Content Strategy & Writing Support to Help You Grow Visibility

Get six months of free support to reach the right audience and turn your content plans into published work. Because good businesses deserve to be discovered.

‍Applications due by November 20th

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What Is the Compose.ly Growth Grant?

Now in its second round, the Compose.ly Growth Grant is a six-month content partnership awarded to one small business or nonprofit with a clear mission and the foundation to grow.

Good businesses don’t always have the budget to compete online. We know that, and we think it’s worth doing something about. We’re selecting one organization to help build visibility, attract the right audience, and turn that attention into meaningful growth.

This is an investment in a brand we believe in, with a team ready to collaborate, put the strategy into action, and build on what they learn.

Apply for the Grant
SEO strategist holding laptop to boost search visibility and engagement

What the Compose.ly Growth Grant Includes

This six-month partnership, valued at $7,500, combines content strategy, SEO-optimized writing, and publishing support.

Month 1

The Foundation

  • Keyword research to uncover your best growth opportunities
  • Light Technical Review
  • Kickoff strategy meeting with your dedicated Compose.ly Account Manager
Months 2–6

The Work

  • Two SEO-optimized blog posts per month (up to 1,000 words each)
  • Topic ideation and content briefs for each article
  • Publishing support to get approved blog posts live on your website
  • Monthly report meetings to review progress and adjust strategy

Who Should Apply?

This grant is designed for small businesses and nonprofits with an existing marketing foundation that are ready to grow with the right partner.

We welcome applications from any industry. Your impact could mean solving a customer problem, supporting your community, improving accessibility, or creating economic opportunity.

What matters is your mission, your potential, and your team’s readiness to make the most of the partnership.

I’m Ready to Apply

You should apply if you:

Have fewer than 20 employees or under $3M in annual revenue
Are a for-profit or nonprofit organization based in the US
Have an active website with Google Analytics and Google Search Console in place 
Have a clear mission and can explain how your growth benefits your customers or community
Have a designated person with time to attend monthly meetings, review content, and coordinate implementation
Are ready to apply what you learn and build on the work after the program ends
Are willing to share your story through a case study or testimonial

How To Apply

Step 1

Submit your written application.

Complete our online application form by November 20th. You’ll answer questions about your organization, mission, audience, growth goals, and the team that would own this project internally.

‍Please do not submit a video with your initial application. We’ll request one only if you’re invited to the next round.
Step 2

Selected applicants submit a short video.

We’ll review written applications using the scoring rubric above, with AI tools assisting in the initial analysis and our team reviewing the results. Up to 10 applicants will be invited to the next round.

If selected, you’ll receive an email with instructions for recording a two minutes or less video. You’ll have a week and a half to submit it.

 A video is required to advance to final judging. Videos longer than two minutes will not be reviewed. A simple recording is welcome; we’ll evaluate what you share, not production quality.
Step 3

Finalists move to panel review.

Our team will assess their websites and opportunities to benefit from the grant before presenting them to four judges with varied marketing experience.

The judges will review and score the finalists based on mission impact, growth potential, and execution readiness. Our judges make the final decision.

Timeline

October 30

Applications Open

Nov 20

Deadline to Apply

Nov 30

Next-round applicants notified

Dec 9

Video submissions due

Dec 18

Final announcement

Dec 22

Recipient notified

Jan–Dec 2027

Program Runs

Submit My Application

Scoring Rubric

We’re looking for the organization where this partnership can do the most good, both for its growth and for the people its mission serves. Here’s what we’re weighing in our initial application review:

Weight
Category
What We’re Looking For
25%
Mission & Impact: How meaningful and impactful is your mission of doing good?
Show off the real-world difference your work makes. The stronger the connection between your growth and your impact, the better.
20%
Content-Driven Growth Opportunity: Will good content and SEO strategy help you find new customers?
Help us see that content and SEO can meaningfully move the needle for your business. Show us you understand your audience and what they're searching.
20%
Ability to Execute: Do you have the foundation to implement the partnership?
We're looking for someone who will be a great partner and collaborator. Tell us who will own this relationship internally and how you plan to build on our work together after the program ends. Small teams are welcome; we’re looking for clear ownership and realistic capacity.
20%
Quality of Application & Program Alignment: How compelling was your application for this program?
Be specific about why this grant, why now, and what metrics you'll use to measure success. A compelling application helps us see exactly what we'd be building together.
15%
Traction & Business Viability: Is your business in growth mode?
Early traction and a viable model tell us you're ready to grow. Tell us what motion and momentum look like for you right now.

Meet the Review Panel

Nicole MacLean
CEO,
Compose.ly
Robert Bernsteen
Sr. Account Manager,
Compose.ly

FAQs

Why did you create this Growth Grant?
  • We work with a lot of companies that have strong products, clear missions, and real potential—but they struggle to get in front of the right audience. Not because they’re doing anything wrong. But because visibility today is hard.
  • Search is changing. AI is reshaping how people discover brands. And great companies often get overlooked simply because they don’t have the right content strategy in place.
  • We created the Growth Grant to give these companies the chance to work with a partner and make the investments in their business without the fear of agencies overpromising and underdelivering.
Does this cost me anything?

Nope! This is a fully funded 6-month partnership. It’s free to apply, and won’t cost the final recipient anything. All we’ll ask is for collaboration and the opportunity to share the results as a case study.


How many companies will be selected?

Just one. We do plan to make this a bi-annual initiative, so if you’re not selected this year, check back next year when applications will open for the next round.

What happens if I’m not selected?

Great question! If you’re not selected, but still want to invest in content and SEO, we will make this package available at a discounted price point for everyone who applies.

How do I know if my business is a good fit?

If your company is under 20 employees and/or $3M in revenue, US-based, has an active website, and a clear story about how growing your business creates impact. Unsure? Apply and let us decide. We'd rather you submit and hear back from us than talk yourself out of it.

Do I need an existing marketing team?

You don’t need a full team, but you do need someone who can work with us and implement recommendations.

What kind of results can I expect from this grant?

While that depends on your starting point, the goal is simple: more visibility, better traffic, improved credibility, and a foundation you can build on long-term.

What happens after the 6 month grant? 

While the grant will end in July 2027, it doesn’t mean the relationship has to. If the recipient is seeing results and wants to continue, we’d love to keep working together. Our team will work with you to create a scope that works with your budget and growth goals.

What makes an application stand out?

Your mission, story, and impact matter. We also look for a clear plan to support the partnership: who will collaborate with our team, how you’ll implement the work, and how you’ll build on it after the grant ends. Our goal is to help create lasting growth.