Last verified: October 14, 2026.
Most small business grants are narrow. Federal grants rarely pay for general for-profit business costs: the SBA says it does not provide grants to start or expand a business, and most Grants.gov listings are for organizations, not everyday business bills. The real options are SBIR/STTR research awards, state and city programs, and some private grants. Never pay anyone to apply.
Grants are only one option. See every way to fund your business.
| Grant type | Who usually funds it | Typical use | Where to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal R&D (SBIR/STTR) | Federal agencies | Research and development by eligible small firms | https://www.sbir.gov/ |
| Federal, other | Agencies via Grants.gov | Mostly organizations | https://www.grants.gov/ |
| Export (STEP) | SBA to states, states to businesses | Export costs | https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/grants |
| State | State economic development agency | Varies by program | Your state agency |
| City or county | Local economic development office | Local, often small | Your city's official page |
| Private | Companies and foundations | Varies; competitive | Official program page only |
Are there free government grants for small businesses?
Rarely for general costs. The SBA says it "does not provide grants for starting and expanding a business." The exceptions are SBIR/STTR, export help through STEP, and some state and local programs.
Where real small business grants come from
Federal: NIH Small Business Innovation Research (Parent SBIR)
- Amount: NIH's seed fund page points to $1.4 billion in small business funding. Award sizes vary; see official page.
- Who qualifies: only US small business concerns, as SBA defines them.
- Deadline: Grants.gov lists a close date of Monday, April 5, 2027. NIH uses set receipt dates, so see official page for the next one.
- Official page: https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/359671
Other federal research programs: NIH SEED and NSF America's Seed Fund.
State examples: California Office of Small Business Advocate, Michigan Economic Development Corporation and Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation.
City examples: New York City Small Business Services, Los Angeles Economic and Workforce Development, Phoenix Community and Economic Development and Philadelphia Department of Commerce.
Private: NASE Growth Grants
- Amount: up to $4,000.
- Who qualifies: you must be an NASE member in good standing when you apply and stay one until the award is made.
- Deadline: ongoing. NASE says there is no single annual deadline and reviews completed applications each quarter.
- Official page: https://www.nase.org/become-a-member/member-benefits/business-resources/growth-grants
Small business grants open now: how to check
Deadline lists go stale fast. Search Grants.gov for small business, check SBIR.gov, then state and city pages. For this week's picks, see small business grants open now and the Grant Finder series.
Sources for women-owned businesses
Start with an SBA Women's Business Center near you, then state and local programs.
Tory Burch Foundation Fellows Program
- Amount: see official page. This is a fellowship with coaching and advisors.
- Who qualifies: a woman age 21 or older who owns the largest stake in a for-profit US business that is at least 51% women-owned and earns at least $75,000 a year.
- Deadline: applications close Tuesday, November 17, 2026.
- Official page: https://www.toryburchfoundation.org/fellows/
Sources for minority-owned businesses
Read the SBA guide for minority-owned businesses. The Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) also lists funding. The SBA 8(a) program helps with government contracts; it is not a grant.
Grants by state
Official state and city grant sources, checked October 14, 2026:
- Small business grants in Arizona
- Small business grants in California
- Small business grants in Florida
- Small business grants in Illinois
- Small business grants in New York
- Small business grants in North Carolina
- Small business grants in Pennsylvania
- Small business grants in Texas
- Small business grants in Washington
More states are coming soon.
How to apply
- Pick grants where you clearly meet every rule, and read each official page in full.
- Note the exact deadline and time zone, because late files are usually rejected.
- Gather a short business plan, a recent tax return or profit and loss statement, and a plan for the money.
- For federal grants, register in SAM.gov well before you apply, since it can take weeks.
Here's a hypothetical. Juniper Lane Candles (a made-up business) is fully owned by its founder and earns more than the Tory Burch revenue floor. She meets the other rules too, so she applies well before November 17.
Grant scams: how to spot them
- Grants.gov says applying for a federal grant is completely free. Anyone who asks for a fee to get you a federal grant is a red flag.
- The SBA says it only emails from addresses ending in @SBA.gov.
- Report it to the FTC at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/ and read the Grants.gov grant fraud page.
Next: if a grant will not cover it
See how to qualify for an SBA loan and what documents you need for a business loan.
Sources
- SBA grants: https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/grants
- NIH Parent SBIR on Grants.gov: https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/359671
- Grants.gov grant fraud: https://www.grants.gov/learn-grants/grant-fraud
- FTC ReportFraud: https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/
- Tory Burch Foundation Fellows Program: https://www.toryburchfoundation.org/fellows/
- NASE Growth Grants: https://www.nase.org/become-a-member/member-benefits/business-resources/growth-grants