Orlando Tech Grant

The Orlando Tech Grant is funded by the City of Orlando and managed by the Orlando Economic Partnership. The program reflects the City's commitment to entrepreneurship and to strengthening the region's innovation ecosystem by supporting organizations and initiatives that help Orlando's technology community grow. Funding is intended for ecosystem-building work rather than operating capital for individual companies. The 2026 program has a total grant pool of $65,000 and offers two funding tracks, Ignite Grants and Capability Catalyst Grants. Supported work may strengthen Orlando's innovation community, advance regional technology capabilities, build the technology talent pipeline, support the retention and expansion of Orlando-based technology employers, and increase participation by underserved and undercapitalized communities. Identified strategic technology capabilities include human performance, synthetic environments and experiences, autonomous and intelligent systems, and sensing and advanced hardware. Ignite Grants provide awards from $1,500 to $3,000 and are intended primarily for grassroots ecosystem-building programs. Examples include meetups, mentorship circles, hackathons, community events, peer learning groups, founder support programs, outreach, and participant engagement. Approximately 8 to 12 Ignite Grants are anticipated. Capability Catalyst Grants provide awards from $8,000 to $15,000, with approximately 3 to 4 awards anticipated, and are designed to advance strategic technology capabilities or regional innovation initiatives. Examples include accelerators, talent pipeline programs, capability-building initiatives, and large-scale collaborations. Capability Catalyst projects are expected to have defined goals and measurable outcomes, rely meaningfully on partnerships where appropriate, and strengthen Orlando's innovation economy at a regional level. Every award requires a 10 percent match. The match may consist of cash, donated services, volunteer or staff time, in-kind support, or a combination of these resources, and applicants must demonstrate how the match will be met. Grant funds cannot be used as general operating capital for individual companies or to support their own products or services. Ignite funding is generally best suited to direct program costs, although a stipend or honorarium for specific work may be allowable. Capability Catalyst funding may include staff time when that time is clearly connected to the funded initiative. Lobbying activities and efforts to influence government decisions are not eligible. A major gap in funded project delivery without communication with the Orlando Economic Partnership could result in a request to return funds and could affect eligibility in the following cycle. Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations operating in or serving the City of Orlando, fiscally sponsored projects with documented fiscal sponsorship, mission-aligned for-profit organizations conducting ecosystem-building programs that are not direct revenue-generating products or services, and volunteer-led initiatives applying through a qualified fiscal sponsor. Individual applicants, government agencies, political campaigns, organizations operating exclusively outside the City of Orlando service area, and individual companies seeking operating capital for their own products or services are not eligible. Programs serving the broader Central Florida region may qualify when they clearly serve City of Orlando residents and contribute to Orlando's innovation community. Partnerships among multiple organizations are permitted, but one organization must serve as the lead applicant and receive the funds. A letter of support is helpful when a partner is essential to a proposed project. Each organization may submit one application per cycle and may select Ignite, Capability Catalyst, or consideration for either category. The Orlando Economic Partnership may consider a request under the category that best fits the proposal and requested funding. The source estimates approximately 30 minutes to complete an Ignite application and approximately 2 to 3 hours for a Capability Catalyst application. Ignite proposals are reviewed for ecosystem vitality, inclusive reach, strategic fit, and sustainability. Capability Catalyst proposals are reviewed for capability alignment, outcome quality, inclusive reach, a BR&E lens, and sustainability at scale. Ignite awards have light reporting requirements, while Capability Catalyst recipients participate in quarterly check-ins and defined outcome tracking. Capability Catalyst applicants should therefore be prepared to present defined goals, measurable outcomes, and a clear theory of change. Applications open August 14, 2026 and close August 28, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET. Judges are scheduled to review applications from August 31 through September 9, 2026, with winners notified September 11 and a public announcement planned for September 18. Grant agreements are expected to be executed and funds disbursed by September 30, 2026. Funded programs execute from October 2026 through January 2027, with a mid-program check-in scheduled for December 4, 2026. Grantees are expected to be featured at an Orlando Economic Partnership signature technology event in February 2027, and final reports are due February 26, 2027. No recurring annual or other repeating application schedule is stated in the provided source. The named program contact is Sheena Fowler, SVP, Innovation and Economic Development, at Sheena.Fowler@Orlando.org. The Orlando Economic Partnership also lists a general contact phone number of 407.422.7159. Applicants receiving an award are expected to communicate with the Partnership if circumstances affect project delivery so reasonable adjustments can be considered. Applicants may request a short summary of reviewer feedback after award decisions are sent. For fiscally sponsored applications, the sponsor's name and documentation confirming the fiscal sponsorship relationship must be included.

Connect the proposal to at least one stated strategic priority. Ignite applicants should demonstrate ecosystem vitality, inclusive reach, strategic fit, and sustainability and emphasize community engagement or grassroots programming. Capability Catalyst applicants should demonstrate capability alignment, outcome quality, inclusive reach, the BR&E lens, sustainability at scale, defined goals, measurable outcomes, a clear theory of change, and meaningful partnerships. Clearly distinguish community-facing programming from a company's normal operating expenses or revenue-generating products and services.