With access to capital being so tight, business grants are a hot topic among cash-strapped entrepreneurs looking to start or expand a business. Each year, the United States government supports businesses by providing billions of dollars in grants administered by 26 different federal agencies. More than 1,000 business grant opportunities are offered through the federal government each year and thousands more are offered through state and local agencies.
Out of the $500 billion in grants the federal government gives out every year about 5% ($25 billion) are awarded as business grants. The rest go to states, governments, governmental agencies, nonprofit organizations, universities, schools and school districts. When the federal government does provide business grants, most are awarded to support research and development activities—primarily related to technology, energy, healthcare, public safety and criminal justice, among others.
Although 5% may not seem like a lot, it still amounts to $25 billion in business grants that the federal government does award to for-profit firms each year. Though you won’t find any federal grants for starting a business or paying off debts, the range of business activities that federal business grants support is nonetheless broad.
For startups, business grants are an ideal funding source because they are non-diluting. They also provide a strong measure of validation for a technology or concept. But be warned, business grants are not going to be available to most types of startups, only those that are engaged in activities aligned to strategic national, state or local interests. You should also know that business grants are not easy to obtain and are not a free ride – they come with extensive reporting and compliance requirements.
Below is a select listing of new business grants accepting applications as of June 1, 2017:
Opportunity number: USDA-RD-HCFP-RCDI-2017
Opportunity name: Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI)
Agency name: Utilities Programs
Total amount of funding available: $4,000,000
Expected number of awards: 25
Program contact: Shirley Stevenson
Community Programs Specialist
Phone 2022059685
Closing date: 7/25/17
Opportunity number: OJJDP-2017-12900
Opportunity name: OJJDP FY 17 Juvenile Justice Emergency Planning Demonstration Program
Agency name: Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention
Total amount of funding available: $350,000
Expected number of awards: 4
Program contact: Answers to frequently asked questions that may assist applicants are posted at www.ojjdp.gov/grants/solicitations/FY2017/FAQ/JJEmergencyPlanning.pdf. grants@ncjrs.gov
Closing date: 6/26/17
Opportunity number: ED-GRANTS-052217-001
Opportunity name: Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE): Veterans Upward-bound Program
Agency name: Department of Education
Total amount of funding available: $14,220,358
Expected number of awards: 49
Program contact: Julius Cotton
ED Grants.gov FIND Systems Admin.
Phone 202-245-6288
EducationGrantInquiries@ed.gov
Program Manager:
Kenneth Foushee,
U.S. Department of Education,
400 Maryland Avenue SW., room 5E113,
Washington, DC 20202.
Telephone: (202) 453-7417 or by email: Kenneth.Foushee@ed.gov.
Closing date: 6/21/17
Opportunity number: OJJDP-2017-11001
Opportunity name: OJJDP FY 17 Youth with Sexual Behavior Problems Program
Agency name: Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention
Total amount of funding available: $1,500,000
Expected number of awards: 3
Program contact: Answers to frequently asked questions that may assist applicants are posted at www.ojjdp.gov/grants/solicitations/FY2017/FAQ/YSBP.pdf. grants@ncjrs.gov
Closing date: 6/29/17
Opportunity number: OJJDP-2017-10985
Opportunity name: OJJDP FY 17 Mentoring for Child Victims of Commercial Sexual Exploitation and Domestic Sex Trafficking Program and Training and Technical Assistance
Agency name: Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention
Total amount of funding available: $1,850,000
Expected number of awards: 5
Program contact: Answers to frequently asked questions that may assist applicants are posted at www.ojjdp.gov/grants/solicitations/FY2017/FAQ/CVCSEDSMent.pdf. grants@ncjrs.gov
Closing date: 6/15/17
Opportunity number: BAA-AFRL-AFOSR-2017-0003
Opportunity name: Boundary Layer Transition Experiment II (BOLT II)
Agency name: Air Force Office of Scientific Research
Total amount of funding available: $1,787,000
Expected number of awards: 1
Program contact: King Nwoha
Procurement Analyst
Phone 703 6961146
Closing date: 6/23/17
Opportunity number: FM-DTG-17-001
Opportunity name: 2017 Commercial Motor Vehicle Operator Safety Training Grant Program
Agency name: DOT/Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
Total amount of funding available: $1,000,000
Program contact: Grants.gov Contact Center
Phone Number: 1-800-518-4726; support@grants.gov
Closing date: 6/23/17
Opportunity number: USDA-NRCS-VT-CIG-17-01
Opportunity name: Vermont Conservation Innovation Grant
Agency name: Natural Resources Conservation Service
Total amount of funding available: $225,000
Expected number of awards: 10
Program contact: Kip Potter – Technical Contact
Vermont State CIG Program Manager
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
356 Mountain View Drive, Suite 105
Colchester, VT 05446
Phone: (802) 951-6796 x238
Email: kip.potter@vt.usda.gov
Closing date: 6/3/17
Opportunity number: W911NF-17-S-0007
Opportunity name: Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences Broad Agency name: Agency Announcement for Basic Scientific Research (2017)
Department of the Army — Material Command
Program contact: Maria D. Nelson
Contracting Officer
919 541 4992
Closing date: 6/30/17
Opportunity number: USDA-NRCS-PABAY-CIG-17-01
Opportunity name: Pennsylvania Chesapeake Bay Conservation Innovation Grants
Agency name: Natural Resources Conservation Service
Total amount of funding available: $3,000,000
Expected number of awards: 60
Program contact: Noel Soto, Program Manager
359 East Park Drive, Suite 2
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17111
Telephone: (717) 237-2173
Closing date: 6/5/17
Opportunity number: BAA-AFRL-AFOSR-2017-0002
Opportunity name: Fiscal Year 2018 Air Force Young Investigator Research Program (YIP)
Agency name: Air Force Office of Scientific Research
Total amount of funding available: $1,700,000
Expected number of awards: 36
Program contact: King Nwoha
Procurement Analyst
Phone 703 6961146
Closing date: 6/1/17
Opportunity number: USDA-NRCS-CA-CIG-17-01
Opportunity name: California Conservation Innovation Grants
Agency name: Natural Resources Conservation Service
Total amount of funding available: $375,000
Expected number of awards: 60
Program contact: Erik Beardsley
State CIG Program Manager
430 G Street, # 4164
Davis, CA 95616
Phone: (530) 749-5649
Closing date: 6/7/17
Opportunity number: USDA-NRCS-CO-CIG-17-01
Colorado Conservation Innovation Grants – Fiscal Year 2017
Agency name: Utah State Office
Total amount of funding available: $300,000
Expected number of awards: 5
Program contact: Kindra Brandner
621 Iris Drive
Sterling, CO 80751
Phone: (970) 458-3151
Closing date: 6/2/17
Opportunity number: USDA-NRCS-NH-CIG-17-01
Opportunity name: New Hampshire Conservation Innovation Grants – Fiscal Year 2017
Agency name: Utah State Office
Program contact: Donald Keirstead
State CIG Program Manager
273 Locust St., Ste. 2D
Dover, NH 03820
Phone: (603) 868-9931 ext.128
Closing date: 6/16/17
Opportunity number: W911NF-17-S-0001
Opportunity name: QUANTUM COMPUTING RESEARCH IN NEW AND EMERGING QUBITS & CROSS-QUANTUM SYSTEMS SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Agency name: Department of the Army — Material Command
Program contact: Bryan Ash
Contracts Specialist
Phone 919-549-4268
Closing date: 6/6/17
Opportunity number: N00014-17-S-F002
Opportunity name: FY17 Funding Opportunity Announcement for Navy and Marine Corps Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics Education, Outreach and Workforce Program
Agency name: Office of Naval Research
Program contact: Mr. Ernest L. Marshall
Administrative Support Specialist
Phone 703-696-6847
Closing date: 12/31/17
Opportunity number: N00014-17-S-B001
Opportunity name: Long Range Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for Navy and Marine Corps Science and Technology
Agency name: Office of Naval Research
Program contact: Michelle Parrott
Contract Specialist
Phone 703-696-2044
Closing date: 9/30/17
Opportunity number: BAA-AFRL-AFOSR-2016-0007
Opportunity name: Research Interests of the Air Force Office of Scientific Research
Agency name: Air Force Office of Scientific Research
Program contact: King Nwoha
Procurement Analyst
Phone 703 6961146
Closing date: 7/1/17
Opportunity number: NOAA-NFA-NFAPO-2016-2004791
Opportunity name: FY2016 to FY2017 NOAA Broad Agency Announcement (BAA)
Agency name: Department of Commerce; National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)
Program contact: Daniel Namur
Phone Number: 301-713-1364
Bldg: SSMC3 Rm: 14358
1315 East-West Hwy
Silver Spring, MD 20910-3282
Closing date: 9/30/17
Opportunity number: RDBCP-REAP-RES-EEI-2016
Opportunity name: Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements Program
Agency name: Business and Cooperative Programs
Total amount of funding available: $3,540,000
Expected number of awards: 1,000
Program contact: State Energy Coordinator; https://www.rd.usda.gov/files/RBS_StateEnergyCoordinators.pdf
Closing date: 10/13/17
Opportunity number: W911NF-13-R-0001
Opportunity name: United States Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences Broad Agency Announcement for Basic, Applied, and Advanced Scientific Research (FY13-18)
Agency name: Department of the Army — Material Command
Program contact: Maria Nelson
Contract Specialist
Phone: 919-541-4992
Closing date: 2/5/18
Interesting in finding out if business grants are right for your business? Contact me today and let’s talk! I’ve secured well over $200 million in funding for my clients and can quickly tell you if business grants are right for your startup or business.
