Most grants are available to non-profits and community organizations to expand their work or to fund special projects and activities unless your for-profit business has invented a new technology. Few grants are available to start-ups; you need to own an established business with a positive cashflow.
SBIR/STTR Grants: If you have invented an innovative product or process that will serve the national interest, you may qualify for an SBIR or an STTR grant to help develop it. Grants are offered by 11 federal agencies through a competitive process. Information is available at SBIR.gov. If you think you may qualify for an SBIR grant, contact your nearest Small Business Development Center or Elevate Idaho for assistance in applying.
NASA Idaho Space Grant Consortium and Idaho NASA Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research: Research opportunities and student internships with NASA are available.
Federal Grant Resources: If you own an existing for-profit business that is engaged in the development of new processes or technologies, research activities, or uses natural resources in an innovative way, you may qualify for a grant. Grants are also available to develop arts programs that benefit the greater good. To find grant opportunities, see:
- Grants.gov
- U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Business Development Grants in Idaho
- U.S. Department of Education
- U.S. Department of Energy – Office of Indian Energy Funding and Critical Materials Collaborative
- U.S. Department of Justice
- U.S. Department of Labor
- U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration – Skills Training Grants
- U.S. Department of Transportation – available to communities
- U.S. Department of the Treasury
- U.S. Economic Development Administration: Economic development assistance – available to communities and tribes
- U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA): State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) – grants are made through state Departments of Commerce to businesses that export.
- U.S. Forest Service
- National Institutes of Health
- NASA
- National Science Foundation
- National Endowment for the Arts
- National Endowment for the Humanities
- Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
- Institute of Museum and Library Services – grants are available to museums, libraries and related institutions
- U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management – grants are available to universities, non-profits, communities and tribes
- U.S. Department of the Interior Office of Grants Management
- U.S. Bureau of Reclamation – WaterSMART water and energy grants
Grants for Women Business Owners:
Amber Grants for Women: Monthly grants of $10,00 are offered. At the end of the year, three of the monthly winners will receive an additional $50,000. See WomensNet for details.
Cartier Women’s Initiative: Competitive grants up to $100,000 are awarded annually to women business owners.
Lenovo Small Business Grants: Available to women, minority and disabled business owners
Shea Moisture Grants: Available to Black women who own businesses in the beauty and wellness industry.
H&R Block Advisor Fund Her Future Grants: Grants up to $50,000 are available to women business owners.
Grants to Communities:
Idaho Community Foundation: Grants are available to communities, non-profits and schools.
Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation: Grants are available to counties, government agencies and tribes.
Blue Cross of Idaho Foundation: available to communities for projects that improve education, health and more.
Blue Cross of Idaho Foundation Community Project: available to communities to create outdoor community gathering spaces.
Columbia Bank Community Partnership Grants
Idaho Power Community Involvement
Idaho Transportation Department: grants to improve airports, public transportation and traffic safety
Idaho State Elks Association: Community Charity
Idaho Regional Travel Grant Program: available to chambers, visitors centers, travel councils and other community organizations
Wells Fargo Grants: available to community organizations and nonprofits for community development activities
Other Grants:
Made in America Grants: If you manufacture a product that is made in America and you have problems competing with foreign businesses, you may be eligible for assistance through the Northwest Trade Adjustment Assistance Center.
Hewlett Foundation: grants are available to individuals and communities
Idaho Department of Agriculture: grants and loans
Idaho Department of Lands: Forestry and Fire Grants
Idaho Out-of-School Network – funding is provided to those who provide educational and enrichment experiences for children and youth after school and during non-school hours.
Idaho Heritage Trust – grants are available to preserve historically significant buildings and sites
Idaho Stem Action Center – Ecosystem Grants
Northwest and Rocky Mountain Regional Food Business Centers: Business Builder Grants Program
J.A. & Kathryn Albertson Family Foundation
Idaho Humanities Council – funds projects in the arts, literature, history and more
TechHelp Rural Business Development Subsidy Grant Program
Secretsos™ Small Business Grant: Micro grants available to start-ups who have been denied traditional funding
US Chamber of Commerce CO-100 grants – up to $25,000 available to established businesses, not start-ups
Main Street America American Express Backing Small Businesses grants
HoneyBook Break Through Grant
FedEx Small Business Grants
Ebay Up & Running Grants: Recipients must have an active Ebay seller’s account.
National Association for the Self-Employed micro grants
Verizon Small Business Digital Ready Grants – Grants of $10,000 are available to small businesses (not non-profits)
KeyBank Foundation
Non-profits: If you are a non-profit organization, these sites will be helpful:
- Idaho Nonprofit Center: Resources to establish and grow your non-profit (funding is not offered)
- Idaho Partners for Good: Training, mentorship and funding assistance is available.
- Camille Beckman Foundation: Grants are made to non-profits that support children and the elderly.
- Clif Family Foundation: Applicant must be a non-profit involved in regenerative food production, farm worker safety, pollution removal and more.
- Candid (formerly the Foundation Center) and Candid Foundation Directory
- Candid Learning: Learn skills to help you with your non-profit
- CHC Foundation: Works with non-profits in Bonneville, Bingham, Butte, Clark, Custer, Fremont, Jefferson, Madison, Lemhi, and Teton Counties to fund innovative projects
- Chobani Impact Fund
- Idaho Community Foundation: Grants are available to non-profits, communities and schools
- Idaho National Laboratory (INL) – Community grants
- Harry W. Morrison Foundation: Funds non-profits who demonstrate improvement to humanitarian, educational, medical, cultural, religious, and community service, primarily in the Treasure Valley and in rural Idaho
- Micron Gives: Available to non-profits
- Morrison Knudsen Foundation, Inc.: Serves Boise and the Treasure Valley to serve needy individuals and families
- Avista Foundation: The non-profit must be served by Avista Utilities
- Laura Moore Cunningham Foundation
- Nagel Foundation: Non-profit must be located in southwest Idaho
- Innovia Foundation: Non-profit must be located in Boundary, Bonner, Kootenai, Benewah, Latah, Nez Perce, Lewis, Clearwater, Shoshone or Idaho counties
- Southwest Idaho Legacy Organization: Serves non-profits in Caldwell, ID and Owyhee County Idaho
- Steele-Reese Foundation – Provides grants to non-profits and tribes working in rural communities in Idaho and Montana
- Stoecklein Foundation
- The Gibney Family Foundation: Partners with non-profits to provide accessibility options to persons with disabilities
- The Whittenberger Foundation: Funds projects in southwest Idaho that benefit children and young people
Other Programs: Special business assistance programs for women, minorities, veterans, the disabled, and others are available, but they are usually for low interest loans, government contracting opportunities, and other types of assistance, not grants.
Partnerships:
Tax Incentives: Your business may qualify for tax incentives (tax credits) for certain business activities, such as creating new jobs in an economically depressed area, hiring the long-term unemployed, or making workplace accommodations for a disabled employee. Incentives are offered at both the state and federal levels. State programs are listed on the Idaho Department of Commerce website. To find federal tax incentives, visit the Internal Revenue Service website. Also visit the Taxes page on this website to find additional resources.
SCOR/U-7 Finance Program: The Small Company Offering Registration program administered by the Idaho Department of Finance enables established businesses to accept investment funds from qualified Idaho investors without registering with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Challenge.gov: Government agencies having a specific need list it on Challenge.gov. Businesses and individuals can submit a solution. The needs regularly change, as do the requirements to submit a proposal.
To learn about funding for which your business may qualify, talk with a counselor at the Boise or Spokane Small Business Administration offices, the Idaho Small Business Development Center, or a SCORE counselor. Contact information for each organization is listed in the Assistance Resources section of this site. Counseling services are free.
