Funding
Finding Business Grants
Where to Look for Small Business Grants
A business grant is a certain amount of money you can obtain to help with your business, similar to a loan with the key difference being that you don’t have to pay anything back.
Here are locations where you can look for ongoing grants. Each grant has specific requirements, so make sure that you meet all the qualifications before applying.
Did you know?
Business grants typically target specific business types or economic hardship after a disaster.
Grant Platforms
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. You’ll find information on over 1000 grant programs.
Grants.gov also provides you with most of the knowledge you need to know about how grants work, how you could be eligible for a grant, terminologies, and how grant frauds work.
Hello Alice
Hello Alice partners with a variety of organizations, 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 to the grants that are relevant to your business.
California OSB
The California Office of Small Business Advocate provides information about state-related grants and funding.
CAMEO
The California Association for Microenterprise Opportunity (CAMEO) helps start-up microbusinesses.
Specific Grants
seedfund.nsf.gov
If your business is based on science, engineering, and technology, a seed fund may be available to you.
Seed funds can provide up to $2M / 36+ months for creating your product or service according to the seed fund requirements.
SBA Program for Investors in Microentrepreneurs (PRIME)
The SBA offers federal grants to microenterprise development organizations so that they can provide assistance to disadvantaged microentrepreneurs.
NASE Growth Grants
National Association for the Self-Employed (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.
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 small businesses with federal grants and contracts from 11 government agencies.
USDA Rural Business Development Grants
The U.S. Department of Agriculture administers the Rural Business Development Grant program, which provides financing to strengthen and grow small businesses in rural communities.
The Amber Grant
A grant exclusively for women-owned businesses.
Learn more at AmberGrantsforWomen.com
FedEx Small Business Grant Contest
The company’s annual grant competition awards over $250,000 to 10 small businesses, including a $50,000 grant and $4,000 in FedEx print and business services to its three grand prize winners.
The contest is open to U.S.-based for-profit small businesses that have been operating at least six months, with no more than 99 employees.
NOTE: The SBDC does not endorse any of the organizations above-named; this page is for informational purposes only.
