Startup grants: a database of 1,357 grants, matched to your business plan
Most grant lists are long, and most of what's on them doesn't apply to you. Cuttles keeps a curated database of 1,357 startup and small business grants in 39 countries and the EU, and matches it to your business plan: your location, industry, stage and the funding need in your budget.
Included in yearly plans, not on monthly billing or during the free trial. You apply on each funder's official page, and Cuttles takes no cut of what you win.
Coming soon
- 1,357grants a for-profit business can apply for
- 602in the US: federal, state and private
- 39 + EUcountries covered, plus EU-wide calls
- 682take applications year-round
Figures from the Cuttles databases as of 28 September 2026.
Where the grants are, and who can apply
Pick your country to see how many grants we have there, who can apply, typical amounts and a sample of real grants (names hidden). EU-wide and international programs that are also open to you are shown under your country.
🇺🇸 United States
- Grants
- 602
- Main types
- SBIR / STTR (229), grant (196), matching grant (132)
- Amounts
- Typical maximum $100k (median of 332 programs that publish one)
Who can apply: For-profit companies registered or operating in the United States. 345 of 602 are run by states or regions and only open to companies located there. 366 of 602 are limited to small businesses or SMEs. 11 only take young companies, typically under 3 years old. Most want a company that already has revenue.
🔒 Unlock with a yearly plan
All 1,357 grants and 4,196 investors, matched to your own business plan and kept up to date as programs open and close, with deadlines, reminders and tracking. Included in every yearly plan, from €8/month (Seed, €96/year).
🔒 Unlock with a yearly planIncluded in yearly plans. Not on monthly billing or during the free trial.
What counts as a startup grant
A startup or small business grant is money you don’t pay back and don’t give up shares for. That is the difference from a loan or an investment, and it’s why grants come with conditions: the funder pays for an outcome it cares about, such as new jobs in a region, research that reaches the market, exports, training or cleaner energy.
The Cuttles grants database is a curated list: it only holds programs that a for-profit startup or small business can apply for as the main applicant. Loans, loan guarantees, tax credits, equity programs and grants reserved for nonprofits, universities or local governments are left out. What’s left falls into eight types:
| Type | What it is | Grants |
|---|---|---|
| Standard grant | A fixed amount or a share of a project’s costs, paid on approval or in stages. | 637 |
| Matching grant | Covers part of a cost, often 25 to 75%. You pay the rest yourself. | 333 |
| SBIR / STTR | US federal funding for small businesses turning research into products, awarded in phases. | 230 |
| Prize competition | Cash for winning a pitch, challenge or innovation competition. | 47 |
| Voucher | A small fixed amount for a specific service, such as consulting, digital tools or export help. | 47 |
| EU open call | Money that EU-funded projects pass on to startups and SMEs through their own calls (“cascade funding”). | 23 |
| Cooperative agreement | A US federal award where the agency works closely with you on the project. | 23 |
| Rebate or incentive | A non-repayable payment after a qualifying investment, such as energy-efficient equipment. | 17 |
Where startup and small business grants come from
Very little grant money for small businesses comes from foundations or big companies. It is mostly public money, and most of it is handed out close to home:
- State and provincial governments: 599 programs, the largest group. Economic development agencies pay for hiring, training, equipment, exports and new products.
- Federal and national governments: 554, led by the US SBIR and STTR programs, Innovate UK and national innovation agencies.
- Cities, counties and regions: 107.
- The EU: 38 programs and open calls across the member states.
- Foundations (35), companies (19) and universities (5): few programs, often one round a year, and very competitive.
Amounts vary a lot. Of the 787 grants that publish a maximum amount, 150 top out at $10,000 or less, 179 at $10,000 to $50,000, 203 at $50,000 to $250,000, and 255 go higher, most of them research and development programs. A few thousand dollars toward training or equipment is far more common than a six-figure check.
Startup grants in the US
602 of our grants are in the US. They come from three places.
Federal research funding: SBIR and STTR
For science and technology companies, the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs are the biggest source of non-dilutive money in the US. We track 229 of them across the federal agencies that take part. You need to be a US for-profit small business with 500 employees or fewer, majority owned by US citizens or permanent residents, and propose research that fits an agency’s topic. They are not meant for a café or a consulting firm, and Cuttles only shows them for tech and research plans.
State grants: 319 programs in 49 states and DC
Every state except Tennessee has at least one state-run grant a small business can apply for in our database. In Tennessee we only found tax credits and reimbursements, which we leave out. Connecticut has the most (15), then Virginia (14), New Mexico (12), and Colorado, Delaware and Wisconsin (10 each). Many are matching grants for training workers, buying equipment, exporting or setting up in a particular area. Outside SBIR, the typical US grant in our database tops out at about $50,000 (the median of the 254 that publish a maximum).
Private grants
A handful of corporate and foundation grants are open most of the year, such as the Amber Grant for women-owned businesses and Verizon’s Small Business Digital Ready grants. Many well-known annual contests run one round a year. Between rounds we keep them in an archive and bring them back when applications reopen.
Why grants.gov alone won’t get you far. It lists thousands of opportunities, but most are research grants where a company is only nominally eligible. Of the opportunities we pulled from grants.gov, 23 passed our check for “a small business can realistically apply as the lead applicant”. The SBA doesn’t give grants to start or grow a business either; it points you to SBIR, STTR and partner programs.
Grants by country
Every country and region in the database, with the main grant types, typical amounts and who can apply. Outside the US, most small business grants come from regional development agencies and national innovation agencies. Loans and tax credits, a big part of support in some countries, aren’t included. Israel’s Innovation Authority, for example, funds startups with grants that are partly repaid through royalties, so they’re not in the database.
| Country | Grants | Main types | Amounts | Who can apply |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇺🇸 United States | 602 | SBIR / STTR (229), grant (196), matching grant (132) | Typical maximum $100k (median of 332 programs that publish one) | For-profit companies registered or operating in the United States. 345 of 602 are run by states or regions and only open to companies located there. 366 of 602 are limited to small businesses or SMEs. 11 only take young companies, typically under 3 years old. Most want a company that already has revenue. |
| 🇩🇪 Germany | 164 | grant (124), matching grant (24), voucher (11) | Typical maximum €50k (median of 98 programs that publish one) | For-profit companies registered or operating in Germany. 158 of 164 are run by states or regions and only open to companies located there. 67 of 164 are limited to small businesses or SMEs. 14 only take young companies, typically under 3 years old. |
| 🇨🇦 Canada | 99 | matching grant (56), grant (36), prize (4) | Typical maximum CA$50k (median of 69 programs that publish one) | For-profit companies registered or operating in Canada. 88 of 99 are run by states or regions and only open to companies located there. 24 of 99 are limited to small businesses or SMEs. 3 only take young companies, typically under 3 years old. Most want a company that already has revenue. |
| 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | 87 | grant (62), matching grant (17), prize (5) | Typical maximum £250k (median of 71 programs that publish one) | For-profit companies registered or operating in the United Kingdom. 35 of 87 are run by states or regions and only open to companies located there. 31 of 87 are limited to small businesses or SMEs. 1 only takes young companies, typically under 5 years old. Most want a company that already has revenue. |
| 🇦🇺 Australia | 46 | matching grant (23), grant (21), voucher (2) | Typical maximum A$50k (median of 41 programs that publish one) | For-profit companies registered or operating in Australia. 43 of 46 are run by states or regions and only open to companies located there. 9 of 46 are limited to small businesses or SMEs. 1 only takes young companies, typically under 3 years old. Most want a company that already has revenue. |
| 🇮🇪 Ireland | 33 | grant (21), matching grant (8), voucher (3) | Typical maximum €50k (median of 24 programs that publish one) | For-profit companies registered or operating in Ireland. 10 of 33 are run by states or regions and only open to companies located there. 21 of 33 are limited to small businesses or SMEs. Most want a company that already has revenue. |
| 🇪🇺 EU-wide | 30 | EU open call (18), grant (8), prize (3) | Typical maximum €50k (median of 21 programs that publish one) | Startups and SMEs registered in any EU member state; many calls also accept countries associated with EU programs, such as Norway, Iceland and the UK for some programs. 18 of 30 are limited to small businesses or SMEs. Most want a company that already has revenue. |
| 🇱🇻 Latvia | 18 | grant (10), matching grant (5), voucher (2) | Typical maximum €20k (median of 14 programs that publish one) | For-profit companies registered or operating in Latvia. 3 of 18 are run by states or regions and only open to companies located there. 9 of 18 are limited to small businesses or SMEs. Most want a company that already has revenue. |
| 🇿🇦 South Africa | 17 | matching grant (8), grant (7), cooperative agreement (1) | Typical maximum ZAR 3.5M (median of 12 programs that publish one) | For-profit companies registered or operating in South Africa. 3 of 17 are limited to small businesses or SMEs. Most want a company that already has revenue. |
| 🇸🇪 Sweden | 15 | grant (13), voucher (2) | Typical maximum SEK 250k (median of 7 programs that publish one) | For-profit companies registered or operating in Sweden. 2 of 15 are run by states or regions and only open to companies located there. 6 of 15 are limited to small businesses or SMEs. Most want a company that already has revenue. |
| 🇨🇱 Chile | 15 | matching grant (10), grant (5) | Typical maximum CLP 9M (median of 7 programs that publish one) | For-profit companies registered or operating in Chile. 5 of 15 are limited to small businesses or SMEs. Most want a company that already has revenue. |
| 🇧🇪 Belgium | 14 | grant (9), matching grant (3), voucher (2) | Typical maximum €50k (median of 11 programs that publish one) | For-profit companies registered or operating in Belgium. 14 of 14 are run by states or regions and only open to companies located there. 8 of 14 are limited to small businesses or SMEs. 2 only take young companies, typically under 3 years old. Most want a company that already has revenue. |
| 🇨🇿 Czechia | 14 | voucher (7), grant (5), cooperative agreement (1) | Typical maximum CZK 300k (median of 5 programs that publish one) | For-profit companies registered or operating in the Czechia. 7 of 14 are run by states or regions and only open to companies located there. 8 of 14 are limited to small businesses or SMEs. 1 only takes young companies, typically under 5 years old. |
| 🇱🇺 Luxembourg | 14 | grant (12), matching grant (2) | Typical maximum €150k (median of 8 programs that publish one) | For-profit companies registered or operating in Luxembourg. 9 of 14 are limited to small businesses or SMEs. 1 only takes young companies, typically under 5 years old. Several accept companies before their first revenue. |
| 🇦🇹 Austria | 13 | grant (10), matching grant (2), voucher (1) | Typical maximum €300k (median of 7 programs that publish one) | For-profit companies registered or operating in Austria. 5 of 13 are run by states or regions and only open to companies located there. 10 of 13 are limited to small businesses or SMEs. 2 only take young companies, typically under 5 years old. Several accept companies before their first revenue. |
| 🇮🇳 India | 12 | grant (9), prize (1), cooperative agreement (1) | Typical maximum ₹4M (median of 9 programs that publish one) | For-profit companies registered or operating in India. 1 of 12 is run by states or regions and only open to companies located there. 1 only takes young companies, typically under 2 years old. Several accept companies before their first revenue. |
| 🇳🇴 Norway | 11 | grant (10), matching grant (1) | Typical maximum NOK 1M (median of 3 programs that publish one) | For-profit companies registered or operating in Norway. 2 of 11 are limited to small businesses or SMEs. 2 only take young companies, typically under 5 years old. |
| 🇰🇷 South Korea | 11 | grant (9), matching grant (1), prize (1) | Typical maximum KRW 175M (median of 6 programs that publish one) | For-profit companies registered or operating in South Korea. 3 of 11 are limited to small businesses or SMEs. 8 only take young companies, typically under 7 years old. Several accept companies before their first revenue. |
| 🌍 International | 10 | prize (9), grant (1) | Typical maximum $125k (median of 6 programs that publish one) | Businesses in several countries. Each program lists the countries it accepts. 1 of 10 is limited to small businesses or SMEs. 1 only takes young companies, typically under 2 years old. |
| 🇮🇸 Iceland | 10 | grant (8), matching grant (2) | Typical maximum ISK 11M (median of 8 programs that publish one) | For-profit companies registered or operating in Iceland. 1 of 10 is run by states or regions and only open to companies located there. 3 of 10 are limited to small businesses or SMEs. 2 only take young companies, typically under 2 years old. |
| 🇩🇰 Denmark | 9 | grant (7), matching grant (1), cooperative agreement (1) | Typical maximum DKK 2.9M (median of 4 programs that publish one) | For-profit companies registered or operating in Denmark. 3 of 9 are limited to small businesses or SMEs. 1 only takes young companies, typically under 3 years old. Several accept companies before their first revenue. |
| 🇨🇭 Switzerland | 9 | grant (3), matching grant (2), prize (2) | Typical maximum CHF 150k (median of 7 programs that publish one) | For-profit companies registered or operating in Switzerland. 6 of 9 are limited to small businesses or SMEs. 1 only takes young companies, typically under 5 years old. Most want a company that already has revenue. |
| 🇱🇹 Lithuania | 9 | grant (6), EU open call (1), voucher (1) | Typical maximum €38k (median of 7 programs that publish one) | For-profit companies registered or operating in Lithuania. 2 of 9 are run by states or regions and only open to companies located there. 8 of 9 are limited to small businesses or SMEs. Several accept companies before their first revenue. |
| 🇪🇪 Estonia | 8 | matching grant (5), rebate (1), grant (1) | Typical maximum €300k (median of 5 programs that publish one) | For-profit companies registered or operating in Estonia. 3 of 8 are limited to small businesses or SMEs. 1 only takes young companies, typically under 1 years old. Most want a company that already has revenue. |
| 🇳🇱 Netherlands | 8 | matching grant (3), grant (3), prize (1) | Typical maximum €200k (median of 7 programs that publish one) | For-profit companies registered or operating in the Netherlands. 1 of 8 is run by states or regions and only open to companies located there. 8 of 8 are limited to small businesses or SMEs. 2 only take young companies, typically under 10 years old. Most want a company that already has revenue. |
| 🇫🇷 France | 8 | grant (6), prize (1), matching grant (1) | Typical maximum €275k (median of 4 programs that publish one) | For-profit companies registered or operating in France. 3 of 8 are run by states or regions and only open to companies located there. 2 of 8 are limited to small businesses or SMEs. 1 only takes young companies, typically under 8 years old. Several accept companies before their first revenue. |
| 🇫🇮 Finland | 7 | grant (5), EU open call (1), matching grant (1) | Typical maximum €60k (median of 4 programs that publish one) | For-profit companies registered or operating in Finland. 1 of 7 is run by states or regions and only open to companies located there. 5 of 7 are limited to small businesses or SMEs. Most want a company that already has revenue. |
| 🇮🇹 Italy | 6 | grant (4), matching grant (2) | Typical maximum €200k (median of 3 programs that publish one) | For-profit companies registered or operating in Italy. 3 of 6 are run by states or regions and only open to companies located there. 1 of 6 is limited to small businesses or SMEs. Several accept companies before their first revenue. |
| 🇸🇬 Singapore | 6 | matching grant (5), grant (1) | Typical maximum S$100k (median of 3 programs that publish one) | For-profit companies registered or operating in Singapore. Several accept companies before their first revenue. |
| 🇧🇷 Brazil | 6 | grant (3), prize (2), matching grant (1) | Typical maximum BRL 875k (median of 4 programs that publish one) | For-profit companies registered or operating in Brazil. 2 of 6 are run by states or regions and only open to companies located there. 1 of 6 is limited to small businesses or SMEs. Most want a company that already has revenue. |
| 🇲🇾 Malaysia | 6 | grant (4), matching grant (2) | Typical maximum MYR 1M (median of 5 programs that publish one) | For-profit companies registered or operating in Malaysia. 1 of 6 is limited to small businesses or SMEs. 1 only takes young companies, typically under 5 years old. Most want a company that already has revenue. |
| 🇳🇬 Nigeria | 6 | grant (5), prize (1) | Typical maximum NGN 250k (median of 5 programs that publish one) | For-profit companies registered or operating in Nigeria. 1 of 6 is limited to small businesses or SMEs. Several accept companies before their first revenue. |
| 🇰🇪 Kenya | 5 | grant (2), EU open call (1), prize (1) | Typical maximum €5,000 (median of 1 programs that publish one) | For-profit companies registered or operating in Kenya. 2 of 5 are limited to small businesses or SMEs. Most want a company that already has revenue. |
| 🇵🇹 Portugal | 5 | matching grant (3), voucher (1), grant (1) | Typical maximum €50k (median of 1 programs that publish one) | For-profit companies registered or operating in Portugal. 2 of 5 are run by states or regions and only open to companies located there. 3 of 5 are limited to small businesses or SMEs. |
| 🇳🇿 New Zealand | 5 | matching grant (3), grant (2) | Typical maximum NZ$35k (median of 5 programs that publish one) | For-profit companies registered or operating in New Zealand. Most want a company that already has revenue. |
| 🇯🇵 Japan | 5 | matching grant (5) | Typical maximum ¥52M (median of 4 programs that publish one) | For-profit companies registered or operating in Japan. 1 of 5 is run by states or regions and only open to companies located there. 4 of 5 are limited to small businesses or SMEs. 1 only takes young companies, typically under 5 years old. Several accept companies before their first revenue. |
| 🇵🇱 Poland | 4 | grant (3), voucher (1) | Typical maximum PLN 450k (median of 2 programs that publish one) | For-profit companies registered or operating in Poland. 2 of 4 are run by states or regions and only open to companies located there. 3 of 4 are limited to small businesses or SMEs. Most want a company that already has revenue. |
| 🇲🇽 Mexico | 4 | grant (2), prize (2) | Typical maximum MXN 500k (median of 1 programs that publish one) | For-profit companies registered or operating in Mexico. 4 of 4 are run by states or regions and only open to companies located there. Most want a company that already has revenue. |
| 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates | 3 | grant (2), matching grant (1) | Typical maximum AED 2.6M (median of 2 programs that publish one) | For-profit companies registered or operating in the United Arab Emirates. 3 of 3 are run by states or regions and only open to companies located there. 1 of 3 is limited to small businesses or SMEs. Most want a company that already has revenue. |
| 🇪🇸 Spain | 2 | grant (1), voucher (1) | Typical maximum €174k (median of 2 programs that publish one) | For-profit companies registered or operating in Spain. 1 of 2 is limited to small businesses or SMEs. Several accept companies before their first revenue. |
| 🇭🇺 Hungary | 1 | EU open call (1) | Typical maximum €2,500 (median of 1 programs that publish one) | For-profit companies registered or operating in Hungary. 1 of 1 is limited to small businesses or SMEs. Most want a company that already has revenue. |
How Cuttles matches the grants database to your plan
Funding match reads the plan you've built in Cuttles. There's no extra questionnaire, and nothing is sent to funders.
- We read your planCountry and state (from your zip code), industry, business model and stage come from your pitch. Your budget gives the funding need.
- We rule out what you can't getGrants for other states, other industries, other kinds of business, or founders you're not, are filtered out. Research programs such as SBIR only show for tech and research plans.
- We rank what's leftBest fit first, then the nearest deadline. Each grant shows why it fits, what to check, the amount and the deadline.
- You apply and keep trackApply on the funder's official page. Save grants, mark them applied or replied, and get reminders before deadlines if you want them.
Local and founder grants for a café
Our coffee shop sample plan (Austin, before launch) gets 9 grants: Texas training grants, national small business programs, and grants for women-owned businesses because the founder ticked that box. Each card says why it fits and what to check.
EU open calls, with the deadline counting down
Cuttles' own example plan, a software company in Denmark, gets 20 grants, led by EU open calls for research and development. Deadlines show how many days are left.
Real screenshots from the Funding tab on 28 September 2026, with grant names and funders hidden here. Matches change as programs open and close.
Grants for new businesses: what is realistic
There are grants for new businesses, but fewer than the ads for “free grants to start a business” suggest. Most programs want a registered business that is already trading, and many pay back part of costs you have already covered. Of the grants in our database that name a stage, 198 accept businesses at the idea stage and 262 before their first revenue, against 517 for businesses with early revenue and 394 for growing ones.
What realistically works for a new business:
- State and local programs for training, equipment or setting up in a specific area, often as matching grants.
- Competitions and prizes (47 in the database) and vouchers (47) for specific services.
- Grants for specific founders, such as women-owned or veteran-owned businesses (see below).
- SBIR Phase I if you are building technology based on research.
Never pay for a grant. Real programs don’t charge a fee to apply or to “release” money, and they don’t ask for your bank details up front. We leave out every program with an application fee.
Grants by industry
About half the database is open to any industry. Beyond that, money follows policy. A grant can cover several industries:
| Industry | Grants |
|---|---|
| Open to any industry | 704 |
| Manufacturing | 259 |
| Deep tech (semiconductors, quantum, advanced materials) | 230 |
| Agriculture and food production | 216 |
| Climate and energy | 205 |
| Health and medtech | 170 |
| Cleantech and environment | 152 |
| Biotech and pharma | 137 |
| Hardware and robotics | 121 |
| Food and beverage | 93 |
| Software | 94 |
| Tourism and events | 66 |
| Mobility and logistics | 61 |
| Retail and e-commerce | 23 |
| Restaurants and hospitality | 9 |
Manufacturing, deep tech, agriculture and climate are well funded. Shops and restaurants have few dedicated grants, so a café or store usually qualifies through general programs for training, equipment or local development rather than an industry grant. Cuttles counts those general programs when it matches your plan.
Grants for women, veterans and other founders
Some grants focus on who owns the business. In our database: women-owned (52), Indigenous-owned (27), young founders (26), rural businesses (21), certified disadvantaged businesses (20), veteran-owned (17), founders with a disability (16), businesses in low-income areas (9), minority-owned (7), Black-owned (7) and immigrant founders (5). For 49 of them it is a requirement; the rest give priority.
In Cuttles you tick the ones that apply to you, if any. We never guess it from your plan, and it only changes which grants you see.
Before you apply: what to check
- Read the official page. Rules, amounts and deadlines change between rounds. Every match in Cuttles links to the funder’s own page.
- Check the match requirement. A 50% matching grant on a $20,000 project means you pay $10,000 yourself. Your budget in Cuttles shows whether you can.
- Expect paperwork and a wait. Many grants pay out after you have spent the money, and decisions can take months. Don’t build a plan that only works if a grant comes through.
- Grants are competitive. Being eligible doesn’t mean you’ll be funded. Cuttles doesn’t guarantee funding, doesn’t apply for you and takes no cut of what you win.
- Grants aren’t loans. Cuttles doesn’t list loans, credit lines or any other debt.
Get your grant matches with a yearly plan
Funding match is included in yearly plans (every yearly plan, from €8/month: Seed €96/year), not on monthly billing or during the free trial. It comes with everything you need to write the plan that funders ask for.
- Grants matched to your location, industry, stage and funding need
- Why each grant fits, what to check, the amount and the deadline
- Save grants, mark them applied, and get deadline reminders by email if you want them
- Investors that back businesses like yours, in the same view
- New grants are marked as new, and matches update when you change your plan
from €8/month
Seed €96/year · Grow €192/year · Series €576/year
- Funding match: grants and investors, included in every yearly plan
- Pitch, business plan, budgets and team
- Share as a link and export to PDF
- Not included on monthly billing or during the free trial
Included in every yearly plan (Seed, Grow, Series). Not on monthly billing or during the 7-day free trial. Prices include VAT.
Get your plan ready for funders
How we built the grants database
We collect programs from official sources: grants.gov, SBIR.gov and SAM.gov Assistance Listings in the US, GOV.UK Find a grant and Innovate UK in the UK, the EU Funding & Tenders Portal, and the official pages of state, provincial and national agencies, foundations and companies. Each program is checked against its official page, and only programs a for-profit business can apply for itself are kept.
Every grant has a confidence level, and the app says so when a detail couldn't be confirmed. Closed programs move to an archive and come back when a new round opens. Programs that charge an application fee are left out.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Includes data from the EU Funding & Tenders Portal, © European Union, reused under Commission Decision 2011/833/EU. US federal data is in the public domain.
Cuttles gives information, not financial, legal or tax advice, and doesn't guarantee funding.