Grants are essential tools for helping your small business grow without taking on debt. While borrowing is more common for funding business growth, it can be risky for small operations that lack assets to leverage. That’s why small businesses turn to grants.
Grants can help you hire skilled labor, buy new equipment, or expand your physical locations. Small Business Administration (SBA) grants are perhaps the best-known source of funding, but they’re far from the only opportunities available. In this blog, we’ll explore the many options available today for small business grants.
How Do SBA Grants Work? Opportunities and Limitations To Consider
SBA grants are not designed to help you directly start a business or grow an existing business. Instead, the SBA funds educational groups, non-profits, resource partners, and other community organizations that support small business owners. If you own a small business that engages in scientific development or research, you may qualify for either the Small Business Innovation Research or Small Business Technology Transfer grants directly from the SBA. However, these two grants have strict eligibility restrictions and high competition.
Most small businesses will need to partner with a community organization or Small Business Development Center to access grant money distributed by the SBA. Exploring options beyond SBA grants can help grow your business without dealing with the administration’s strict requirements.
Federal Grant Opportunities in 2025 Outside of the SBA
Visiting the federal government’s Grants.gov website is the best way to find information on funding available from official sources. You can find listings from all the major grant-making agencies, including the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the Department of the Interior, and the National Science Foundation. The grants available to you are largely determined by the type of small business you run and the communities you serve.
For example, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has over 600 grant opportunities currently open for businesses involved in drug development, interventions for sleep health disparities, and programs to reduce smoking rates. If you’re a renewable energy provider or equipment manufacturer, the Department of Agriculture’s Rural Business program to expand energy efficiency improvements could help you grow.
There are grants for tech innovations, health developments, green energy growth, and more. It’s all about finding applicable programs through the federal database and applying for them!
State and Local Government Grants
The majority of the money given out by the SBA goes to state and local government programs rather than directly into the hands of business owners. This means that you can connect to the greatest volume of grants by tapping into local organizations.
Many local organizations will help you throughout the application process, making it even easier to secure the funding you need. Keep in mind that these programs are usually highly tailored to specific niches, such as women-owned businesses or small businesses located in specific counties.
One example of this kind of local program is the Texas Enterprise Fund. It specializes in “deal-closing” grants that help local businesses beat out-of-state competitors. These grants can introduce the challenge of garnering unanimous support from top state officials, which is required for approval.
Pay close attention to all of the eligibility requirements for these kinds of programs, especially the geographical or diversity requirements. Because these grants are far less advertised and open to a much smaller audience than federal programs, they have less competition, increasing your likelihood of winning them.
Private and Corporate Grants
Many grant programs are operated by private foundations, corporations, and non-profit organizations that want to give back to their communities. While massive corporations like Google and Amazon tend to limit their grant programs to charities and non-profits, small businesses can still take advantage of grants from private sources like:
- The Foundation for a Just Society, which offers grants four times a year to organizations and networks that support the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals, women, and girls
- The Santander X Cultivate Small Business Grant, which is designed to support BIPOC and women-owned businesses across the Northeast US with grants of up to $20,000
- The Hustler’s MicroGrant, a $1,000 grant available every month to support passionate entrepreneurs trying to break through
- The Small Business Readiness for Resiliency Program, a combined effort from FedEx and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation to provide disaster planning support and emergency funding for small businesses affected by natural disasters
- The Start.Pivot.Grow. Micro Grant, which supplies a $2,500 grant you can use towards inventory, rent, or marketing, but which is only open to businesses with two or fewer employees, including the owner.
Grants for Specific Types of Small Businesses
All grants in the U.S. are targeted in some way to a specific type of small business. These types of businesses could include women-owned businesses, businesses owned and operated by minorities, veteran-owned companies, and businesses serving rural areas. Companies that create and promote green initiatives also tend to qualify for grants, as well as small businesses that serve public health goals.
Finding the right grant is a matter of identifying what categories your business falls into and applying for the relevant funding programs.
Tips for Successfully Applying for Small Business Grants
- Research the grant program thoroughly and review all its requirements before applying. If you don’t meet even a single requirement, it’s a waste of time to apply.
- Double-check the dates on the grant program. Most grants have a specific application window, while others are revolving and open multiple times a year.
- Craft a compelling application or proposal that directly addresses the requirements for the grant, specifically focusing on how you’ll grow or expand with the help of the funding.
- Adhere to all deadlines and stay ready to respond quickly if necessary. Many grants are lost because of a lack of response to requests for verification or a more in-depth business plan.
Apply For Stamps.com’s Small Business Flexibility Grant
When it comes to finding grants for expanding or growing your small business, there are still more options beyond the SBA, like the Small Business Flexibility Grant provided by Stamps.com. Fuel your consulting, accounting, or other business with $25,000 you can use any way you want. Learn more and apply here by May 31st, 2025.
