Small Business Grants in Maine
Maine has two main funding doors. The Maine Technology Institute caps its grants at $100,000 per company. State CDBG money goes to towns, not straight to you. Read each card. It says which is which, and what is open right now.
Which Maine 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.
Maine Small Business Grant Programs
State-administered funding programs available to Maine small businesses. Verify deadlines directly with the granting agency before applying.
MTI Business Innovation Funding
Maine Technology Institute
$10,000 to $30,000 typical first award, $100,000 cumulative cap
RollingMTI's main funding door for Maine technology and science businesses. Most awards are grants. First time applicants usually get $10,000 to $30,000, and MTI caps cumulative grant funding at $100,000 per company. Loans and equity sit outside that cap. You must match the money you ask for.
MTI Seed Grant
Maine Technology Institute
Retired, see Business Innovation Funding
RetiredThis grant is gone. MTI no longer publishes a separate Seed Grant, and Business Innovation Funding replaced it as the entry point for early stage Maine companies. First awards there run $10,000 to $30,000. We left the card up so you are not left hunting for a program that moved.
CDBG Microenterprise Assistance Program
Maine DECD, Office of Community Development
Up to $50,000 per business
RollingMoney for businesses with five or fewer employees, written as a forgivable loan. It covers working capital, interior work and exterior improvements such as signage. Your town applies and decides the terms. Acquisition and residential building are not eligible.
CDBG Economic Development Program (EDP)
Maine DECD, Office of Community Development
Up to $100,000
RollingFederal block grant money that your town applies for, not you. A community can request up to $100,000 to support one named business, and the director can waive that ceiling for a big project. The money buys working capital or equipment. It cannot buy property or pay for building work.
Grow Maine: State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI)
Finance Authority of Maine (FAME)
Loans were up to $5,000,000, recycled funds only now
RollingMaine's $62 million share of a federal credit program, run by FAME through more than thirty lending partners. This is debt and equity, not grant money. Loans ran up to $5 million. Maine businesses and nonprofits under 750 employees qualify, and every SSBCI dollar has to pull in three private dollars.
Apply / Learn MoreLaunchPad Small Business Competition
Maine Community Bank (formerly Gorham Savings Bank)
$75,000 grant, plus a $15,000 second prize
Deadline Oct 20, 2026Maine Community Bank runs this contest once a year. The winner takes a $75,000 grant with no strings attached. A second prize, the Emerging Business Award, pays $15,000 in cash plus $10,000 of donated marketing and business services. Any Maine business can enter. Nonprofits cannot.
View program pageNew Ventures Maine Mini-Grants
New Ventures Maine (University of Maine at Augusta)
Up to $1,000 per region
Deadline Jan 30, 2026Marketing money for very small Maine businesses, awarded by competition each year. Awards go up to $1,000 per region. That is a regional pot, not a per applicant maximum. You need five or fewer full time staff, sales in the last twelve months, and under $150,000 of gross sales last year.
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 Maine grant programs expect these basics to be in place.
Form your business entity
Most Maine 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 Maine.
Women-owned Business Grants
New Ventures Maine runs marketing mini grants of up to $1,000 per region. The 2026 round closed on January 30. The next call opens in autumn 2026. The Women's Business Center at CEI advises for free.
- ›New Ventures Maine Marketing Mini-Grants
- ›Women's Business Center at CEI
- ›CDBG Microenterprise Assistance Program
Minority-owned Business Grants
CDBG Microenterprise gives priority to minority owned businesses. CEI's StartSmart program advises immigrant entrepreneurs. Both run through partners, not through the state. Ask your town first.
- ›CDBG Microenterprise Assistance Program
- ›CEI StartSmart Program
Veteran-owned Business Grants
CDBG Microenterprise names veteran owned microenterprises as a priority. The award is up to $50,000 per business. It is written as a forgivable loan. Your town applies, you do not.
- ›CDBG Microenterprise Assistance Program
Rural Business Grants
Maine is mostly rural. That opens the CDBG Economic Development Program, but a town has to apply for you. USDA's Rural Business Development Grant covers similar ground and bars for profit applicants outright. The Northern Border Regional Commission also funds projects in northern Maine counties.
- ›CDBG Economic Development Program
- ›Northern Border Regional Commission
Technology/Innovation Business Grants
MTI is the main door here. Business Innovation Funding is the entry point now. MTI no longer publishes a separate Seed Grant. First grants usually run $10,000 to $30,000, against a $100,000 cumulative cap. MTI also runs free SBIR and STTR application help.
- ›MTI Business Innovation Funding
- ›MTI Federal Funding Assistance for SBIR and STTR
- ›Maine Entrepreneurial Resource Corps (MERC)
Tips for Applying in Maine
Increase your chances of approval with these state-specific tips.
- 1Call the Maine SBDC at 207-780-4420 before you apply. Advising is free. An advisor can tell you which door fits and read your draft.
- 2CDBG Microenterprise money is passed through your town. Ask your town office or regional planning commission whether it holds an open CDBG award. No town award, no grant.
- 3Get a Unique Entity ID at SAM.gov first. It is free. DUNS numbers are gone, and most federal money now needs a UEI.
- 4MTI wants a matching investment. It has to at least equal what you ask for. The cash share rises with your funding level. It runs 50 percent cash up to $15,000, then 70, 80 and 100 percent as you climb toward $100,000.
- 5DECD's Business Answers line is 1-800-872-3838. Use it for licences and permits. Sorting those out early makes any application easier.
State Economic Development Agency
Maine Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD)
DECD works with statewide and local partners to enhance economic growth in Maine through grants, tax incentives, community block grants, and business development programs.
Funding While You Wait
Grant applications in Maine can take weeks or months to process. These options can bridge the gap.
Grants in Other States
All state grant guidesFrequently Asked Questions
Yes. The Maine Technology Institute makes real grants through Business Innovation Funding. First awards usually run $10,000 to $30,000, against a $100,000 cumulative cap. You have to match the money you ask for. CDBG Microenterprise is written as a forgivable loan of up to $50,000 per business, but your town applies for it. Maine Community Bank's LaunchPad hands one winner $75,000 with no strings. That round closed on August 13, 2026.
For a technology or science business it is MTI Business Innovation Funding. MTI runs it year round. There is no deadline. Most first awards land between $10,000 and $30,000. For everyone else the answer is thinner. CDBG Microenterprise pays up to $50,000 per business, but a town applies on your behalf, and each town is capped at $150,000 a year.
No certification is needed. Maine grant programs do not ask for it. CDBG Microenterprise does give priority to women, minority, veteran and low income owners, and your town decides how it weighs that. Talk to a Maine SBDC advisor before you apply. The advising is free, and an advisor will know which towns hold an open award.
It depends on the door you use. MTI reviews a funding application in about two months. Contracting and reporting follow that. LaunchPad runs on a fixed calendar. In 2026 applications closed August 13, finalists hear by September 25, and the winner is named at the live pitch on October 20.
Was this article helpful?
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.
Sources & References
- Maine Technology Institute Funding FAQs
- MTI Business Innovation Funding
- DECD CDBG Microenterprise Assistance Program
- DECD CDBG Economic Development Program
- FAME Grow Maine Small Business Loan and Capital Program
- Maine Community Bank LaunchPad Official Rules
- New Ventures Maine Marketing Mini-Grants
- Maine Small Business Development Centers (SBDC)
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