a small amount of money to ship a first version
- Writers, designers, and operators turning skill into independent income
- Anyone with a credible near-term leap and a clear use for modest capital
What a grant can cover
- Software, hosting, and the basic stack to get started
- Travel, childcare, or breathing room that makes focused work possible
- A landing page, prototype, sample run, or first customer experiment
- The cost of saying no to low-leverage work while pursuing the better bet
What I look for
- A specific ask between $100 and $1,000
- A use of funds that creates movement in the next 30 days
- Evidence that the work leads toward more independence, not more dependency
- Plain explanation over polished storytelling
Probably not a fit
- Huge capital needs or plans that require a full fundraise
- Applications without a concrete next step attached to the ask
- Projects where the money does not clearly change what happens next
- Anything that needs committees, gatekeeping, or a complicated program
How to apply
- Tell me who you are and what you want to start or change
- Ask for a number between $100 and $1,000
- Explain what the grant would unlock in the next 30 days
- Include links, rough work, prototypes, or evidence you are already in motion if you have them
Email: ryan@zenobiapay.com
Rolling review. Short applications. Clear yes or no.
Created by Ryan Prendergast. Microgrants 2026.