Last verified: October 14, 2026.
Tampa offers microgrants of up to $1,500 for new microenterprises and up to $3,000 for established ones, after the owner completes required technical assistance.
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 Florida
- State agency: FloridaCommerce. We could not open its website today, so search for it by name.
- Local offices covered: 2.
- Programs below with details checked on their official pages today: 4.
State sources in Florida
The FloridaCommerce website could not be opened on October 14, 2026, so no state program is listed here. Search for the agency by name and use only its official site.
City and county sources in Florida
| Office | Status | Official link |
|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville Office of Economic Development | See official page | https://www.coj.net/departments/office-of-economic-development |
| Tampa Economic Opportunity | See official page | https://www.tampa.gov/economic-opportunity |
City and county grants often open for short windows. Check the official page for what is open now.
Programs open to Florida businesses, verified today
City of Tampa Entrepreneur Microgrant
- Amount: up to $1,500 (BASE Grant, businesses under 12 months old) or up to $3,000 (STEP Grant, 12 months or more).
- Who qualifies: microenterprises with five or fewer full-time equivalent employees inside Tampa city limits, with household income at or below 80% of Area Median Income. Owners must first complete required technical assistance through a City-funded or approved partner.
- Deadline: referral forms must be submitted by Monday, February 15, 2027.
- Official page: https://www.tampa.gov/deo/economic-opportunity/tampa-entrepreneur-support-hub
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 Florida: search Grants.gov and SBIR.gov for research awards.
Free help and tips in Florida
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. Bayshore Bloom Florist (a made-up business) opened in Tampa six months ago with two staff. The owner finishes the required training first so a referral can be filed before February 15.
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.
- Jacksonville Office of Economic Development: https://www.coj.net/departments/office-of-economic-development
- Tampa Economic Opportunity: https://www.tampa.gov/economic-opportunity
- City of Tampa Entrepreneur Microgrant: https://www.tampa.gov/deo/economic-opportunity/tampa-entrepreneur-support-hub
- 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/