1. Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program
- for: Small and medium-sized enterprises interested in conducting innovation research
- Funding limit: Over $2 million
- deadline: September 5th, January 5th, April 5th
The Small Business Innovation Research Program was designed by the Small Business Administration to encourage U.S. businesses to participate in federal research and development. The competitive program is open to selected small and medium-sized enterprises and particularly encourages the participation of women and socially or economically disadvantaged groups.
To qualify for the SBIR program, your business must be for-profit, at least 50% owned by U.S. permanent residents, and have fewer than 500 employees. To apply for a grant, you must register your business with the SBIR. If you have not yet enrolled, submit a proposal by the program's triennial deadline and refine the concept as necessary in response to feedback.
Learn more about SBIR grants and how to apply.
2. Technology transfer for small and medium-sized enterprises (STTR) program
- for: SMEs affiliated with research institutions
- Funding limit: Over $2 million
- deadline: September 5th, January 5th, April 5th
Similar to SBIR, the Small Business Technology Transfer Program is a government program focused on developing innovative solutions to pressing problems across the United States. This type of funding is intended to foster the study of collaborative research and development activities between small and medium-sized businesses and U.S. nonprofit research institutions with the potential for commercialization of innovative technology solutions. Masu.
However, unlike SBIR, this program requires small business applicants to already be affiliated with a nonprofit research institution, typically in the form of a university or federal research institute. The STTR program focuses not only on research but also on technology transfer from research institutions.
Other than being affiliated with a research institution, STTR eligibility criteria are similar to SBIR eligibility criteria.
Learn more about STTR grants and how to apply.
3. Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Federal Contracting Program
- for: Women-run business
- Funding limit: Service contract is $4 million and manufacturing contract is $6.5 million.
- deadline: rolling
The Women-Owned Small Business Federal Contracting Program was designed to create a level playing field for women business owners. This agreement is designated for specific industries where women-owned businesses are underrepresented. You can find out which industries are eligible for the grant program here.
To qualify for this program, you must own a small business that is at least 51% owned and managed by U.S. women, and have economically disadvantaged women manage day-to-day operations and make long-term decisions. need to be done. .
Click here to learn more about WOSB and how to apply.
Four. 8(a) Business Development Program
- for: Socially and economically disadvantaged business owners
- Funding limit:$7 million for acquisitions assigned manufacturing NAICS codes and $4.5 million for all other acquisitions.
- deadline: rolling
The 8(a) program is a nine-year program created by the SBA to financially assist businesses owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals. The scheme is designed to span nine years and will help eligible businesses access new business paths from government contracts.
Since the program's creation in 1970, it has helped disadvantaged businesses access billions of dollars in capital. To be eligible for government subsidies, you must own a small business, be at least 51% owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged U.S. citizens, and have a personal net worth of $805,000. Must be less than or equal to 100% and must demonstrate good character.
Learn more about the 8(a) Business Development Program and how to apply.
Five. HUBZone program
- for: Small businesses located in historically underutilized business zones
- Funding limit: $3.5 million for products and services, $5.5 million per manufacturing contract.
- deadline: rolling
The HUBZone program is an SBA initiative designed to promote economic development and job growth in historically underutilized business zones (HUBZones). The program accomplishes this by providing financial grants to business owners operating within these communities.
To qualify for this business grant, you must own a small business that is at least 51% owned and controlled by a regional development corporation, agricultural cooperative, Alaska Native corporation, Native Hawaiian organization, or Indian tribe. Must have been. , whose headquarters are located within his HUBZone and at least 35% of his employees have resided in his HUBZone for at least 45 days prior to application.
Click here to learn more about the HUBZone program and how to apply.
6. Small State Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI)
- for: Small and medium-sized enterprises run by socially and economically disadvantaged people
- Funding limit: 20 million dollars
- deadline: rolling
The Small State Business Credit Initiative is a federal program designed to support entrepreneurship across the United States. The grant program is provided by the U.S. Treasury and was expanded by President Biden's American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to provide an additional $10 billion in funding to eligible businesses.
In addition to providing capital support to small and medium-sized businesses, SSBCI can also provide technical assistance to eligible businesses through its Technical Assistance (TA) grant program. SSBCI is available to owner-managed small businesses with up to 500 employees, especially socially and economically disadvantaged (SEDI) owner-owned and managed small businesses and very small businesses with fewer than 10 employees. Tailored for businesses.
Learn more about the SSBCI program and apply here.
7. U.S. Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Administration (MBDA)
- for: Minority-owned small businesses
- Funding limit: Up to $350,000 for the first 10 months
- deadline: rolling
The U.S. Department of Commerce's Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) is a federal grant program designed to promote the growth of minority-owned businesses. The ultimate goal of this program is to provide minority-owned business enterprises (MBEs) with access to funding, contracts, and market opportunities both in the United States and internationally.
To be eligible for MBDA assistance, a business must be owned or controlled by one or more socially or economically disadvantaged people. We must recognize that the majority of business owners are also racial minorities.
To apply for an MBDA business grant, you must register your business with SAM.gov and Grants.gov if you have not already done so, adjust your proposal to the stated requirements, and submit your application by the deadline. there is.
Click here for more information on the subsidy and how to apply.
Tips for perfecting your government grant application
Government grants provide a great opportunity for businesses looking to grow or recover. However, funding is competitive, so you need to make sure your grant proposal is polished and stands out from the crowd.
We understand that writing a grant application can seem like a daunting process, especially for first-timers. Therefore, to give your proposal the best chance of success, please note the following precautions:
- Please allow enough time – It is undesirable to create a subsidy application while being pressed for time. Proposals may take much longer to complete than anticipated, so we recommend allowing at least 45 days to complete your written application to allow for unforeseen issues. Masu.
- Follow the instructions carefully – Don't go off-piste when creating your application. Be sure to include all information requested by the agency and present it in the correct format.
- Be as concise and clear as possible – Make sure your application is written in clear and simple language, and use as many straightforward examples as possible to convey a clear picture to the reader. If you use graphs or images, be sure to label them clearly as well.
- Keep your audience in mind – Chances are, the reviewer isn't familiar with your business yet. Write your proposal for an audience that is hearing about your business for the first time so you don't leave out any necessary information.
- Develop a proofreading strategy – You don't want stupid mistakes like typos or grammatical errors to hinder the success of your application. Therefore, if you want your proposal to look polished, proofread your application carefully or entrust the services to a professional.
