Small Business Grants in California: Official Programs

Last verified: October 14, 2026.

San Francisco will reimburse up to $10,000 per storefront location for accessibility upgrades, one of several city grants listed as open on a rolling basis.

The SBA says it does not provide grants to start or expand a business, so federal money rarely covers everyday costs. Look to state and city offices, research awards and a few private programs, and never pay to apply.

Grants are only one option. See every way to fund your business.

Want the national picture first? See the small business grants hub.

At a glance: sources in California

• State agency: Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA) (official page).
• Local offices covered: 5.
• Programs below with details checked on their official pages today: 4.

State sources in California

We did not confirm an open direct-to-business grant on these pages as of October 14, 2026. Check them for current programs.

City and county sources in California

City and county grants often open for short windows. Check the official page for what is open now.

Programs open to California businesses, verified today

San Francisco Accessible Barrier Removal Grant

• Amount: up to $10,000 per business location, as a reimbursement.
• Who qualifies: a San Francisco business with an active Business Account Number, under $2.5 million in annual gross revenue for a single location, an average of 100 or fewer employees, and a storefront open to the public. Home-based businesses and businesses inside shopping malls are not eligible.
• Deadline: rolling. The City accepts applications until funding runs out or until Friday, June 11, 2027 at 5 pm, whichever comes first.
• Official page: https://www.sf.gov/apply-for-a-grant-to-make-your-business-accessible

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, so 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

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/

NASE Growth Grants

• Amount: up to $4,000.
• Who qualifies: NASE members in good standing when they apply and 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

Other federal options in California: search Grants.gov and SBIR.gov for research awards.

Free help and tips in California

Small Business Development Centers, Women's Business Centers and SCORE offer free or low-cost counseling. Find one near you with the SBA local assistance locator.

How to apply

Read the official rules, register where the funder requires, gather documents and submit early. For federal grants, Grants.gov says to allow up to 10 business days for SAM.gov registration. See the full how to apply for a small business grant guide.

Here's a hypothetical. Mission Lantern Books (a made-up business) has a street-facing shop in San Francisco and a steep entry step. It checks that it meets the revenue and staff limits, then applies for the accessibility grant before starting any work.

Red flags: grant scams to avoid

• Grants.gov says applying for a federal grant is completely free. A fee to get you a federal grant is a red flag.
• The SBA says it only emails from addresses ending in @SBA.gov.
• Be wary of anyone saying you won a grant you never applied for.
• Report it to the FTC at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/ and read the Grants.gov grant fraud page.

Next: other funding if no grant fits

If no grant fits, the full funding guide linked near the top of this page covers your other options. For other states, start from the small business grants hub.

Sources

All checked October 14, 2026.

• Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA): https://calosba.ca.gov/funding-grants-incentives/financing-opportunities/
• Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA): https://www.grants.ca.gov/
• Los Angeles Economic and Workforce Development: https://ewddlacity.com/
• Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity: https://opportunity.lacounty.gov/
• San Diego Economic Development: https://www.sandiego.gov/economic-development
• San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development: https://www.sf.gov/information--find-grant-your-small-business
• Sacramento Office of Innovation and Economic Development: https://www.cityofsacramento.gov/city-manager/oied
• San Francisco Accessible Barrier Removal Grant: https://www.sf.gov/apply-for-a-grant-to-make-your-business-accessible
• NIH Parent SBIR on Grants.gov: https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/359671
• 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
• SBA grants: https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/grants
• Grants.gov applicant registration: https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration
• FTC ReportFraud: https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/