Small Business Grants in Texas
Texas channels its small business support through the Texas Economic Development and Tourism Office and the Texas Workforce Commission. Check the type before you apply.
Texas channels its small business support through the Texas Economic Development and Tourism Office and the Texas Workforce Commission. Check the type before you apply. Each card states its funding type and status. Whether you are launching a startup or scaling an existing operation, these programs provide funding for training, innovation, exporting, and business growth across the Lone Star State.
Which Texas grants fit your business?
Answer 7 quick questions and we sort the 12 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.
Texas Small Business Grant Programs
State-administered funding programs available to Texas small businesses. Verify deadlines directly with the granting agency before applying.
StartUP Grant
Texas Woman's University Center for Women Entrepreneurs
$5,000
Deadline Sep 23, 2026This grant backs women-owned startups in Texas. Your business needs five or fewer staff. It must be under five years old. Funds can cover equipment, inventory, certifications and marketing. The award is $5,000.
Skills for Small Business Program
Texas Workforce Commission
Up to $1,800 per new employee, $900 per existing employee
RollingThis ongoing state program funds training for new and existing employees at local community and technical colleges. Your business selects from courses in sales, marketing, customer service, and other areas, and the grant covers tuition costs.
Texas Small Business Credit Initiative (TSBCI)
Texas Economic Development & Tourism Office
$5,000 to $20M in loans through participating lenders
RollingBacked by $472 million in federal funding, TSBCI provides loan guarantees and capital access through participating financial institutions. Special consideration is given to very small businesses with fewer than 10 employees and socially disadvantaged business owners.
Texas Enterprise Fund (TEF)
Office of the Texas Governor
Varies by project (performance-based)
RollingOne of the largest deal-closing grant funds in the nation, TEF provides performance-based cash grants to companies bringing significant capital investment and job creation to Texas. Projects must be competing with at least one out-of-state location.
State Trade Expansion Program (STEP)
Texas Department of Agriculture
Up to $10,000
ClosedThis SBA-funded program helps Texas small businesses overcome obstacles to exporting by covering costs for trade shows, translation services, and international marketing. The program is currently closed and pending future federal appropriations.
Veteran Grant
Texas Woman's University Center for Women Entrepreneurs
$5,000
Deadline Feb 27, 2026This grant backs Texas veterans who already formed a business. Five awards go out each year. Each is $5,000. It is open to veterans statewide, not only to women.
Texas Rural Grant
Texas Woman's University Center for Women Entrepreneurs
$10,000
Applications ran May 5 to June 5, 2026, round closedThis grant helps rural Texas businesses try new projects. Ten winners share $100,000. Each award is $10,000. Your business must have started before June 19, 2023.
Texas Agriculture Grant Program
Texas Department of Agriculture
$5,000 to $100,000
Formerly the Young Farmer Grant Program, this expanded program provides matching grants to agricultural producers and businesses for creating, expanding, or maintaining agricultural operations in Texas. The match requirement has been reduced to 10% of the grant amount.
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 Texas grant programs expect these basics to be in place.
Form your business entity
Most Texas 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 Texas.
Women-owned Business Grants
Texas Woman's University runs three grant cycles a year. Its Center for Women Entrepreneurs handles them. They are the StartUP Grant, the Texas Rural Grant and the Veteran Grant. StartUP pays $5,000. The Texas Rural Grant is larger, ten awards of $10,000 each. Every cycle opens and closes on a fixed date. Check the dates page before you apply.
- ›StartUP Grant
- ›Texas Rural Grant
- ›Veteran Grant
- ›Center for Women Entrepreneurs
Minority-owned Business Grants
The Texas Small Business Credit Initiative gives priority to socially and economically disadvantaged owners. That support is credit, not a grant. It reaches you through a lender. Ask which TSBCI program applies before you sign.
- ›Texas Small Business Credit Initiative (TSBCI)
- ›MBDA Programs
Veteran-owned Business Grants
Texas veterans who have formed a business can apply for the Veteran Grant. Texas Woman's University runs it. It awards five grants of $5,000. The 2026 cycle ran January 27 to February 27. Watch for the next one. Texas SBDC offices advise veterans too. They can point you to SBA veteran programs.
- ›Veteran Grant
- ›Texas SBDC Network
Rural Business Grants
Texas has the nation's largest rural population. Two programs aim at rural owners. They are the Texas Rural Grant and the Texas Agriculture Grant Program. The Rural Grant is closed for 2026 and its winners are named. The agriculture program is paused while the state builds it out. USDA's Rural Business Development Grant will not help you. It bars for profit applicants.
- ›Texas Rural Grant
- ›Texas Agriculture Grant Program
Technology/Innovation Business Grants
Tech startups in Texas can chase federal SBIR and STTR grants. They fund research and development. Eleven agencies run their own calls. Each sets its own award sizes and deadlines. Start at sbir.gov.
- ›SBIR/STTR Grants
Tips for Applying in Texas
Increase your chances of approval with these state-specific tips.
- 1Register your business with the Texas Secretary of State and the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts before applying to any state grant program.
- 2Contact your regional Texas SBDC office for free, confidential business advising and help with grant applications. Texas has four SBDC networks covering every region of the state.
- 3For the TWU Center for Women Entrepreneurs grants, prepare a detailed business plan with three years of financial projections, as this is required for full funding disbursement.
- 4Many Texas grant programs, including the Skills for Small Business and TEF, accept applications on a rolling basis. Submit your application well in advance and gather supporting documents early.
- 5Search Grants.gov and the Governor's Office incentives page regularly, as new programs and funding cycles are announced throughout the year.
State Economic Development Agency
Texas Economic Development & Tourism Office
The Texas Economic Development and Tourism Office, within the Office of the Governor, promotes small business advocacy, entrepreneurial support, and administers state incentive programs for business and community development.
Funding While You Wait
Grant applications in Texas can take weeks or months to process. These options can bridge the gap.
Grants in Other States
All state grant guidesFrequently Asked Questions
Yes. Texas runs several true grants that you do not repay. The Texas Workforce Commission runs Skills for Small Business. It pays for staff training at community colleges. The StartUP Grant pays $5,000 to a woman owned startup. Its 2026 window runs September 1 to September 23. The Texas Agriculture Grant Program is paused. Treat it as a watch item, not an option today.
The Skills for Small Business Program administered by the Texas Workforce Commission is one of the most widely accessible grants in Texas. It provides up to $1,800 per new employee and $900 per existing employee for training at local community and technical colleges. Any Texas business with fewer than 100 employees can apply on a rolling basis.
Certification requirements depend on the program. The TWU StartUP Grant asks that women own and run at least 51% of the business. No formal MWBE certification is needed. The Texas Small Business Credit Initiative gives priority to socially and economically disadvantaged owners. Call the Governor's Office of Small Business Assistance at 512-936-0100 for help on certification.
Timelines vary by program. The Texas Woman's University grants run on set annual cycles. Application, training and payment span several months. The Skills for Small Business Program takes rolling applications. Submit at least 2 weeks before your training starts. Ask the program officer for the payment schedule in writing.
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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.
Questions about Texas small business grants
2 comments
Marisol
September 1, 2026
The training money is quoted per employee. Four on the payroll here and I want to put two of them through a course. Is the eighteen hundred a head, or is that the ceiling for the whole business?
Richard MooreGeekdiys team
Senior Finance & Banking Editor · September 4, 2026
Per head, and it splits two ways. The training programme pays up to $1,800 for a newly hired employee and up to $900 for someone already on the payroll, per person. Two existing staff is up to $1,800 between them. Two new hires would be up to $3,600. The part worth knowing before you plan around it is that the money does not come to you. The state pays the community or technical college directly for the course, so you pick the college and the course from their catalogue first and the funding follows that choice. You need fewer than 100 employees to qualify, applications are rolling, and you should file a couple of weeks before the course starts.
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