New business owners often ask if they can get a grant to fund their startup. Money is never free, but a few available business grants only require the time it takes to fill out an application.
For a new business, time is precious, and it may be better spent on bootstrap marketing and getting the business up and running. That can be especially true with national business grant programs, which are typically highly competitive, with low odds of winning the prize.
Business grants offered by New Mexico-based entities are less competitive and easier to access than national business grants. These include the New Mexico Small Business Assistance Program that offers valuable assistance from New Mexico’s national laboratories rather than startup cash, and the Micro-Grant Fund (accepting applications until June 30), available to Northern New Mexico businesses by the Regional Development Corporation.
More exist! The Santa Fe Small Business Finance Fair on June 17, 2025, will focus on grant programs. Participants can learn from organizations that have grant money available for small businesses in the Santa Fe region. From SBIR grants to microgrants and industry-specific grants to regionally available grants – learn about it all. Grant-making organizations and experts will be on hand to speak one-on-one to business owners and entrepreneurs. The event is free, but participants must register ahead of time.
Below are a few national business grant programs that often appear in funding lists.
- Verizon Digital Ready: Up to $10,000 awarded to a business each month
- Amber Grants for Women: Up to $10,000 awarded to a business each month; $25,000 annual grand prize award.
- Sky’s the Limit: Up to $2,500 awarded to a single business each month.
- Freed Fellowship: Up to $2,500 awarded to a single business each month.