Grant Applicants

The following resources are for people seeking information or assistance applying for Federal Grants. Please contact our office for additional information or assistance.

• USA.gov Benefits, Grants and Loans pages

SMALL BUSINESS LOANS

• Microloan Program - To assist women, low-income, and minority entrepreneurs, business owners, and other individuals possessing the capability to operate successful business concerns and to assist small business concerns in those areas suffering from a lack of credit due to economic downturns. Under the Program, the Small Business Administration (SBA) will make loans or provide guaranties to private, non-profit, and quasi-governmental organizations (intermediary lenders) that will use the loan funds to make short-term, fixed interest rate microloans in amounts up to $50,000 to start-up, newly established, and growing small business concerns. These microloans are to be used exclusively for working capital, inventory, supplies, furniture, fixtures, machinery, and/or equipment. In addition, the SBA will make grants to participating intermediary lenders to provide marketing, management, and technical assistance to prospective borrowers and borrowers receiving microloans. Under the Program, SBA will also provide training for intermediary lenders participating in the Program.
• Veterans Outreach Program - The organizations will provide information on small business ownership to service members and military spouses by facilitating and instructing the U.S. Small Business Administration’s “Introduction to Entrepreneurship” known as “Boots to Business” which is a course offered within the Department of Defense Transition Assistance Program (TAP). Additionally, these organizations will provide counseling, training, technical and financial skill development, comprehensive business assessments and mentoring to veteran, service disabled veteran, active duty, Reserve, Guard, and military spouse/survivor entrepreneurs and small business owners interested in starting new or expanding/diversifying established small businesses.  
• Small Business Development Centers - To provide management counseling, training, and technical assistance to the small business community through Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs).
• Small Business Investment Companies - To establish privately owned and managed investment companies, which are licensed and regulated by the U.S. Small Business Administration; to provide equity capital and long-term loan funds to small businesses; and to provide advisory services to small businesses.
• Assistance to Small and Disadvantaged Businesses - To enter into successful partnerships between OSDBU and chambers of commerce, community-based organizations, colleges and universities, community colleges, or trade associations, to establish regional Small Business Transportation Resource Centers (SBTRCs) to provide business assessment, technical assistance, technical assistance referrals, business training, and the dissemination of information regarding DOT and DOT funded contracting opportunities, as well as OSDBU services to the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) and Small Business (SB) community in their regions.
• NOAA Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program - The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) seeks to stimulate technological innovation in the private sector, strengthen the role of small businesses in meeting federal research and development needs, increase private sector commercialization of innovations derived from NOAA-supported research and development efforts, and foster and encourage participation by women-owned and socially disadvantaged small business firms in technological innovation.
• 7(j) Technical Assistance - The purpose of the program is to provide Business Development Assistance for Small Disadvantaged Businesses. SBA performs this mission by entering into grants, cooperative agreements and contracts with qualified service providers who have the capability to provide business development assistance to eligible businesses and individuals under Sections 7(i), 7(j) and 8(a) of the Small Business Act.  
• HUBZone Program - The purpose of the HUBZone program is to provide federal contracting assistance for qualified small business concerns (SBCs) located in Historically Underutilized Business Zones to increase employment opportunities, investment, and economic development in such areas.
• SCORE - To use the management experience of retired and active business professionals to counsel and train potential and existing small business owners. All client counseling information is confidential.
• Women's Business Ownership Assistance - To fund private, nonprofit organizations to assist, through training and counseling, small business concerns owned and controlled by women, and to remove, in so far as possible, the discriminatory barriers that are encountered by women in accessing capital and promoting their businesses.
• Small Business Innovation Research -To stimulate technological innovation in the private sector, strengthen the role of small businesses in meeting Federal research and development needs, increase private sector commercialization of innovations derived from USDA-supported research and development efforts, and foster and encourage participation, by women-owned and socially disadvantaged small business firms in technological innovation.
• Federal and State Technology Partnership Program - The purpose of the FAST program is to strengthen the technological competitiveness of small business concerns in the U.S.
• Rural Business Development Grant - To promote sustainable economic development and facilitate the development of small and emerging private business, industry, and related employment for improving the economy in rural communities.
• 8(a) Business Development Program - To foster business ownership by individuals who are both socially and economically disadvantaged; and to promote the competitive viability of such firms by providing business development and mentoring assistance including, but not limited to, management and technical assistance, access to capital and other forms of financial assistance, business training and counseling, and access to sole source and limited competition Federal contract opportunities, to help the firms to achieve competitive viability.
• MBDA Business Center- The purpose of the MBDA Business Center program is to provide strategic deal-making and business consulting services to eligible Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs). This program supports the Agency mission of promoting the growth and global competitiveness of U.S. businesses that are minority-owned. The MBC program is a key component of MBDA’s overall portfolio of minority business development services, focusing on securing large public and/or private contracts and financing transactions, stimulating job creation and retention, and facilitating entry to global markets for eligible minority-owned businesses.
• Transition Assistance – Entrepreneurship Track (Boots to Business) - Boots to Business (B2B) grant/cooperative agreement funding enables eligible organizations to provide follow-on online entrepreneurship training, information and resources, and domestic and global delivery of the B2B two-day “Introduction to Entrepreneurship” classroom course to transitioning service members, spouses and family members, and veterans.  
• Minority Business Resource Development - The objectives of the overall program are to 1) provide financial assistance awards for projects that affect or contribute to the establishment, preservation and strengthening of minority business enterprises (MBEs) as directed by congressional mandate, and 2) promote the development of novel approaches to increasing the strategic growth and global competitiveness of MBEs through the administration of pilot or demonstration projects.
• Small Business Grant Program - VISIT FLORIDA administers the Small Business Grant program to assist Small Business Partners to publicize their tourism advantages in the State of Florida. The Small Business Grant program is a reimbursement grant program.
• Prospera Grants - Our business grants allow start-ups and existing businesses to receive professional business development services at no cost to them. Prospera can award clients, based on individual needs and opportunities, grants for subcontracted services delivered by subject matter experts and vetted by Prospera staff and volunteers.
• Business Assistance Program - The Business Assistance Program (BAP) is a matching grant program designed to encourage small businesses to locate, expand, or redevelop in the City. BAP provides matching funds to new and expanding businesses in the City to assist in off-setting development fees, including sewer and transportation impact fees, building permit fees, and all elements of public right-of-way infrastructure within the City’s jurisdiction that may require new installation, repair, replacement, or relocation.

The following is compiled by the Congressional Research Service.