Grants for Business Launch and Growth
As a service for our small business clients, the Pace SBDC keeps a running list of grants that provide financing to entrepreneurs looking to grow or expand their small businesses. If you're looking for COVID-19 relief related grants, check out our Privately-Funded COVID-19 Grant Programs and Government-Funded COVID-19 Grant Programs pages.
Verizon, in partnership with LISC, is awarding $5,000 grants to 25 small businesses based in New York to help them sustain and grow their businesses. To be eligible, you must complete one Digital Ready course, virtual event (including recorded events), or an eligible in-person event between January 1, 2026 and March 31, 2026 to unlock the application, and meet the following criteria:
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Be a for-profit business. Nonprofits are not eligible to apply.
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Be U.S.-based with a primary business address located in the state of New York. Business address will be required during the application process and verified for applicants who are selected as finalists.
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Be 18 years of age or older.
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Can share and provide proper business and financial verification documentation (W-9s, ACH) if selected as a finalist.
Deadline: 3/31/2026
The Pilot Small Business Growth Fund, presented in partnership with Hello Alice and Pilot, is here to support small businesses as they grow and scale. Whether you're investing in operations, expanding your team, or strengthening your financial infrastructure, this fund is designed to help you take the next step forward.
For-profit businesses in the US with a legal entity that generated between $5,000 and $5,000,000 in gross revenue in 2025 are welcome to apply.
Deadline: 3/31/2026
The NYU AI Pitch Competition brings together aspiring entrepreneurs and innovators to present AI-powered solutions addressing real-world challenges. Hosted by NYU in partnership with Eficens, SBDC, and AWS, this event provides a platform to showcase your startup, receive expert feedback, and connect with the tech community, and up to $50k in AWS partner funding
Deadline: 4/15/2026
Grow-NY is a global food and agriculture business competition designed to attract and support high-growth startups that are advancing innovation across the food, beverage, and agriculture sectors.
The program provides non-dilutive funding, mentorship, networking opportunities, and access to industry partners to help businesses scale within New York State’s Grow-NY region.
Startups and early-stage companies working in food, beverage, agriculture, ag-tech, and related industries are encouraged to apply. Applicants must demonstrate a strong potential for economic impact and commit to operating in the Grow-NY region if selected as finalists or winners.
Deadline: 5/15/2026
The CERF+ Emergency Relief Grant provides financial assistance to artists working in craft disciplines who have experienced a recent, career-threatening emergency. This program is designed to help artists recover from setbacks caused by natural disasters, accidents, illness, or other unforeseen events that impact their ability to sustain their creative practice.
To be eligible, applicants must:
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Be a professional artist working in a craft discipline (such as wood, metal, fiber, ceramics, glass, or mixed media craft), and
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Have experienced a recent emergency—such as fire, flood, theft, illness, or accident—that has significantly affected their ability to work and generate income.
Deadline: Applications are accepted on rolling basis allowing artists to apply whenever an emergency occurs.
Public Sector Grant Programs
New York State has launched a Pre-Seed and Seed Matching Fund Program which will offer early-stage start-up companies in high-growth industries $50,000 to $250,000 in growth assistance, which they will match with funds from private sector co-investors.
SBIR/STTR programs support scientific excellence and technological innovation through the investment of Federal research funds in critical American priorities to build a strong national economy.
The Global NY State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) offers reimbursable grants of up to $5,000 to qualifying small and medium-sized business engaging in exporting for expenses related to participation in trade missions, trade shows exhibitions, export training, website translation, and development of international marketing campaigns.
As of June 16, 2025 all STEP funding has been allocated. Any applications submitted on or after June 16, 2025 will be placed on a waiting list. If funds become available in the future, the company will be contacted.
The Global NY Grant Program offers reimbursable grants of up to $25,000 to help companies customize for export markets, participate in trade shows, and undertake product adaptation to meet foreign regulatory requirements.
HVAC small businesses can hire students and recent grads and get reimbursed for up to 90% of intern wages! The program offers access to a pool of qualified candidates and supports flexible internship schedules.
NYC's Department of Small Business Services offers a Customized Training Grant Program to reimburse 60% of training costs incurred by eligible small businesses. Businesses must train at least 10 employees who are either currently or after training will be working full time, be based in NYC, and must pay for training upfront as the program reimburses participants quarterly.
The New York State Department of Labor has grants available for businesses who wish to train both existing and new employees. Each of their programs have unique eligibility requirements and generally necessitate that businesses have and train more than one employee.
Empire State Development’s Employee Training Incentive Program provides tax credits to science and technology businesses that train employees (50% of eligible training costs, up to $10,000 per employee receiving eligible training) and/or host internships (50% of the stipend paid to an intern, up to $3,000 per intern).
The Amber Grant by WomensNet is providing $10,000 and $25,000 grants for female entrepreneurs to achieve their business dreams.
To be eligible, applicants must be a women-owned business or a female entrepreneur. Further, Applicants must share their business or business idea and explain how they would use the grant money.
Deadline: Monthly