The Best Business Grants in New Hampshire
June 12, 2026
Updated:
Securing capital is often the biggest hurdle for any founder. While loans and credit cards are common, they come with the weight of repayment and interest. Grants are the ideal alternative because they generally don't have to be paid back. However, there is a catch: grants are highly competitive and can be very difficult to find. We've built this guide to help you understand the grant landscape in New Hampshire.
New Hampshire's business grant ecosystem is concentrated in Manchester and with a few additional opportunities sponsored by a network of nonprofit economic development organizations rather than state agencies. The Regional Economic Development Center (REDC) runs two distinct programs in Manchester, including dedicated grants for childcare businesses and a small equipment grant for businesses with five or fewer employees, while the Manchester Development Corporation administers the Enhance MHT grant for streetscape and facade improvements. New Hampshire Employment Security rounds out the state-level activity with WorkInvestNH, a matching grant of up to $70,000 supporting on-site job training programs. Award sizes range from $500 beautification grants up to $70,000 for major workforce training projects, with most programs operating on rolling deadlines.
New Hampshire businesses with international expansion goals should also explore the State Trade Expansion Program (STEP), the state-administered version of the federal STEP grant program. Administered by the New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs, STEP supports export development activities like trade missions, international marketing, and translation services for New Hampshire-based small businesses pursuing overseas markets. STEP is one of the more meaningful funding options available to New Hampshire businesses outside the dedicated state and local programs. For more information and details on where to apply, check out our grant page for the State Trade Expansion Program.
While New Hampshire's state and local grant landscape is more limited than some larger states, New Hampshire businesses are eligible for hundreds of national grant programs from federal agencies, corporations, and foundations that often offer larger award sizes and broader eligibility. Those programs aren't covered on this page, but you can search our complete grant database to see every state and national grant your business qualifies for. You can also join our free weekly newsletter to get new New Hampshire grants delivered to your inbox as soon as they open.
NEW HAMPSHIRE GRANTS
C-DEE Grant Program
NH Community Loan Fund
The C-DEE Grant provides capacity-building funding for New Hampshire entrepreneurs to help their businesses become financially resilient and self-sufficient.
Any entrepreneur with a company registered and in good standing with the State of New Hampshire may apply for up to $5,000. The funding can be used for computer hardware and software, and marketing including web design.
$ GRANT AMOUNT
$5,000
WorkInvestNH
New Hampshire Employment Security
WorkInvestNH is a job training grant available to businesses in or willing to relocate to New Hampshire that provide comprehensive job training for their workers. Eligible companies can receive matching funds (up to $70,000) to cover on-site training, basic skills training, technical skills training, quality improvements and safety training, management and supervision training, and English as a second language training.
$ GRANT AMOUNT
$70,000
Enhance MHT
Manchester Development Corporation
The MDC is offering a $500 Enhance MHT Grant to Manchester, NH businesses and landlords for improvements to streetscape, outdoor seating, restaurant barriers, façade improvement, window display, signage, or other related beautification efforts.
$ GRANT AMOUNT
$500
Manchester Childcare Grants
Regional Economic Development Center
Do you own a child care center business in Manchester that could use grant funds and business counseling to develop your business? With funding from the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, REDC has available, on a limited basis, grants for child care businesses that are:
-based in Manchester, NH,
-for-profit,
-and that need working capital, equipment, and supplies.
The grant range is $5,000 to $10,000. Grant funding is limited and not guaranteed.
$ GRANT AMOUNT
$10,000
Don't stop at state-level funding
Most business grants aren't geographic, they're tied to your industry, your stage, or your team. Our database tracks 500+ programs across every category, and our free newsletter delivers new grants to your inbox each week.