Find out about SBA’s limited small business grants for scientific research, community promotion of entrepreneurship, and exporting.
Empower To Grow (E2G) Manufacturing in America grant
SBA provides grants to help empower small manufacturers as part of the Made in America Manufacturing Initiative.
Read more about SBA grants to help American small manufacturers get the hands-on training and workforce development they need to succeed.
What you need to know about small business grants
- SBA does not provide grants for starting and expanding a business.
- SBA provides grants to nonprofits, Resource Partners, and educational organizations. These grants aim to support entrepreneurship through counseling and training programs.
- SBA only communicates from email addresses ending in @sba.gov. If you are contacted by someone claiming to be from SBA, check their address. If they are not using an official SBA email address, you should suspect and report fraud.
Research and development grant programs
Does your small business engage in scientific research and development? If so, you may qualify for federal grants under the following programs:
These programs encourage scientific research that helps meet federal research and development objectives. If they are successful, they have high potential for commercialization.
Manufacturing grants
SBA provides grants to help empower small manufacturers.
The goal of this grant is to provide innovative hands-on, in-person manufacturing training and technical assistance to eligible small manufacturing business concerns.
SBA is looking for organizations that will provide technical proficiency and essential skills, including operating machinery, quality control, utilizing industrial software, and maintaining workplace safety.
Eligibility
- Be a for-profit or not-for-profit entity (including, but not limited to, small businesses, other-than small businesses, trade and professional associations, and educational institutions)
- Be in existence continually for at least the past three years
- Have experience providing hands-on, in-person technical assistance, tools, or training relating to small manufacturing businesses on a regional or national basis; and
- Demonstrate that it has the capacity to provide manufacturing related hands-on, in-person training and technical assistance to small business concerns.
Submission
The deadline to submit proposals electronically is June 18, 2026 no later than 11:59 p.m. ET. View the grant opportunity for more information.
Additional information
SBA hosted webinars to inform the public about the grants. View the recordings:
View questions and answers from the webinars.
Additional questions can be submitted via email to e2g@sba.gov.
Exporting grants for state entities
SBA’s State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) helps businesses that want to export. STEP provides financial awards to state and territory governments.
The STEP grant program has helped thousands of small businesses obtain grants and find customers in the international marketplace since 2011. Through awards to U.S. states and territories, STEP helps small businesses overcome obstacles to exporting by providing grants to cover costs associated with entering and expanding into international markets.
STEP financial support helps U.S. small businesses:
- Learn to export
- Participate in foreign trade missions
- Design international marketing products and campaigns
- Support website globalization and e-commerce capabilities
- Pay for subscriptions to services provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce and other federal agencies
- Participate in export trade show exhibits and training workshops
Check out the SBA Grants for Global Expansion webinar to learn more about the STEP program.
Ready to apply? Contact STEP awardees in your state or territory by searching through the following list, to find out how they can help you start or expand your business to reach global customers with the help of a STEP grant.
Small businesses looking to start or expand their global customer reach can use resources offered by state entities that have received STEP funding.
The State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) grants are specifically for established U.S. small businesses seeking to complete one of the following eligible activities:
- Participate in trade missions.
- Subscribe to services provided by US Department of Commerce
- Translation fees
- Design of market media
- Tradeshow exhibitions
- Participate in export training workshops
- Reverse trade missions
- Procurement of consultancy services
- Other export initiatives as approved by Associate Administrator at SBA
If you are an established company, please contact your appropriate state/territory representative below to learn more about how to apply for STEP funds.
| State or Territory | Total Grant Amount FY24 | Total Grant Amount FY23 | Project Director | Phone Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $450,000 | $250,000 | Christina Stimpson | 334-539-7955 |
| Alaska | $100,000 | Laura Vaught | 907-269-7387 | |
| Arkansas | $375,000 | $300,000 | Trish Watkins | 479-418-4827 |
| Arizona | $275,000 | $150,000 | Kevin J. O’Shea | 602-845-1217 |
| California | $900,000 | $700,000 | Mariana Guevara | 916-397-8085 |
| Colorado | $900,000 | $700,000 | Sophia Gonzalez-Mayagoitia | 720-703-2471 |
| Connecticut | $240,000 | $200,000 | Laura Jaworski | 860-500-2368 |
| Florida | $225,000 | Greg Britton | 850-898-3480 | |
| Georgia | $310,000 | $136,000 | Alice Carson | 404-962-4112 |
| Guam | $150,000 | $100,000 | Melvin Tabilas | 671-647-4332 |
| Hawaii | $525,000 | $750,000 | Jamie Lum | 808-587-2753 |
| Iowa | $300,000 | $300,000 | Lisa Day | 515-348-6159 |
| Idaho | $350,000 | $233,000 | Tina Salisbury | 208-334-2470 |
| Illinois | $400,000 | $800,000 | Margo Markopoulos | 312-636-9456 |
| Indiana | $550,000 | $300,000 | Roger Howard | 317-766-1416 |
| Kansas | $450,000 | $200,000 | Chang Lu | 913-515-8541 |
| Kentucky | $400,000 | $400,000 | Mary NeCamp | 502-782-1961 |
| Louisiana | $325,000 | $450,000 | India Bellard | 225-342-2537 |
| Maine | $275,000 | $350,000 | Wade Merritt | 207-541-7408 |
| Maryland | $550,000 | $750,000 | Jessica Reynolds | 410-767-6300 |
| Massachusetts | $400,000 | Melissa Clary | ||
| Michigan | $900,000 | $900,000 | Natalie Sandborn | 517-599-0359 |
| Mississippi | $325,000 | $600,000 | Vickie Watters | 601-359-2070 |
| Missouri | $375,000 | $350,000 | Shannon O’Hagan | 573-522-6524 |
| Montana | $900,000 | $800,000 | Angelyn DeYoung | 406-431-5075 |
| North Carolina | $900,000 | $900,000 | Mike Hubbard | 919-447-7757 |
| North Dakota | $350,000 | $300,000 | Mathew Warsocki | 701-721-6938 |
| Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) | $100,000 | Kioshi Cody | 670-664-3077 ext. 107 | |
| New Hampshire | $500,000 | $444,366 | Alan Dillingham | 603-271-0323 |
| New Jersey | $400,000 | $850,000 | William Spear | 609-777-4125 |
| New Mexico | $200,000 | Sara Gutierrez | 505-827-0249 | |
| New York | $900,000 | $900,000 | Lennox Ruiz | 212-803-2344 |
| Ohio | $300,000 | $400,000 | Courtney West | |
| Oklahoma | $290,000 | $350,000 | Kathy Gain | 405-830-9098 |
| Oregon | $425,000 | $300,000 | Steve Thompson | 971-374-3076 |
| Pennsylvania | $825,000 | $500,000 | Katherine Skopp | 717-720-7361 |
| Puerto Rico | $447,145 | $382,000 | Leonyl Ortiz | 787-758-4747 |
| Rhode Island | $150,000 | $150,000 | Benjamin Weinstein | 401-232-6516 |
| South Carolina | $325,000 | $250,000 | Carla Edwards | 803-609-9946 |
| South Dakota | $250,000 | $200,000 | Christina (Chris) Martin | 605-338-3424 |
| Tennessee | $100,000 | Jeffrey Overby | 615-460-6499 | |
| Texas | $500,000 | Mindy Fryer | 512-463-2496 | |
| U.S. Virgin Island, Export – USVIEDA | $160,509 | Nadine Marchena Kean | ||
| Utah | $525,000 | $500,000 | Anna Maidon | 801-532-8080 |
| Virginia | $900,000 | $500,000 | Hannah Robertson-Forrest | 804-241-6519 |
| Vermont | $249,000 | $249,000 | Daegan Goodman | 802-622-4193 |
| Washington | $900,000 | $1,000,000 | Mary Ferguson | 206-256-6130 |
| West Virginia | $325,000 | Jesus Velasco | 304-352-3957 | |
| Wisconsin | $350,000 | Aaron M. Zitzelsberger | 608-210-6734 | |
| Wyoming | $175,000 | $145,125 | Kaley Holyfield | 307-286-3668 |
STEP 12 Fiscal Year 2024 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)
SBA is now accepting proposals for funding from eligible state entities that want to provide assistance and guidance to small businesses interested in exporting. Applications must be received by June 6, 2024.
STEP provides financial awards to state and territory governments to assist small businesses with export development. Find information on how eligible state entities can apply for STEP awards to be used to increase small business exporters and their sales in their state:
- CFR: Third-party in-kind contributions
- CFR: Cost sharing or matching
- STEP annual reports
- STEP awardee Terms and Conditions
STEP awards are managed and provided at the local level by state government organizations. The program is managed at the national level by SBA’s Office of Manufacturing and Trade.
Grants for community organizations
SBA offers grants to community organizations that promote entrepreneurship. These include those that support veteran-owned small businesses, service-disabled veteran-owned businesses, and Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs).
Boots to Business (B2B)
This funding opportunity is addressed exclusively to Boots to Business (B2B) grantees. Through this program, SBA supports your organization for a period of five years. Learn more about B2B.
Service-Disabled Veteran Entrepreneurship Training Program (SDVETP)
This cooperative agreement aims to support organizations that currently deliver entrepreneurship training programs to service-disabled veteran entrepreneurs who aspire to be small business owners or currently own a small business. Learn more about SDVETP.
Veterans Business Outreach Centers (VBOC)
The Veterans Business Outreach Centers Cooperative Agreement provides quality counseling assistance and training events, particularly B2B events to transitioning service personnel and spouses of veterans, veteran and service-disabled small business owners and entrepreneurs. Learn more about Veterans Business Outreach Centers.
Veteran Federal Procurement Entrepreneur Training Program (VFPETP)
This funding opportunity is for current Veteran Federal Procurement Entrepreneur Training Program (VFPETP) recipient organizations only, with an initial 12-month period and two option years of 12 months each. There are currently two procurement programs available through this award: procurement opportunity training for start-up small businesses and procurement training for established small firms. Learn more about VFPETP.
Women Veteran Entrepreneurship Training Program (WVETP)
Offered by SBA’s Office of Veterans Business Development (OVBD), this funding opportunity supports each organization’s entrepreneurial training programs for women who are veterans, service members, and spouses of veterans and service members. Each awardee was chosen based on their demonstrated history of and commitment to providing training programs and resources to women. Learn more about WVETP.
Federal and State Technology (FAST) Partnership Program
This is a one-year funding opportunity for organizations to execute state/regional programs that increase the number of SBIR (innovation)/STTR (research and development) proposals; increase the number of SBIR/STTR awards; and better prepare SBIR/STTR awardees for commercial success. Learn more about the FAST funding opportunity.
SCORE
This is a funding opportunity for a current recipient of an SBA SCORE award. In order to be eligible, you must be a current recipient of SBA funding to SCORE. For-profit businesses are not eligible for this award. Learn more about SCORE.
SBDC Northeast California
In order to fill the vacancy of the Host Institution for Northeast California SBDC Program, SBA invites proposals for funding from eligible entities that are institutions of higher education and Women’s Business Centers. Learn more about the SBDC Program in Northeast California.
SBDC Pennsylvania
In order to fill the vacancy of the Host Institution for Pennsylvania SBDC Program, SBA invites proposals for funding from eligible entities which are institutions of higher education and Women’s Business Centers. Learn more about the SBDC Program in Pennsylvania.
Portable Assistance Program
The purpose of this funding opportunity is to invite proposals for funding from entities currently funded by SBA as a Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Lead Center. Each proposal must describe recent, serious economic conditions resulting from diminished business or government operations within a discrete area served by an SBDC network. Proposals must include detailed plans to deliver technical assistance to the affected area with corresponding objectives and milestones to be accomplished. Learn more about the Portable Assistance Program.
PRIME is a competitive grant that is offered yearly, subject to available funds. Announcements are posted to grants.gov in either April or May of each year. The grant provides funding for nonprofit microenterprise development organizations run either privately, or by state, local, tribal governments, or Indian tribes.
Funds are to help these organizations provide either
- capacity-building to microenterprise development organizations, or
- training, technical assistance, and guidance to disadvantaged microentrepreneurs.
Faith-based organizations that meet all PRIME eligibility criteria can compete for PRIME funding. Learn more about PRIME.
See our lists of past PRIME grantees.
Grants.gov maintains a database of the forms you may need when applying for an award.
There are specific requirements for recipients of an SBA grant. Make sure you can meet the legal and administrative prerequisites before you apply. Review the full terms and conditions for SBA grant programs.
You should also understand the uniform administrative requirements, cost principles, and audit requirements for federal awards.