Small Business Grants from SBA: What Exists, What Doesn't, and Where to Look
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How we wrote this: A plain-English summary of the U.S. Small Business Administration's grants page, checked October 29, 2026. Programs and deadlines change; check SBA and Grants.gov.
The short answer
SBA says plainly: "SBA does not provide grants for starting and expanding a business." Its grants are limited and target specific purposes. For most owners, funding comes from loans, investors or revenue; plan for that in your business plan.
What SBA grants do exist
| Program | Who it's for |
|---|---|
| SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) and STTR (Small Business Technology Transfer) | Small businesses doing scientific research and development that meets federal R&D goals and could be commercialized; see SBIR.gov |
| STEP (State Trade Expansion Program) | Awards go to state and territory governments, which then help established small businesses export, for example with trade show costs |
| FAST partnerships | Organizations running state or regional programs that boost SBIR/STTR proposals |
| PRIME | Nonprofit microenterprise development organizations; announced on Grants.gov, usually in April or May |
| Manufacturing and entrepreneurship grants | Nonprofits, SBA Resource Partners and educational organizations that provide training and counseling |
Watch for grant scams
SBA only emails from addresses ending in @sba.gov. Someone promising a "free government grant" for a fee is a red flag; see common scams.
Where else to look
- Grants.gov lists federal opportunities. Most are for governments, nonprofits and research institutions, not individual businesses.
- State and local economic development offices sometimes run their own small business programs.
- Before you apply for anything, have the basics in place: an EIN, a business structure, licenses and permits and a business bank account.
Related: start-up costs deduction, hobby or business.