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Small-business grants provide free money for startups and existing businesses, including those impacted by the coronavirus pandemic or other hardships. Unlike small-business loans, grants offer access to capital that doesn’t need to be repaid.
It takes time and effort to research and apply for funding, but the payoff can be worth it if you secure a grant for your small business. To help you get started, here’s a list of federal, state and private small-business grants and resources.
How much do you need?
We’ll start with a brief questionnaire to better understand the unique needs of your business.
Once we uncover your personalized matches, our team will consult you on the process moving forward.
Federal government grants for small businesses
Government agencies are among the biggest distributors of business grants, supporting a range of enterprises from environmental conservation to child care services. Applying may seem intimidating, but federal business grants are great opportunities for entrepreneurs looking to grow.
Grants.gov
Grants.gov is a comprehensive database of government small-business grants administered by various federal agencies, such as the departments of Education and Veterans Affairs.
Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer programs
The SBIR and the STTR grant programs focus on research and development for technology innovation and scientific research. The programs help connect entrepreneurs with federal business grants and contracts from 12 government agencies.
To qualify, you must operate a for-profit business, have no more than 500 employees and meet other eligibility requirements.
USDA Rural Business Development Grant
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) administers the Rural Business Development Grant program, which provides funding to strengthen and grow small businesses in rural communities.
Businesses must have fewer than 50 new employees, less than $1 million in gross revenue and be located in an eligible rural area to qualify. Applications are accepted once per year through the USDA Rural Development’s local or state offices.
Program for Investors in Microentrepreneurs
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) doesn’t typically offer grants directly to small businesses. The Program for Investors in Microentrepreneurs (PRIME), however, offers federal grants to microenterprise development organizations so that they can provide assistance to disadvantaged microentrepreneurs.
These organizations, These organizations, such as the Maryland Capital Enterprises and Native CDFI Network, both of which were awarded grants in 2024, can be private nonprofits, or run by state, local or tribal governments.
We update this list of small-business grants on a regular basis. Check back often for deadline updates and new funding opportunities.
📣 Want to see your grant program listed? Email us the details at [email protected].
Regional government grants for small businesses
Because federal grants can be particularly competitive — and limited in number — you might also look into government small-business grants at the state and local levels. Start your search with options like these:
Economic Development Administration
The U.S. Economic Development Administration provides business grants, resources and technical assistance for communities to support economic growth and encourage entrepreneurship and innovation.
Each state’s agency helps small businesses find financing (including state or regional grants), secure locations and recruit employees. You can search the economic development directory for regional offices and local resources.
Small Business Development Center
Your local Small Business Development Center (SBDC) provides support for small businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs. They’re often associated with local universities or a state’s economic development agency, and many can help connect you with small-business grants, as well as other business financing opportunities — plus, counseling, training and technical assistance.
Minority Business Development Agency centers
The MBDA runs a national network of business centers dedicated to growing and promoting minority-owned small businesses. These centers help business owners access capital, secure contracts and compete in emerging markets.
Your local MBDA center can help you apply for debt-based financing as well as federal, state and local business grants. The agency usually holds an annual small-business grant competition and provides contest updates on its website.
State Trade Expansion Program
The SBA funds state governments to implement the State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) grant, which helps small businesses cover costs to start or expand into international markets.
The available funding amounts and eligibility criteria of these government small-business grants vary based on your state, but capital can be used to participate in export trade shows, design international marketing products, support website globalization and more.
Corporate small-business grants
Many corporations and large companies have a philanthropic component that includes small-business grants. While some provide grants to nonprofits servicing specific industries only, some also give to for-profit companies.
National Association for the Self-Employed Growth Grant
NASE members can apply for monthly small-business grants worth up to $4,000, as well as an annual $3,000 college scholarship for members’ dependents. Grants are awarded year-round, with completed applications reviewed quarterly in January, April, July and October.
Freed Fellowship Grant
The Freed Fellowship awards a $500 microgrant to one U.S. small-business owner on a monthly basis. Grant recipients are then eligible to receive a $2,500 end-of-year grant. The organization also offers grant winners a one-on-one strategy with a business expert, as well as a year of membership to the Freed Studio, a virtual community of entrepreneurs.
To qualify, you must be a micro- or small-business owner in the U.S. The Freed Fellowship particularly encourages underrepresented businesses to apply. Applications are accepted online on a rolling basis. To be considered for the grant in any given month, you must submit your application by 12:00 a.m. on the last day of that month.
Start.Pivot.Grow. Micro Grant
Start.Pivot.Grow., a small-business accelerator program, offers a $2,500 microgrant on a quarterly basis. Winners receive a digital business growth planner and a prep my loan planner, in addition to their funds.
To qualify, you must have at least two years in business, annual revenue of $50,000 or more and one to two employees (including the owner).You can apply for the microgrant on the company’s website.
Honeycomb Credit Breakthrough Grant
Honeycomb Credit offers a $10,000 small-business grant that can be used for a wide variety of business purposes. To apply, you can fill out a simple form on the Honeycomb website and explain how you’ll use the grant funds. Applications are open until April 2 and a winner will be chosen by April 11.
Pathway to Opportunity Pitch Competition
Pathway to Opportunity (formerly known as the National Black Business Pitch) is a pitch competition that offers exposure and funding to business-to-business companies. To qualify, you should be looking to sell your product or service to corporations, be at least 21 years of age, be at least 51% owned and operated by U.S.-based entrepreneurs and be operational for at least three months.
To apply, you’ll submit an application form, along with a three-minute video about your business. Thirty businesses will be chosen to advance to phase two, where they’ll participate in a virtual live pitch. Three winners will receive business grants. First place receives $5,000, second place receives $2,500 and third place receives $1,250. Applications are open now through June 9.
U.S. Chamber of Commerce CO-100
The CO-100, formerly known as America’s Top Small Business Awards, recognizes a small business for its contributions to the U.S. economy and offers a grant of $25,000. The competition also awards smaller $2,000 grants to 10 additional businesses.
Although you must have an existing business to qualify, you only need to have been in operation for one year. You can check the CO-100 website for updates on the 2025 contest.
Verizon Small Business Grant
Verizon’s Digital Ready program gives business owners the opportunity to access free courses and educational materials, as well as apply for grant funding. To be eligible for a $10,000 small-business grant, entrepreneurs must register through the Verizon website and complete at least two of the following: courses, live coaching or community events.
Once these tasks are completed, you can submit a grant application. Applications for 2025 have not yet been announced. You can register on the Verizon Digital Ready website to receive updates on upcoming grants.
Amazon Small Business Grant
The annual Amazon Small Business Grant program offers free grants to small businesses that have an Amazon Business account and $1 million or less in annual revenue. The program offers grants to 15 businesses, ranging in amounts from $15,000 to $25,000.
Winners can also receive a one-year membership to Business Prime and free products from eero Wifi and Kindle Scribe. Applications have not yet been announced for 2025.
Visa Everywhere Initiative
The Visa Everywhere Initiative is a grant competition that offers free capital to tech-forward startups across five different regions around the globe. Applicants must show how they’ve developed a product or service that creatively involves Visa’s products.
Visa will select a top finalist in each region, and these businesses will move forward to a global finals event. The overall winner of the competition is awarded a $100,000 small-business grant. Additional grants are awarded to second- and third-place finalists, audience favorites, as well as regional and local winners. Applications for the 2025 contest have not yet been announced.
FedEx Small Business Grant Contest
In 2024, FedEx’s annual grant competition awarded one $50,000 grand prize and nine additional $20,000 grants. Winners were announced in May.
The contest is for U.S.-based, for-profit small businesses with fewer than 99 employees. You must also have a valid FedEx business shipping account number and currently ship with FedEx to apply. If you’re interested in this year’s competition, you can sign up on the FedEx website to be notified when applications open.
American Express Backing Small Businesses
The Backing Small Businesses grant program is a collaboration between American Express and Main Street America. Now in its third year, the program awarded $10,000 grants to 500 small businesses. Of those, 25 businesses received $30,000 Enhancement Grants, which have limited use cases.
To be eligible for this business grant program, your company must be located in historic main street, downtown or commercial district. Applications are currently closed.
Venmo Small Business Grant
The Venmo Small Business Grant program awards 20 eligible entrepreneurs with $10,000 grants for their small businesses. It also offers public promotion on the Venmo website and social media accounts, as well as mentorship from industry leaders.
To qualify, you must have a U.S. Venmo account and a valid business profile on Venmo in good standing. You also must have less than $50,000 in annual sales and 10 employees or fewer. Applications for 2025 have not yet been announced.
Lenovo Evolve small-business grant
The Lenovo Evolve Small initiative is a program designed to support small businesses throughout the U.S. and Canada by offering grants and technology donations.
This year, Evolve Small offered an AI business grant. Winners will receive $25,000 and a customized AI technology package valued at $10,000. Applications closed in February.
Comcast Rise
Comcast Rise is a small-business grant program that focuses on promoting business growth, particularly in the area of technology. The program awards small businesses with a $5,000 grant, business consultation services, education resources, creative production, media schedules and technology makeovers.
In 2024, Comcast Rise recognized 500 recipients across five cities. The next open application window will be announced this year, along with eligibility requirements.
Skip Small Business Grants
Skip is a marketplace that helps small-business owners find relevant grants and other resources. The company also offers its own grant opportunities, including instant grants, monthly grants and larger $10,000+ Skip grants.
To qualify, you’ll need to be a member of the Skip platform. Additional requirements may apply. To be eligible for an Instant grant, for example, you’ll need to be using the Skip app and tune in to a specific livestream video.
Grants to start a business
If you’re looking for startup business grants, you may have more difficulty finding available federal grants. Some state and local governments, as well as private companies, however, offer startup grants for small businesses.
Secretsos Small Business Grant
The Secretsos Small Business Grant program awards $2,500 to businesses on a quarterly basis. Businesses can use the funds in any way they see fit to grow and improve their operations.
To qualify, you must have a legally registered business entity and fall into one of the following categories: denied or don't qualify for a bank loan, women-owned business, veteran-owned business, minority-owned business or located in an economic development zone. The grant is not available to business owners located in Hawaii, Alaska, New York, Florida or Rhode Island.
Applications for this cycle are open until March 31. If you don’t receive a grant, you can reapply during the next cycle.
Greatness Grant
The Greatness Grant is a $2,500 business grant given out every quarter by entrepreneur Nehemiah Davis. The grant program is designed to help aspiring or new business owners who need financial support to kickstart their journey.
To qualify, you must have a clear business idea or be operating an early-stage business. Your application will be judged based on the clarity of your business idea, your passion and the potential impact of your business on your community. Applications for this cycle are open until April 15.
The UPS Store Small Biz Challenge
The UPS Store Small Biz Challenge offers a grand prize grant of $25,000 to one U.S. small business with nine or fewer full-time employees. The winning company also receives a feature in Inc. Magazine. Two additional finalists are awarded $5,000 each. Applications for the latest cycle closed Feb. 19, 2025.
HoneyBook Breakthrough Grant
HoneyBook, a clientflow management platform, offers a business grant designed specifically for early-stage marketing and creative consultants. To qualify, you must be an independent business owner selling your skills and expertise as a consultative service — and you must have been in business for less than three years.
Winners of the Breakthrough Grant will receive a $18,000 cash award, a three-year HoneyBook Premium membership and $4,600 worth of expert support from the HoneyBook Pros. Applications are currently closed.
Hello Alice grant platform
Hello Alice partners with a variety of companies, such as Progressive and DoorDash, to offer different grants for small businesses, including startups. You can create an account to receive notifications about new opportunities and apply for the grants that are relevant to your business.
Amber Grant for women
WomensNet offers the $10,000 monthly Amber Grant, the $10,000 monthly startup grant and awards three $25,000 grants on an annual basis. The foundation also gives additional free funding throughout the year. To qualify for any of the grants offered by WomensNet, businesses only have to fill out a single application. Startups and existing women-owned businesses are eligible.
Small-business hardship grants
Small-business hardship grants can help you recover after an emergency situation, like a natural disaster or public health crisis. These grants may be available from the government, nonprofits or corporations, among other sources.
Depending on the emergency, certain business hardship grants may only be available within a specific time frame, so it’s particularly important to check their funding deadlines.
Here are some options to consider:
State and local small-business recovery grants
Your state and local governments can be great places to find small-business hardship grants, as well as emergency business loans and other options for financial relief and assistance. In the wake of a crisis — like the COVID-19 pandemic, for example — states and cities often create grant programs specifically to help small businesses.
Some states and cities also run ongoing small-business grant programs to assist business owners when they suffer from damages as the result of fires, floods and hurricanes, among other disasters.
Etsy Emergency Relief Fund
Etsy partners with the nonprofit organization, CERF+, to provide its sellers with financial relief after they’re affected by a disaster. To qualify for this small-business hardship grant, you’ll need to have experienced a federally declared natural disaster within the last year, as well as have had an active Etsy seller account in good standing for at least one year.
Etsy Emergency Relief grants are available in amounts of $2,000. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and funds are issued quarterly.
DoorDash Restaurant Disaster Relief Fund
Restaurants that have experienced a natural disaster may be able to get a small-business recovery grant from the DoorDash Restaurant Disaster Relief Fund. This program offers $10,000 business grants to brick-and-mortar restaurants that have been impacted by a federally or state-declared disaster, such as a wildfire, hurricane or earthquake.
To qualify, you’ll also need to have three restaurant locations or fewer, 50 or fewer employees, been in business for at least six months and made $3 million or less per location in the last year.
Applications are accepted on a quarterly basis but they must be submitted within 12 months of the declared disaster. Recipients will be notified within 30 days after the application period closes. You can apply for the latest cycle of funding until May 30, 2025.
Small Business Readiness for Resiliency Program
The Small Business Readiness for Resiliency (R4R) Program is a two-part initiative that strives to help businesses prepare for and recover from unexpected disasters. To participate in the program, you must complete a preparedness checklist (which includes an emergency action plan), register in the R4R database — and then, in the event of a disaster, you can apply for grant eligibility.
Emergency relief grants are issued in amounts of $5,000 and you must be able to show that you incurred disaster-related damages or losses that equal or exceed that amount. You’ll also need to have fewer than 500 employees, among other requirements, to qualify for this small-business hardship grant.
Binc Foundation emergency financial assistance grants
The Binc Foundation awards small-business hardship grants to bookstore owners, booksellers and comic store owners who have unforeseen emergency financial needs. To qualify, you must be located in the U.S. or one of its territories and have experienced a qualifying event, such as a natural disaster, man-made disaster, serious medical expense or domestic violence, among others.
You can fill out an inquiry form on the Binc Foundation website at any time to connect with the organization and apply for emergency assistance.
» MORE: Are business grants taxable?
State grants for small businesses
Some state and local governments, nonprofits and private companies offer business grants that are unique to their communities. Click on your state below to find small-business grants in your area.
Specialty small-business grants
To help spread entrepreneurial success across demographics, many organizations focus their free business funding efforts on specific communities.
We’ve put together lists of:
How to get a small-business grant
Alternatives to small-business grants
Finding and applying for the right grants for your small business can be difficult, as well as time-consuming. If you don't qualify for certain grants, there are other ways to fund your business. Here are some avenues to explore:
Small-business loans. Compare loan options — including bank loans, SBA loans, business lines of credit, term loans and equipment financing — plus, learn how to choose the right financing for your needs.
Small-business credit cards. Explore dozens of cards and find the best choice for funding your everyday business purchases — and earn rewards in the process.
Crowdfunding for business. Raise money for your small business by tapping into the power of the internet and promoting your product or service through a crowdfunding campaign.
Former NerdWallet writer Steve Nicastro contributed to this article.
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