Famous Amos Ingredients for Success Entrepreneurs Initiative

Purpose: RUST grants may be used to finance up to 100 percent of the costs necessary to upgrade, remove, or replace UST project tanks to comply with the requirements of Health and Safety Code sections 25284.1, 25292.05, 25292.4, 25292.5, or 41954. Description: Replacing, Removing, or Upgrading Underground Storage Tanks (RUST) grants are available to assist small business underground storage tank (UST) owners and operators in financing up to 100 percent of the costs necessary to upgrade, remove, or replace project tanks to comply with the requirements of Health and Safety Code section 25284.1, 25292.05, 25292.4, 25292.5, or 41954. Please note that removal-only projects are now eligible for RUST grants. Grants are available for between $3,000 and $70,000 to eligible UST owners/operators. An additional $140,000 in RUST grant moneys above the $70,000 maximum is available for remote public fueling stations for the purpose of removing and replacing a single-walled UST.

The Hawaii Energy EmPOWER Grant provides Hawaii small businesses, restaurants, and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations with reimbursement grants of up to $15,000 (which may cover up to 100 percent of eligible project costs) to fund the purchase and installation of energy-efficient equipment upgrades that reduce electricity use and lower operating costs. Administered by Hawaii Energy, the state's ratepayer-funded energy conservation and efficiency program (implemented by Leidos), the program has awarded nearly 1,500 grants totaling more than $7.7 million to 780 small businesses, restaurants, and nonprofits across Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi Island, Maui, Molokaʻi, and Lānaʻi since launching in 2020. Eligible uses of grant funds include the purchase of new energy-efficient equipment (such as HVAC systems, window film, ENERGY STAR certified commercial kitchen appliances, and refrigeration upgrades like motor controls, doors on open cases, and anti-sweat controls), parts, accessories, and materials necessary for installation, and labor for removing old equipment, preparing the site, and installing new equipment. For appliance replacements, Hawaii Energy must be able to verify the existing equipment being replaced, and all installations must be completed by one of Hawaii Energy's participating Clean Energy Ally (CEA) contractors. Grants are competitively reviewed and disbursed as reimbursements after project completion, once all required documentation has been submitted, verified, and approved. To qualify, applicants must be a commercial rate schedule account holder with an electric utility on Hawaiʻi Island, Lānaʻi, Maui, Molokaʻi, or Oʻahu, and must fall into one of the eligible business categories: a small business with a facility of less than 5,000 square feet, a small business receiving electric service under commercial rate Schedule G, a small business receiving electric service under a commercial rate schedule with demand of 30 kilowatts or less per month, an owner-operated non-chain restaurant, or a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Applications are processed on a first-come, first-served basis until program funds are exhausted, and preference is given to organizations that serve populations identified as ALICE (Asset-Limited, Income-Constrained, Employed) or rural and hard-to-reach communities, as well as to organizations that have not previously participated with Hawaii Energy.

Property owners in the Uptown Area of Kenosha can apply for the new Uptown Area Facade Grant and the Uptown Area Business Recruitment and Retention Grant, two initiatives designed to revitalize the corridor and encourage continued investment in the neighborhood. The facade grant program will provide up to $10,000 in reimbursable funding for exterior building improvements. The grants will cover up to 50 percent of eligible project costs and can be used for upgrades such as new windows and doors, awnings, signage, lighting, landscaping, fencing, siding, masonry work, and architectural services. The Redevelopment Authority of the City of Kenosha has allocated $50,000 for the program. A second program, the Uptown Area Business Recruitment and Retention Grant, will offer up to $5,000 in reimbursable funding to support operational improvements for businesses in the area. The grant will cover up to 75 percent of eligible costs and may be used for purchases such as new inventory, equipment, marketing efforts, or technology upgrades intended to improve the customer experience.

The Digital Sandbox KC Grant provides early-stage technology entrepreneurs and startups in the Kansas City region with up to $20,000 in proof-of-concept funding to support the development and validation of new digital technology innovations. Administered by the Technology Venture Studio within the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) Innovation Center and supported by partners including the Missouri Technology Corporation, the program is designed to help founders advance early-stage concepts toward commercialization and prepare them for follow-on funding. Awardees are selected quarterly and, in addition to funding, receive critical project feedback, mentorship, and industry support. Funds may be used for proof-of-concept needs such as project personnel and consultants, market research and validation, equipment, prototyping, and beta testing. Notably, the program does not fund businesses directly — instead, approved projects are funded through a contract between Digital Sandbox KC and a project vendor selected by the client business, and that vendor cannot hold any ownership stake in the company. The program broadly serves new innovation in information technology, with past recipients working in areas such as mobile apps, big data, software platforms, hardware, tangible products, and health care IT.

The Queens Flash Grants program awards Queens, New York small businesses with $1,000 microgrants to help solve small but nagging business problems (fixing a broken AC unit, updating an outdated menu, replacing a worn awning, or covering similar minor operational needs where margins simply do not leave room for the expense). Five grants are awarded per cycle. Administered by the Queens Economic Development Corporation (QEDC), a nonprofit that has supported Queens businesses since 1977, and sponsored by Maspeth Federal Savings, the program is intentionally designed to be quick, low-friction, and accessible to small operators who may not have the bandwidth for lengthy grant applications. The application process is intentionally simple: applicants must complete a standard QEDC client intake form and submit a single-paragraph pitch describing how they would use the money by the program's deadline. Winners are selected at the sole discretion of QEDC and Maspeth Federal Savings, and applications do not guarantee funding. To qualify, applicants must be a business currently operating in Queens or with imminent plans to open in Queens. Home-based businesses run by Queens residents are eligible. Nonprofits, government entities, political organizations, and private individuals are not eligible. All applicants agree to receive communications from QEDC and Maspeth Federal Savings about this initiative and other programs, and consent to QEDC and Maspeth Federal Savings using their name, business description, and relevant imagery in marketing and communications related to the program if selected.