Small Business Grants in Hawaii
No Hawaii state grant is taking applications today. A business can win two of them and both are shut.
No Hawaii state grant is taking applications today. A business can win two of them and both are shut. HSBIR matches a federal research award, and the state tech agency HTDC says its 2026 round is closed and the next one opens this fall with no date set. MAP pays a maker back for a fifth of what it spends, up to $100,000, and its 2026 round is closed with no new one named. What is open is free help, not cash. HI-CAP buys you legal, accounting and money advice. HiSTEP export registration is open and costs nothing. Do one thing now. Register with Hawaii Compliance Express. It takes three to four weeks and both grants need it.
Which Hawaii 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.
Hawaii Small Business Grant Programs
State-administered funding programs available to Hawaii small businesses. Verify deadlines directly with the granting agency before applying.
Community-Based Economic Development (CBED) Loan Program
Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT)
Loans of $50,000 to $125,000
RollingThis is a loan program, not a grant. CBED lends $50,000 to $125,000 to Hawaii small businesses that support economic development in their communities, with a focus on agriculture, food production, manufacturing and wholesaling. Terms run up to 10 years at 4 to 8 percent interest. You must have traded for at least two years and show a turn down from one financial institution.
Apply / Learn MoreOffice of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) Grants Program
Office of Hawaiian Affairs
Varies
RollingSupports Hawaii-based nonprofit organizations with projects that serve Native Hawaiian communities. Applicants must be registered to do business in Hawaii and hold a current Certificate of Vendor Compliance from Hawaii Compliance Express.
Innovate Hawaii (Manufacturing Extension Partnership)
Hawaii Technology Development Corporation (HTDC)
Varies
RollingHTDC's manufacturing help service, and the state's NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership centre. It is advice and training, not a grant. It covers food safety, lean process work, equipment and automation scaling, audit prep and e-commerce, and it administers the MAP and HSBIR grants. Federal funding was cut in April 2025 and restored only to September 2025, so HTDC says the team is taking short projects only, subject to staffing. Contact [email protected].
Apply / Learn MoreHI-CAP Technical Assistance Program (SSBCI)
Hawaii Technology Development Corporation (HTDC)
Varies
RollingFunded by the U.S. Treasury through the State Small Business Credit Initiative, this program provides free legal, accounting, and financial advisory services to very small businesses (10 employees or fewer) and socially and economically disadvantaged business owners.
Apply / Learn MoreHawaii Small Business Innovation Research Program (HSBIR)
Hawaii Technology Development Corporation (HTDC)
$3,000–$500,000
Provides matching grants to Hawaii-based companies that receive federal SBIR awards. Phase I matching grants cover up to 50% of the federal award (up to $75,000), while Phase II/III awards provide up to $500,000. A Phase 0 Grant of up to $3,000 is available to help first-time applicants prepare competitive proposals.
Manufacturing Assistance Program (MAP) Grant
Hawaii Technology Development Corporation (HTDC)
$1,500–$100,000
Offers Hawaii-based manufacturers up to a 20% reimbursement on qualified expenses including equipment purchases, workforce training, energy efficiency projects, and feasibility studies. The Hawaii State Legislature allocated $1 million for this program in fiscal year 2026.
View program pageHawaii State Trade Expansion Program (HiSTEP)
Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT)
Varies
Funded by the U.S. SBA, HiSTEP provides export development support including training, counseling, trade show participation, and direct financial assistance to help Hawaii small businesses enter and expand into international markets. The program has generated an estimated $258 million in economic impact since its inception.
View program pageFederal 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.
Learn moreSBA 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.
Learn moreSBIR/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.
Learn moreMinority 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.
Learn moreGet Grant-Ready
Before you apply, most Hawaii grant programs expect these basics to be in place.
Form your business entity
Most Hawaii 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 Hawaii.
Technology/Innovation Business Grants
HSBIR is the only state grant for tech here and it is shut until the fall. It pays half of a Phase I federal award, up to $75,000, and $3,000 to help you write a first bid. You need a live SBIR or STTR award from the past 12 months, so it follows federal money rather than starting you off.
- ›Hawaii Small Business Innovation Research Program (HSBIR)
- ›Hawaii Technology Development Corporation (HTDC)
Minority-owned Business Grants
The Office of Hawaiian Affairs funds nonprofits, not businesses. Its open money is a repair grant of up to $10,000 for Native Hawaiian homeowners hit by the March 2026 storms. HI-CAP is the business route. It buys free legal, accounting and money advice, and gives priority to owners the Treasury counts as disadvantaged.
- ›Office of Hawaiian Affairs Grants Program
- ›HI-CAP Technical Assistance Program
Women-owned Business Grants
Neither state grant is aimed at women owners. The Hawaii Small Business Development Center advises free of charge on every island. The Patsy Mink Center helps with starting and growing a business. Both are advice, not cash.
- ›Hawaii SBDC
- ›Patsy Mink Center
Veteran-owned Business Grants
Neither state grant is aimed at veterans either. The Veterans Business Outreach Center advises free of charge, and the SBA Hawaii District Office points you at federal money.
- ›Veterans Business Outreach Center
- ›SBA Hawaii District Office
Rural Business Grants
Neighbor island communities sit inside the USDA rural area, but the Rural Business Development Grant will not take a for profit applicant, so you reach it through a county or a nonprofit. CBED lends $50,000 to $125,000 and favours farming, food, making and wholesaling. It is a loan, not a grant.
- ›CBED Program
Tips for Applying in Hawaii
Increase your chances of approval with these state-specific tips.
- 1Register with Hawaii Compliance Express first. Both state grants want a current Certificate of Vendor Compliance and it takes three to four weeks. Do it while the windows are shut.
- 2Be registered to do business in Hawaii and current on state and federal tax. HTDC and DBEDT check both before anything else.
- 3For MAP, your line of business code has to start with 31, 32 or 33. You also need a Dun and Bradstreet number before any money is paid.
- 4For HSBIR you need a federal SBIR or STTR award from the past 12 months. First time and neighbor island bids get priority, as do ocean, space, energy and health projects.
- 5Watch for the reopen. HTDC says HSBIR Phase 0 and Phase I return in the fall of 2026 and has not set a date. Its newsletter is where the date lands.
State Economic Development Agency
Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT)
DBEDT runs the state's business support work. Its own money is the CBED loan fund, which lends $50,000 to $125,000. It also runs HiSTEP for exporters and the enterprise and opportunity zone programmes.
Funding While You Wait
Grant applications in Hawaii can take weeks or months to process. These options can bridge the gap.
Grants in Other States
All state grant guidesFrequently Asked Questions
No. The state runs two grants a business can win and both are closed. HSBIR closed its 2026 round and HTDC says Phase 0 and Phase I open again in the fall of 2026, with no date set. MAP closed its 2026 round, told applicants awards were due in May 2026, and has not named a new one. The counter above reads zero open grants for that reason.
No. It is a loan. DBEDT says CBED lends a small business $50,000 to $125,000, over up to ten years at 4 to 8 percent. It favours farming, food, making and wholesaling. You need two years of trading and a turn down from one bank. This page used to call it a grant and that was wrong.
Free help rather than cash. HI-CAP pays for legal, accounting and money advice through four partners, the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii, the Small Business Development Center, the City and County of Honolulu and Spire Hawaii. HiSTEP export registration is open and free, though its Company Assistance money is on hold until the SBA awards the state a new grant. Innovate Hawaii still takes short projects from makers.
Only a company that already holds a federal SBIR or STTR award from the past 12 months. Phase I pays half of that award, up to $75,000. Phase 0 pays up to $3,000 to help you write a first bid. You must be registered in Hawaii, clear on Hawaii Compliance Express, and doing the work in the state.
It proves you are registered to do business in Hawaii and current on state and federal tax. You get it from Hawaii Compliance Express and it takes three to four weeks. It is the most common reason a Hawaii application misses a deadline. Register now and keep it current, so a window that opens with six weeks of notice is one you can meet.
Usually yes. The IRS says a government grant to a business generally is not excluded from gross income, so it is taxable. MAP pays you back for costs you have already met, and those costs are often deductible, so the two can cancel out. That is not a rule, so ask your accountant. A CBED loan is different. Borrowed money is not income when you take it.
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.
Questions about Hawaii small business grants
2 comments
Leilani K.
August 29, 2026
Every programme here seems to want a Certificate of Vendor Compliance. Is that something you sort out once you are selected, or before you can even apply?
Richard MooreStartupOwl team
Senior Finance & Banking Editor · August 30, 2026
Before you apply, and it is the most common reason a Hawaii application misses a deadline. Registration runs through Hawaii Compliance Express, and it checks that your business is registered to do business in the state and current on state and federal taxes. Allow three to four weeks. It is not instant, and it tends to surface a lapsed filing or an unpaid balance you had forgotten about. Most DBEDT and HTDC programmes, including MAP and HSBIR, will not take an application without a current certificate. So the practical move is to register now, whether or not a window is open, and keep the certificate current. Then a deadline that appears with six weeks of notice is one you can actually meet.
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