Maine Technology Institute - Innovation Funding

The FoundHer accelerator program focuses on Hawaii-based women entrepreneurs. Accepted participants to the six-month program will receive $20,000 grants, a $4,000 care stipend, weekly educational workshops, and monthly learning and networking retreats. Businesses must be early-stage, for-profit and at least 51% Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander-owned to qualify.

The Lifting Up Small Businesses in Lubbock Grant provides Lubbock, Texas small businesses with $5,000 grants, with 25 businesses selected to receive funding per cycle. Administered through a partnership between Optimum Business and the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce, the program is designed to directly support local small businesses, strengthen the Lubbock business community, and foster broader economic growth across the city. Beyond the cash grant, grant recipients who are not current Lubbock Chamber of Commerce members receive a free one-year chamber membership (with the option to renew), while non-selected applicants receive a free six-month chamber membership. As part of the application, business owners must describe how the grant funding would help their business expand while also making a positive impact on the community where they operate. To qualify, applicants must operate a business with a brick-and-mortar location in Lubbock within one of the following eligible zip codes (79401, 79403, 79404, 79407, 79409, 79410, 79411, 79412, 79413, 79414, 79415, 79416, 79423, or 79424), employ 25 or fewer full-time employees, and be willing to participate in promotional materials for the grant program. Lubbock Chamber of Commerce membership and Optimum Business customer status are not considered in the evaluation.

The Graduated Lab Space Incentive Program supports Delaware companies that need more lab space to operate and innovate. Businesses can apply for a grant that covers up to one-third of the fit-out or building costs for a new lab space; the maximum grant amount is $70 per square foot for up to 50,000 square feet.

Experiential learning opportunities, including internships, are a key method for students to explore career possibilities, gain hands-on experience and meet people in industry in their field of study. For the company, it is a critical workforce development tool. The Innovate Rhode Island Small Business Fund (IRISBF) Internship Grant Program provides grants of up to $6,500 to assist companies in the life sciences and engineering sectors defray the costs of providing student internships and mentoring to eligible Rhode Island residents attending a college or university in Rhode Island.

The Seattle Back to Business Program provides Seattle small businesses with reimbursement grants to recover from vandalism and property damage and to invest in preventive security measures. Administered by the Seattle Office of Economic Development (OED) , the program builds on the original Storefront Repair Fund (which ran from 2022 to 2024) and consolidates two. The first grant pathway is the Storefront Repair Fund, which reimburses up to $3,000 per incident for the cost of repairing storefront property damage such as broken doors, locks, fences, gates, signs, and windows; businesses may apply for up to three separate incidents that occurred on or after July 1, 2024. The second is the Storefront Security Fund, which provides a one-time reimbursement of up to $6,000 to fund preventive security improvements such as window or door reinforcement, locks, signs, security window film, and shatterproof glass; applicants must first complete a Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) security assessment with a certified expert, and only purchases made after that assessment qualify. Both grants operate as reimbursements, meaning eligible expenses must be paid before applying. To qualify, businesses must be independently owned and non-chain, located within Seattle city limits, have no more than 50 full-time equivalent employees and no more than three locations, generate between $1,000 and $7 million in annual net revenue, and have been in operation for at least 12 months. Priority is given to small businesses owned by people of color, women-owned businesses, and businesses located in highly distressed census tracts. Graffiti removal, security cameras, and loss of stolen goods are not eligible expenses under either fund.