Small Business Grants in Arkansas
In Arkansas, small business funding is handled mainly by the Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC) and its Division of Science and Technology. The mix matters here.
Which Arkansas grants fit your business?
Answer 7 quick questions and we sort the 11 programs on this page into likely fits and long shots. Nothing personal is asked or stored, and final eligibility is always decided by the granting agency.
Arkansas Small Business Grant Programs
State-administered funding programs available to Arkansas small businesses. Verify deadlines directly with the granting agency before applying.
Arkansas SBIR Matching Grant Program
AEDC Division of Science and Technology
Up to $50,000 (Phase I) or $100,000 (Phase II)
RollingProvides discretionary matching grants of up to 50% of federal SBIR Phase I and Phase II awards to eligible Arkansas technology businesses. You must first secure a federal SBIR award to qualify.
Status check, Program provides matching grants up to 50% of federal SBIR awards. Applicants must have been awarded a federal SBIR award to be eligible. Disbursements made on reimbursable basis.
Last verified, Aug 3, 2026
Office of Skills Development (OSD) Training Grants
Arkansas Office of Skills Development
Varies (reimburses 50%–75% of training costs)
RollingOSD funds workforce development through several grant types including Grow Our Own (for businesses with 250 or fewer employees), Customized Technical, Professional Development, and Skills Gap grants. Reimbursement covers up to 75% of eligible training expenses.
Status check, Page confirms OSD Training Grants are available for Arkansas businesses. Application information and guidelines are accessible online. No specific deadline mentioned, consistent with rolling basis.
Apply / Learn MoreLast verified, Aug 3, 2026
Arkansas Business and Technology Accelerator Grant Program
AEDC Division of Science and Technology
Up to $250,000
RollingA discretionary grant for organizations that sponsor full-time, immersive accelerator programs to mentor start-up companies. Applicants must be registered with the Arkansas Secretary of State and involved in targeted sectors such as manufacturing, software, biotech, or agriculture.
Status check, The program is active, with AEDC awarding $2M to 12 accelerator programs in December 2025. The official AEDC page remains live. No fixed deadline found; review is rolling and tied to Board meeting cycles.
Last verified, Jul 29, 2026
Technology Development Program (TDP)
AEDC Division of Science and Technology
Up to $100,000
RollingProvides royalty financing for qualified science and technology projects with economic and employment growth potential in Arkansas. The program has been used to bridge SBIR Phase I and II funding gaps, create prototypes, and validate university technology.
Status check, Page describes TDP as providing royalty financing up to $100,000 for qualified science and technology projects. No deadline specified, appears to be an ongoing program.
Last verified, Aug 3, 2026
Technology Transfer Assistance Grant (TTAG) Program
AEDC Division of Science and Technology
Up to $5,000 (matching)
RollingA matching grant that supports the transfer and deployment of innovative technology to Arkansas-based enterprises. AEDC funds up to $3,750 per project, with costs shared between AEDC and the business. Each enterprise may receive assistance for two projects per state fiscal year.
Status check, Page describes TTAG as a matching grant program with AEDC funding up to $3,750 of costs, with up to $5,000 total project costs considered. No deadline specified, appears to be ongoing competitive evaluation.
Last verified, Aug 5, 2026
Community Assistance Grant Program (CAGP)
Arkansas Economic Development Commission
Up to $1,500,000 per project
Deadline Aug 15, 2026Provides grant funds to cities, counties, and nonprofit organizations for community and economic development projects that reduce poverty, promote self-sufficiency, and revitalize communities. Requires a flexible 20% match from the applicant.
Status check, Application period closes August 15, 2026. Applications accepted starting July 1, 2026. Notice of award expected Fall or Winter 2026.
Last verified, Aug 6, 2026
Applied Research Grant Program
AEDC Division of Science and Technology
Up to 50%–66% of project costs (matching)
RollingProvides matching grant funds to create applied research partnerships between private industry and Arkansas colleges and universities. AEDC may fund up to 66% of costs if the participating business is principally located in Arkansas.
Status check, The Applied Research Grant Program is absent from AEDC's current Science and Technology commercialization page, which lists other active programs instead. No explicit closure notice exists, and no deadline is posted, making status unclear.
Last verified, Jul 29, 2026
Federal Grant Programs
These federal programs are available to small businesses in every state.
SBA 7(a) Loan Program
The SBA's primary lending program guarantees loans through participating lenders. This is a loan, not a grant. But the terms favor small businesses that may not qualify for conventional financing.
Status check, This is a loan program, not a grant. The 7(a) Loan Program provides loan guarantees to lenders for small business loans up to $5 million. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis through participating SBA lenders.
Learn moreLast verified, Aug 3, 2026
SBA Microloan Program
Loans up to $50,000, not grants. You borrow from a nonprofit lender near you, not from the SBA itself. The money can cover working capital, inventory, supplies or equipment. Most people get far less than the cap. The average microloan is about $13,000.
Status check, Verified July 30, 2026 at sba.gov. Rates run 8 to 13 percent. The longest term allowed is seven years. Your lender sets both, not the SBA, so two owners can be quoted very different deals. There is no deadline. You apply through an SBA approved lender in your area.
Learn moreLast verified, Jul 30, 2026
SBIR/STTR Grants
Competitive federal grants for small businesses doing research and development with commercial potential. Eleven federal agencies take part. Phase I funds proof of concept. Phase II funds full development.
Status check, Verified July 30, 2026 at sbir.gov. Two different figures get quoted for this program and both are real. As of April 2026 an agency may award up to $323,090 at Phase I and up to $2,153,927 at Phase II without SBA approval, and anything above that needs a waiver. Those are ceilings, not typical awards. Each agency sets its own amounts in its own solicitation, and the sbir.gov agency table currently runs from $50,000 to $300,000 at Phase I and $400,000 to $1.83 million at Phase II. There is no single deadline. You apply through a participating agency.
Learn moreLast verified, Jul 30, 2026
Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) Programs
Help for minority owned businesses that need capital, contracts or new markets. MBDA runs business centers around the country. They give advice, help with bids, and point you toward lenders.
Status check, The business centers still run. The grants are a different story. Those windows are short, and they fund groups rather than single businesses. The last one we could find closed in February 2025. We found no open MBDA grant that a small business can apply for today.
View program pageLast verified, Jul 29, 2026
Get Grant-Ready
Before you apply, most Arkansas grant programs expect these basics to be in place.
Form your business entity
Most Arkansas grant programs require applicants to be a registered LLC, corporation, or nonprofit. If you haven't formed yet, that's the first step.
$39 + state fee. Includes registered agent, business address, and more.
Get your EIN
An Employer Identification Number is free from the IRS and required on nearly every grant application. You can apply online and receive it immediately.
Open a business bank account
Grant funds need to go into a dedicated business account, not your personal checking. Most agencies will ask for your banking details on the application.
Mercury is a fintech company, not an FDIC-insured bank. Banking services provided through Choice Financial Group and Column N.A., Members FDIC.
Grants by Business Type
Targeted programs for specific business owners in Arkansas.
Technology/Innovation Business Grants
Arkansas offers the strongest grant support for technology and innovation-focused businesses. The SBIR Matching Grant provides up to $100,000 in state matching funds, the Business and Technology Accelerator Grant offers up to $250,000, and the Technology Development Program provides up to $100,000 in royalty financing.
- ›SBIR Matching Grant Program
- ›Business and Technology Accelerator Grant
- ›Technology Development Program
- ›AEDC Division of Science and Technology
Rural Business Grants
Rural Arkansas communities benefit from several AEDC programs including the Community Assistance Grant Program (up to $1.5M), Rural Community Grant Program, and Rural Services Block Grants. Federal USDA Rural Business Development Grants fund rural projects, but not for profit businesses. Towns, tribes and non profits are the applicants there, not you.
- ›Community Assistance Grant Program
- ›AEDC Division of Rural Services
Women-owned Business Grants
Women entrepreneurs in Arkansas can access the ASBTDC Lab2Launch Accelerator, which prioritizes outreach to woman-owned businesses for SBIR/STTR funding. National programs like the Amber Grant also provide monthly grants of $10,000 to women-owned businesses.
- ›ASBTDC Lab2Launch Accelerator
- ›Amber Grants for Women
Tips for Applying in Arkansas
Increase your chances of approval with these state-specific tips.
- 1Register your business with the Arkansas Secretary of State before applying to AEDC programs. Good standing with the Secretary of State is a requirement for the Business and Technology Accelerator Grant and other AEDC programs.
- 2For SBIR-related state grants, you must first secure a federal SBIR award before applying for the Arkansas SBIR Matching Grant. Contact the ASBTDC for free proposal preparation assistance through the Lab2Launch Accelerator.
- 3Contact AEDC directly at 501-682-7329 to confirm current program availability and deadlines before investing time in your application. Many AEDC grants are discretionary and subject to funding availability.
- 4Prepare a detailed budget and project plan showing progression from concept to commercialization. Programs like the Technology Development Program require a well-defined plan from idea to prototype to production.
- 5For OSD Training Grants, work with your local community college or workforce center on the grant-writing and reimbursement process. OSD requires documentation of training expenses for reimbursement.
State Economic Development Agency
Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC)
AEDC is a division of the Arkansas Department of Commerce that creates economic opportunities by attracting higher-paying jobs, supporting business expansion, and administering grant and incentive programs for small businesses statewide.
Funding While You Wait
Grant applications in Arkansas can take weeks or months to process. These options can bridge the gap.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Arkansas offers several true grant programs that do not require repayment. The AEDC Division of Science and Technology administers the SBIR Matching Grant Program (up to $100,000), the Business and Technology Accelerator Grant (up to $250,000), and the Technology Transfer Assistance Grant (up to $5,000). The Office of Skills Development also provides training grants that reimburse up to 75% of eligible workforce training costs. These are distinct from loan programs offered by the SBA.
The most accessible grant for Arkansas small businesses is the Office of Skills Development (OSD) Training Grant, which funds workforce development across all industry sectors. For technology-focused businesses, the SBIR Matching Grant Program is the most impactful, providing state matching funds of up to $50,000 for Phase I and $100,000 for Phase II to businesses that have secured federal SBIR awards.
No. Most Arkansas state grant programs administered by AEDC do not require minority or women-owned business certification. Eligibility is typically based on your business sector (such as technology, manufacturing, or agriculture) and registration status with the Arkansas Secretary of State. However, the ASBTDC's federally funded FAST program does prioritize outreach to woman-owned, rural-based, and socially or economically disadvantaged small businesses for SBIR/STTR assistance.
Timelines vary by program. AEDC discretionary grants such as the Business and Technology Accelerator Grant go through a multi-step review by the Division of Science and Technology and the AEDC Executive Director, which can take several weeks to months. SBIR Matching Grants require you to first obtain a federal SBIR award, which itself takes 6 to 12 months. OSD Training Grants operate on a reimbursement basis, so funds are disbursed after you complete and document eligible training expenses.
About the Author
Senior Finance & Banking Editor
Richard is the veteran anchor of the site's financial content. Raised in the Midwest and starting his career in Chicago's commercial banking sector, he spent over a decade underwriting small business loans before moving into financial journalism. He doesn't get swept up in startup hype; he cares about unit economics, APYs, and fee structures.
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Grant programs change frequently. Deadlines, eligibility requirements, and funding amounts listed here may be outdated. Always verify information directly with the granting agency before applying. This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or legal advice.
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