The Playbook has compiled a list of small-business grants that business owners can apply for in 2025.
From corporate titans to federal agencies, there are several options for businesses looking for funding in the new year.
This list includes grants, subsidized loan programs, government offerings and other resources for small-business owners.
Verizon offering Small Business Digital Ready grant
Business owners who sign up for the free Verizon Small Business Digital Ready online community will be eligible to apply for grants throughout the year.
Here's how it works: Business owners can sign up for the free online resource — which aims to provide technical assistance, mentoring and other resources to underserved small businesses — and complete either courses, coaching or participation in community events to be eligible.
The company provides up to $1 million in grant funding a year.
The National Science Foundation provides up to $200M in grants per year
The National Science Foundation’s America’s Seed Fund provides millions in grant funding to small businesses and startups with big ideas.
Applicants submit project pitches any time during the year, and if invited to submit a proposal, the entrepreneur could end up getting funded.
The grant program gives out roughly $200 million per year to eligible businesses.
The National Association for the Self-Employed offers growth grant
The National Association for the Self-Employed has a $4,000 growth grant that it offers on a rolling basis.
The catch? You have to be a member.
The group has awarded nearly $1 million in grants to members since 2006.
$10,000 DoorDash disaster relief grants
Restaurants across the country hit hard by a natural disaster can apply for $10,000 grants, courtesy of DoorDash.
The Restaurant Disaster Relief Fund, a partnership between DoorDash, financing platform Hello Alice and the Global Entrepreneurship network, is open to restaurants in state or federally declared natural disaster areas. The grant windows operate on a rolling bases, with four a year.
To be eligible, restaurants must have a brick-and-mortar location, fewer than 50 employees per location, be open at least six months and have less than $3 million in revenue per location.
The first window for applications is open until March 3. Winners will be announced in April.
Agriculture business training and grant program
The Watson Institute’s Retail Readiness Entrepreneurship Training Program is a 16-week program in partnership with Walmart to help underserved entrepreneurs working in agriculture or agricultural products become retail-ready. It runs from March 10 to June 30 and provides up to $1,000 in grant money for certifications, leadership and venture guidance and access to a network of mentors and peers.
Applications were due by Jan. 26. Applications submitted after that date will be considered on a rolling basis until all the slots are filled.
Small-business grant websites and resources
Hello Alice offers small-business grants, often in partnership with big names such as FedEx or DoorDash.
Hello Skip also has grant opportunities available, as well as one-on-one consulting, business-plan assistance and other paid-for services and memberships.
Grants.gov is a federal entity that collects and lists various grant opportunities for businesses, nonprofits and local governments. The grants often are in niche areas or targeted to specific places or technologies.
Small-business loans and potential funding programs
The CHIPS Act, which aims to boost domestic manufacturing of semiconductors and other high-tech products, has a number of funding programs and tax credits. While these are often for larger companies, the federal government is requiring companies to find small-business partners and suppliers.
The Small Business Administration offers its 7(a) lending program for small-business capital needs, along with other loan types and services. The agency has spent the last few years boosting eligibility, expanding loan limits and streamlining its processes to encourage more small businesses to apply.
Small-business owners in rural areas might want to check into the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Business and industry Loan Guarantee Program, which offers loan guarantees of up to 80%, helping subsidize the risk of loans and keeping their interest rate lower. Businesses can use the loans to purchase a building, modernize equipment or acquire another company.
The Treasury Department's State Small Business Credit Initiative is handing out $10 billion to states to create their own small-business assistance programs, ranging from subsidized loans to direct investment in the form of venture-capital-style programs. Small-business owners can look up their own state and local programs to find out if they qualify for any funding.
Small-business consulting, technical assistance and training programs
The Small Business Administration in 2024 revamped and relaunched its 7(j) Management and Technical Assistance program as the Empower to Grow program. It offers customized, one-on-one training and consultation to qualifying small-business owners to help bid for and win federal contracts.
The SBA also offers its 8(a) Business Development program, a multiyear program that allows disadvantaged small businesses to access certain set-aside contracts and sole-source contracts, along with assistance and training opportunities. Businesses must apply by submitting a narrative of why they are disadvantaged, a notable change after the program was challenged in court.
SCORE is a free mentorship program supported in part by the SBA that pairs business owners looking to grow with experts in their fields. SCORE also offers online courses and webinars.