Business and Commerce Grants

The 2024 Build to Scale grant invites organizations supporting tech-focused, high-growth companies to apply for funding, with the aim of enhancing entrepreneurial capacity, accelerating regional economic growth, empowering communities to assist tech innovators, and increasing equitable access to capital for tech-enabled entrepreneurs, while focusing on operational and programmatic costs related to regional innovation initiatives.

The Inflation Reduction Act Technology Commercialization Fund (IRA TCF) - Collaborative Alignment for Critical Technology Industries grant is a $15 million funding program by the U.S. Department of Energy aimed at promoting the commercialization and adoption of low-carbon technologies in the chemicals, cement, and metals industries to achieve deep decarbonization.

This competition provides financial incentives for U.S.-based manufacturers of solar photovoltaic modules and inverters to achieve environmental certification, enhancing their marketability and sustainability efforts.

The Bioprocessing Research Infrastructure Program is a grant aimed at enhancing Illinois' bioprocessing sector by funding the development of infrastructure, capital equipment, technical staff, and providing affordable access to facilities for businesses and students.

This competition provides funding for individuals and organizations to develop innovative energy storage technologies that address unique challenges in underserved communities and extreme climates.

This grant provides funding and opportunities for companies and coalitions developing innovative energy storage solutions that enhance the integration of renewable energy systems and improve the efficiency of the electricity grid.

The TII grant aims to create new internship opportunities for Texas students in Middle Skill STEM Occupations, providing them with work experience, educational credit, and potential progress towards industry-based certification, while also enabling employers to train potential future employees and address skill shortages.

A grant provided through this opportunity will support business retention investments needed for the continuation of a company’s operating presence in Illinois. Mandatory requirements: • Minimum employee retention level:100 • Eligible entities: 1. Must be a private for-profit business entity 2. Must be the legal owner of and have the authority to implement investments in a manufacturing complex already located and operating in Bushnell, IL. 3. Must have extensive direct applicable experience in operating a successful tool manufacturing firm. 4. Business entity must have less than 1,000 employees in Illinois. 5. Must have acquired a 100 full-time equivalent tool manufacturing firm in in McDonough County. In order to maximize the effectiveness of this retention investment, the applicant must maintain the operational production status of current product lines and not relocate these to other physical sites outside of an existing manufacturing plant located within Bushnell, IL. Expenses related to this grant must be directly tied to the retention of employees or improvements of the facilities located in Bushnell. For example, reimbursements for payroll and facility improvements may be acceptable under this grant.

The Orange County Business Investment Grant Program in North Carolina is seeking applications to provide financial support ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 to stimulate non-farm business development and expansion within the county, with eligibility criteria including the business's physical location, operational duration, tax status, and connection with business counseling services.

The Beaufort County Accommodations Tax Board is offering grants from its two percent (2%) state accommodations tax fund. This program aims to financially support and promote tourism, as well as fund tourism-related activities within municipalities and counties in South Carolina. The underlying mission is to leverage a dedicated tax revenue stream—generated from transient accommodations like hotels, motels, inns, and vacation rentals—to enhance the visitor experience and strengthen the local tourism economy. The target beneficiaries of this grant program are organizations within Beaufort County. These organizations are expected to implement projects and initiatives that align with the board's objective of promoting tourism. The impact goals are centered on increasing tourism activity, improving tourism infrastructure, and creating a more attractive environment for visitors, thereby contributing to the economic well-being of the county. The primary focus of these grants is to fund tourism-related activities. This includes, but is not limited to, initiatives that market the county as a tourist destination, develop and maintain attractions, and support events that draw visitors. The strategic priority is to maximize the impact of the accommodations tax by investing in projects that have a demonstrable connection to tourism promotion and development, aligning with the state law's intent for the 2% tax levy. Expected outcomes include a measurable increase in visitor numbers, enhanced quality of tourism offerings, and a stronger tourism-dependent economy in Beaufort County. While specific measurable results are not detailed in the provided information, the implicit theory of change is that by strategically allocating funds derived from the accommodations tax, the county can stimulate tourism growth, leading to broader economic benefits. The eligibility criteria state that Non-Profit Organizations are eligible to apply for these grants, emphasizing a focus on community-driven initiatives.

The Oregon Community Foundation is offering a grant of $10,000 to $100,000 for projects that enhance economic vitality and workforce development in specified Oregon counties, with priority given to initiatives that improve prosperity, tax base, competitiveness, workforce skills, and image of the region, and can be used for equipment, facility upgrades, start-up costs, and other necessary services.

The 24 Squared Grant Program, funded by Square Financial Services and the Community Foundation of Utah, offers grants between $1,000 to $10,000 to Utah-based non-profit organizations engaged in community development activities such as affordable housing, small business development, reentry support, and financial wellness, with special awards for the highest scored organization, those with great potential, and those supporting local small businesses.

The Montgomery County Office of Food Systems Resilience (OFSR), in partnership with the Office of Grants Management (OGM), is seeking grant applications for its 2025 Community Food Assistance Program. This program aims to support and strengthen the local food system by providing direct funding and/or shopping credits to organizations that distribute shelf-stable, fresh food, and/or prepared meals to Montgomery County residents. The initiative aligns with a broader mission to ensure continuity of existing critical community food assistance services while also addressing service gaps within the county. The primary beneficiaries of this program are Montgomery County residents, particularly those in need of food assistance. The program's impact goals are multifaceted: to enhance program effectiveness, standardize data collection practices among food assistance providers, offer greater flexibility and transparency in funding, and ultimately boost the capacity of the provider network. By achieving these goals, the program intends to improve the resilience of the local food system, ensuring that more residents have access to nutritious food. The grant program emphasizes flexibility in programming, supporting a range of project models. Funding priorities include choice pantry models that offer culturally relevant, healthy shelf-stable and fresh food options (such as fruits, vegetables, dairy, meat, and eggs); pre-packed box/bag distributions that feature healthy, locally sourced produce; and the delivery and/or distribution of nutritious, medically and/or preference-tailored prepared meals to households with unique needs. This flexible approach is designed to cater to the diverse needs of the community and the varying capacities of food assistance providers. Expected outcomes include a more robust and responsive food assistance network in Montgomery County, capable of delivering consistent and high-quality services. The standardization of data collection will lead to better understanding of service gaps and program impact, allowing for more strategic resource allocation. Measurable results will likely include increased access to healthy and culturally appropriate food for residents, a stronger network of food assistance providers, and improved resilience of the local food system in the face of challenges. The overall strategic priority is to create a more equitable and sustainable food system that can effectively serve all residents.

The City of Mukilteo’s Co-Sponsorship Grant process is designed to promote, support, and expand existing and new special events, activities, and programs within the city, as well as to publicize and support economic development initiatives. A key alignment with the city's mission is the support of activities that foster the general health and well-being of the community. This grant primarily functions by waiving facility rental fees for the use of City Facilities, thereby reducing a significant barrier for organizations looking to host beneficial events and programs. The target beneficiaries of this grant program include a broad range of public and private organizations. Specifically, qualifying organizations encompass non-profit volunteer groups, neighborhood groups, educational organizations, public agencies, and chambers of commerce. The ultimate impact goal is to enhance the quality of life for Mukilteo residents through increased access to cultural arts, recreation, youth and adult activities, and improved community safety. Furthermore, the program aims to stimulate economic growth through events and activities that promote job creation and business attraction and retention. The grant program prioritizes projects that are open to the public and offer enhanced opportunities in areas such as culture and arts, recreation, youth or adult activities, and community safety. Another key focus is on projects that promote job growth or promote business attraction and retention within Mukilteo. While the grant is generally open to Mukilteo-based organizations, there are limited exceptions for organizations outside the city that can clearly demonstrate the necessity and direct public benefit of their service to the Mukilteo community. The expected outcomes from this program are multifaceted. By waiving facility rental fees, the City of Mukilteo anticipates an increase in the number and diversity of special events, programs, and activities offered to its residents. Measurable results could include the number of events supported, the estimated attendance at these events, and the reported community engagement. From an economic development perspective, success could be measured by the number of jobs created or retained, and the growth of businesses attributed to grant-supported initiatives. The grant's duration is not specified, but projects must be accomplished by December 31st, 2025, suggesting a focus on near-term impact.

The Business Women’s Giving Circle (BWGC) of the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia awards grants to support innovative STEM opportunities for girls and young women in the region. Since 2014, the BWGC has awarded over $520,000 in grants, aligning with the Foundation's mission to foster positive community impact by supporting initiatives in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), Leadership, and Entrepreneurship. This grant program is a key part of the Foundation's strategic approach to investing in the future workforce and leadership within Northern Virginia. The target beneficiaries are girls and young women, from preschool through college-age, residing in Northern Virginia. Specifically, organizations providing services in Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William counties, as well as the cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas, and Manassas Park, are eligible. The impact goal is to create measurable positive changes in the lives of these girls and young women by providing them with exciting and enriching experiences in STEM, leadership, and entrepreneurship, thereby contributing to their educational and career development. The BWGC grant cycle prioritizes nonprofit organizations and schools that offer STEM programs with an emphasis on innovative components such as entrepreneurship, leadership, or mentorship. Funding is considered for both existing and new programs that directly support these areas. Applications for general organizational support, capital improvements, endowments, or scholarship awards are not considered, highlighting the program's focus on direct program delivery and innovation. Expected outcomes include increased participation and engagement of girls and young women in STEM fields, enhanced leadership skills, and the development of entrepreneurial mindsets. Measurable results are demonstrated by the impact on over 3,500 girls and young women since 2014. The Foundation's theory of change posits that by investing in innovative STEM, leadership, and entrepreneurship programs for girls and young women, they will empower the next generation of leaders and innovators, contributing to the economic vitality and social well-being of Northern Virginia.

The Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Washington Innovation Fund is a program designed to enhance Washington state's criminal legal system by supporting innovative, sustainable, and data-driven practices. Its overarching goals are to improve community safety, foster collaboration among various sectors, and provide support to victims and individuals involved in the criminal legal system. This aligns with a foundational mission of creating a fair and equitable criminal legal system in Washington that prioritizes these critical areas. The program draws on the Edward Byrne Memorial JAG program, a significant federal source of criminal justice funding, administered by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), which provides essential resources to state and local jurisdictions for system improvement and community advancement. The target beneficiaries of the JAG Innovation Fund include local governments and private community-based or non-profit agencies that are working to improve the criminal legal system. The program aims to impact community safety directly, enhance support for victims, and strengthen cross-sector collaboration and collective accountability within the system. Ultimately, the expected outcomes include the implementation of more effective and data-informed stewardship of criminal legal system resources, leading to a more just and safer Washington. The JAG Innovation Fund focuses on several key priorities for funding, including organizational or program capacity building, supporting new ideas, projects, or promising practices, enhancing system and community collaborations, and expanding or supplementing existing programs or practices. The program identifies nine specific Purpose Areas to allow for diverse and flexible criminal legal system improvement projects. These areas range from Planning, Evaluation and Technology Improvement to Crime Victim Programming, Support and Advocacy, Community Safety Enhancement, and Corrections, Community Corrections and Re-Entry, among others. Approximately $1,000,000 of JAG funding is dedicated to the Innovation Fund each award cycle, with individual project awards supporting proposals up to $150,000. The funding period for projects is from November 1, 2024, to December 31, 2025. To ensure accountability and community relevance, non-governmental applicants must provide one or more letters of support from a local government unit in the project's jurisdiction, explaining the proposed program's benefits to the local government agency and jurisdiction. This requirement underscores the program's strategic priority of fostering robust community and governmental partnerships as a theory of change for sustainable criminal legal system improvements.

The City of Elizabethton in Tennessee is offering a Façade Improvement Grant Program, ranging from $1,000 to $10,000, to local businesses for downtown building improvements, aiming to boost commercial sales, enhance marketability, and attract new businesses and shoppers to the area.

This program provides funding to organizations that help low-income households in rural Washington State make essential home repairs to improve health, safety, and living conditions, with a focus on supporting vulnerable groups such as seniors, people with disabilities, and families with young children.

The Hudson County History Partnership Program (HPP), offered by the Hudson County Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs/Tourism Development (HCOCHA/TD) in partnership with the New Jersey Department of State – New Jersey Historical Commission (NJHC), provides matching grants to non-profit organizations within Hudson County, New Jersey. This program aligns with the broader mission of preserving and promoting the history of Hudson County and its 12 municipalities through high-quality historical programming. The grants are administered by HCOCHA/TD, a unit of Hudson County government, under the authority of Hudson County Executive Craig Guy and the Hudson County Board of County Commissioners. The HPP targets Hudson County-based, non-profit history-related organizations, units of government (including schools, libraries, colleges, and universities), private non-profit universities offering local history programs, non-profit arts organizations presenting artistic history programming, and non-profit business organizations that engage in local history programs. The primary impact goals are to broaden, deepen, and diversify the audience for history in Hudson County; strengthen and develop existing history organizations; initiate new programming; improve management of historic sites; expand public understanding of historical resources; increase participation in historical programs; enhance accessibility for diverse communities; increase the body of historical information; and preserve materials for study. The program prioritizes initiatives that clearly demonstrate a commitment to preserving and promoting Hudson County's history, based on merit and financial need. For FY25, grants are offered in two categories: Program Support (maximum $12,500) and General Operating Support (maximum $15,000). The project period for these grants is January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2025. Eligibility criteria include being incorporated in New Jersey, having been in existence for at least one year as of January 1, 2023, and being defined as a non-profit under IRS sections 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), or 501(c)(6). Non-profit arts organizations must allocate at least 20% of the grant cost to consultation with qualified historians for artistic history programming. Expected outcomes and measurable results include an increase in the number and diversity of individuals engaging with Hudson County's history, improved organizational capacity and programming quality among local history entities, the creation of new and innovative historical programs, better preservation and interpretation of historic sites and collections, and a greater public awareness and understanding of the county's historical resources. The HCOCHA/TD's strategic priorities, affirming those of the NJHC, underscore a theory of change that by investing in local history organizations and initiatives, public engagement, education, and preservation efforts will be significantly enhanced, leading to a more historically conscious and connected community.

This grant provides funding to cities, counties, and public utility districts in Washington to improve water, sewer, and stormwater infrastructure for affordable housing projects that include at least 25% affordable units.