Small Business Grants in Pennsylvania
Most Pennsylvania grant money is closed right now. Two programs are open.
Most Pennsylvania grant money is closed right now. Two programs are open. The Global Access Program pays back 75 percent of export costs, up to $10,000 a year. WEDnetPA pays up to $2,000 to train each worker, and no more than $50,000 per firm. Its 2026-2027 round opened on August 1. The state's best known grant is the Small Business Advantage Grant, worth up to $12,000 for energy work. It closed in March. It has not reopened. Check each deadline with the agency.
Which Pennsylvania 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.
Pennsylvania Small Business Grant Programs
State-administered funding programs available to Pennsylvania small businesses. Verify deadlines directly with the granting agency before applying.
Global Access Program (GAP)
PA DCED Office of International Business Development
Up to $10,000
Rolling. Applications go to a Regional Export Network partner before the activity takes placeReimburses up to 75% of eligible export promotion expenses for small to mid-sized Pennsylvania companies. Eligible costs include trade show participation, foreign market sales trips, translation services, and digital marketing with an international focus.
Apply / Learn MoreWEDnetPA Workforce Training Grant
PA DCED
Up to $2,000 per employee ($50,000 max per company)
Accepting 2026-27 applications since August 1, 2026. No closing date publishedTraining money for Pennsylvania firms in five sectors, manufacturing, life sciences, energy, agriculture, and robotics and technology. A shop or a law firm does not qualify. You pick the training, the method and the trainer, and you may use your own staff to teach. You pay first and claim the cost back once the training is done.
Apply / Learn MorePA SITES Program
PA DCED
Up to $250,000 (planning) or no cap (construction)
Rolling through the Enterprise eGrants System, no round dates publishedA $400 million program providing grants and loans to develop competitive sites for businesses to relocate or expand within Pennsylvania. Covers property acquisition, demolition, rehabilitation, and infrastructure development costs.
Apply / Learn MoreBen Franklin Technology Partners
PA DCED / Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority
Varies (seed and early-stage investments)
RollingPennsylvania's flagship innovation program providing seed capital, business mentoring, and technical expertise to technology-based startups and small manufacturers through four regional centers across the state.
PA State Small Business Credit Initiative (PA-SSBCI)
PA DCED
$5,000 - $100,000 (revolving loans)
Businesses apply through a local economic development organisation, not to DCED. The 2022 window shown on the DCED page was for those organisations, not for businessesA $246.8 million federally funded initiative providing loans and equity investments to small businesses through local economic development partners. Note: this is a loan and investment program, not a grant.
Apply / Learn MoreSmall Business Advantage Grant
PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)
$7,500 - $12,000
Deadline Mar 13, 2026Shut, and overdue to reopen by its own pattern. When it runs, this is a reimbursement grant for Pennsylvania small businesses with 100 or fewer employees investing in energy efficiency, pollution prevention or natural resource protection, covering 50 to 80 percent of eligible project costs, with the maximum rising from $7,500 to $12,000 depending on the environmental impact and on whether the site sits in an Environmental Justice Area. The 2025-26 round opened on August 1, 2025 and closed on March 13, 2026, and DEP has published nothing for 2026-27. It is worth checking the DEP page monthly rather than waiting, because the last round opened at the start of August and awards go first come, first served.
View program pageHistorically Disadvantaged Business Assistance (HDBA) Grant Program
PA DCED / PA CDFI Network
Micro-grants from a $15M program
Deadline Feb 23, 2024A $15 million micro-grant program supporting small businesses owned by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals. Businesses must be at least 51% owned by African American, Black, Hispanic, Native American, Asian American, or Pacific Islander individuals.
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.
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 Pennsylvania grant programs expect these basics to be in place.
Form your business entity
Most Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania.
Minority-owned Business Grants
The HDBA grants were the minority door here and they have been shut since February 2024. When they ran, they backed firms at least 51 percent owned by African American, Black, Hispanic, Native American, Asian American or Pacific Islander owners. Nothing has taken their place. So the open route is the two general schemes on this page. The state still certifies diverse firms for contract work, and the PA CDFI Network lends in poorer areas.
- ›Historically Disadvantaged Business Assistance Grant Program
- ›PA CDFI Network
Women-owned Business Grants
There is no women only grant open in Pennsylvania. The HDBA micro-grants that used to serve this group closed in February 2024. The Women's Opportunities Resource Center coaches women founders, and the Pennsylvania SBDC advises across the state at no cost. Both give advice, not money. The money to chase is the two open schemes on this page.
- ›Women's Opportunities Resource Center (WORC)
- ›Pennsylvania SBDC
Technology/Innovation Business Grants
Tech startups get real backing here. Ben Franklin Technology Partners provides seed money and mentoring. It runs four regional centers across all 67 counties. The Pennsylvania SBDC adds SBIR and STTR coaching.
- ›Ben Franklin Technology Partners
- ›Pennsylvania SBDC
Rural Business Grants
Rural businesses have several paths. USDA Rural Development runs grant and loan programs statewide. The PA CDFI Network also lends through a revolving fund. It favors distressed and rural areas.
- ›USDA Rural Development PA
- ›PA CDFI Network
Tips for Applying in Pennsylvania
Increase your chances of approval with these state-specific tips.
- 1File through the state's online system at grants.pa.gov. It is called the ESA. Most DCED programs no longer take paper forms. So apply online.
- 2Call your local development agency first. It is known as a CEDO. The state partners with lenders in all 67 counties. They help you build a stronger case.
- 3WEDnetPA has strict timing rules. Training must start and finish inside the fiscal year. That runs July 1 through June 30. You can use it two years in a row. The cap is three years out of any five.
- 4Talk to your nearest Pennsylvania SBDC. The help is free and private. The network runs 15 centers and 49 outreach sites. Advisors guide planning and grant applications.
- 5For the Small Business Advantage Grant, apply early. Awards go first-come, first-served. The window closes once the money runs out.
State Economic Development Agency
Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED)
DCED fosters opportunities for Pennsylvania businesses to grow and communities to thrive by administering grants, loans, tax credits, and technical assistance programs.
Funding While You Wait
Grant applications in Pennsylvania can take weeks or months to process. These options can bridge the gap.
Grants in Other States
All state grant guidesFrequently Asked Questions
Yes, but only two are taking applications today. The Global Access Program reimburses 75 percent of export costs, up to $10,000 an award year. WEDnetPA pays up to $2,000 per employee for training, capped at $50,000 a company, and its 2026-2027 round opened on August 1. The Small Business Advantage Grant is worth up to $12,000 but closed in March 2026 and has not reopened. The HDBA program has been shut since February 2024.
The WEDnetPA Workforce Training Grant is the workhorse. It has reached more than 24,700 firms and 1.3 million workers in 28 years. It pays up to $2,000 per worker and no more than $50,000 a company. You pay the trainer first and claim it back. The catch is the sector list. Manufacturing, life sciences, energy, agriculture and robotics and technology qualify. A shop or a law firm does not.
Usually not. Most programs are open to any eligible small business. The Small Business Advantage Grant and the Global Access Program both work this way. The HDBA program was the exception, and it needed at least 51% ownership by African American, Black, Hispanic, Native American, Asian American or Pacific Islander owners, but it has been closed to applications since February 2024. The state still certifies minority, women, veteran, disabled and LGBT+ owned firms for some contracts.
It depends on the program. WEDnetPA pays businesses back within 45 days of complete paperwork. The Small Business Advantage Grant is first-come, first-served. Projects must finish inside the fiscal year. PA SITES is reviewed in rolling rounds, with awards each quarter. For most state grants, plan on 30 to 90 days from filing to a decision.
Usually yes. The IRS says a government grant to a business generally is not excluded from gross income, so it is taxable. Both open Pennsylvania schemes pay you back for money you have already spent, on exports or on training. That spending is usually deductible, so the two often cancel out. It is not a rule, so ask your accountant. Borrowed money is different, a loan 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.
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