Grants for Small Businesses

State Water Resources Control Board · $1–$1M

This California Orphan Site Cleanup Fund grant is limited to current property owners of eligible sites with unauthorized petroleum underground storage tank (UST) releases, covering assessment, investigation, and cleanup costs up to $1,000,000 per site. It is not open to nonprofits or the general public — only businesses and individuals who currently own the affected property qualify.

National Institutes of Health · Amount varies

This is a forecasted NIH opportunity to develop candidate medical countermeasures and technologies against chemical or radiation/nuclear threats. It is not yet open, and eligibility, budget, and deadline have not been posted. NIH medical-countermeasure research awards generally go to universities, research institutions, and companies with relevant scientific capacity, so this is aimed at the research and development community.

National Institutes of Health · Amount varies

This forecasted NIH IGNITE opportunity funds early translational research for assay development and identification of candidate therapeutic agents, supporting the earliest stage of drug discovery. Eligibility, award amounts, and deadlines are not yet published; these awards generally support universities, research institutions, and small businesses doing therapeutic discovery. Review the official notice of funding opportunity when released to confirm eligibility and terms.

U.S. National Science Foundation · Amount varies

This NSF program funds foundational robotics research and is explicitly open to any type of entity, though proposals must clearly justify the research as centered on robots and address fundamental gaps in robotics science rather than routine engineering. No specific award amount or deadline is listed. Best suited to researchers and research institutions rather than general nonprofits or businesses, despite the broad formal eligibility language.

Natural Resources · $20K–$6M

Government agencies, educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, and for-profit businesses can apply for this Illinois Natural Resources grant funding invasive carp management and control in Illinois waterways, supporting Great Lakes restoration priorities. Awards range from $20,000 to $6,000,000.

National Institutes of Health · Amount varies

This forecasted NIH IGNITE opportunity supports early translational research to characterize therapeutic agents and conduct preclinical efficacy studies, helping move candidate treatments toward development. Eligibility, award amounts, and deadlines are not yet announced; these awards typically support universities, research institutions, and small businesses engaged in therapeutic development. Check the official notice of funding opportunity for eligibility and application details before applying.

Natural Resources · $20K–$6M

Government agencies, educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, and for-profit businesses can apply for this Illinois Natural Resources grant funding invasive carp management and control in Illinois waterways, supporting Great Lakes restoration priorities. Awards range from $20,000 to $6,000,000.

Natural Resources · $50K–$500K

This Illinois Department of Natural Resources program funds government agencies, educational institutions, nonprofits, and for-profit organizations to protect and restore habitat and species within the Great Lakes Basin, with awards from $50,000 to $500,000. Eligibility is broad, covering most organization types with a Great Lakes conservation project. No application deadline is listed.

U.S. National Science Foundation · Amount varies

Eligibility is unrestricted (open to any entity type, subject to NSF clarifications) for this National Science Foundation Dynamics, Control and Systems Diagnostics program. It supports fundamental theoretical, computational, and experimental research on modeling, analysis, diagnostics, and control of dynamic systems. No fixed award amount or deadline is listed; PIs are encouraged to email a one-page project summary for feedback, and standard NSF limits on foreign organizations apply, so awards generally go to U.S. institutions.

Idaho Field Office · Amount varies

This is a Request for Information (not a funded opportunity) from the DOE Idaho Field Office, seeking input from universities, national labs, industry, nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status), and small businesses on future nuclear energy research priorities, submitted via NEUP.gov. There is no monetary award tied to this notice. For-profit organizations other than small businesses are not eligible to respond as such.

U.S. National Science Foundation · Amount varies

Eligibility is unrestricted (open to any entity type, subject to NSF clarifications) for this National Science Foundation Communications, Circuits, and Sensing-Systems program. It funds innovative research in circuit and system hardware, signal processing, communications, and sensing systems across applications such as healthcare, communications, transportation, energy, and security. No fixed award amount or deadline is stated, and standard NSF limits on foreign organizations apply, so awards typically go to U.S. institutions.

U.S. National Science Foundation · Amount varies

Eligibility is unrestricted (open to any entity type, subject to NSF clarifications), but this National Science Foundation program funds crosscutting materials-research activities such as diversity and inclusion efforts, international cooperation, education, workshops, summer schools, and conferences rather than traditional research projects. Award amounts and deadlines are not specified, and program directors recommend contacting them before submitting any full proposal exceeding $50,000. Foreign organizations face the usual NSF limitations, so most awards go to U.S. institutions.

Natural Resources · $5K–$150K

This Illinois Department of Natural Resources program (FY25) provides technical and financial assistance to government agencies, educational institutions, nonprofits, and for-profit organizations for projects that protect and restore habitat and species in the Great Lakes Basin, with awards from $5,000 to $150,000. Eligibility is broad, covering most organization types. No application deadline is listed.

Natural Resources · $5K–$150K

Government agencies, educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, and for-profit businesses can apply for this Illinois Natural Resources grant funding Great Lakes habitat and species protection, restoration, and management priorities under the Aquatic Nuisance Species Comprehensive Management Plan. Awards range from $5,000 to $150,000.

State Water Resources Control Board · Amount varies

A low-interest loan program (not a grant) for California small businesses (fewer than 500 employees) that own or operate underground storage tanks needing upgrades, removal, or replacement to meet state and federal standards. Loans range from $10,000 to $750,000 over 10- or 20-year terms, secured by business assets or real estate, with a 2% loan fee due at closing. Applicants must demonstrate ability to repay and provide adequate collateral.

Administration for Community Living · Amount varies

This forecasted SBIR Phase II opportunity from the HHS Administration for Community Living supports small businesses advancing innovations relevant to community living and people with disabilities or older adults. SBIR awards are limited to eligible U.S. small for-profit businesses, and Phase II normally requires a prior Phase I award. Formal eligibility, funding amounts, and deadlines are not yet posted; confirm prior-award and size requirements when the announcement is released.

National Institutes of Health · Amount varies

This NIH forecast announces a planned SBIR Phase IIB Bridge Award opportunity to help small businesses accelerate cancer-relevant technologies toward commercialization. It is restricted to small businesses conducting SBIR-eligible cancer research; other applicant types are not eligible. As a forecast only, specific funding amounts and deadlines are not yet published.

Natural Resources · $30K–$3M

Government agencies, educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, and for-profit businesses can apply for this Illinois Natural Resources grant, which funds fish and wildlife management activities supporting Asian carp control in the Ohio River Basin. Awards range from $30,000 to $3,000,000.

Department of Fish and Wildlife · Amount varies

Open to a broad range of applicants in California, including businesses, individuals, nonprofits, other legal entities, public agencies, and tribal governments, but specifically for livestock producers seeking compensation for confirmed or probable wolf depredation losses. No set award amount or deadline is listed; compensation is determined case-by-case following a CDFW investigation of each incident. Not a general grant program — it only applies to documented wolf-livestock conflict losses in California.

CA Energy Commission · Amount varies

Open to businesses, individuals, nonprofits, public agencies, and tribal governments, but only to applicants who have already received (or are applying for) an eligible federal clean energy funding opportunity or qualifying DOE follow-on funding — this program provides matching cost-share funds, not standalone project grants. Retroactive cost share for already-received federal awards is not eligible. No set award amount or deadline is listed; eligibility depends on holding or pursuing a specific federal award first.