Top Small Business Grants for 2025 in Montana

Montana small businesses are the lifeblood of the economy, providing long-time residents and newcomers alike the chance to independently express their talents and hone their skills. However, small business owners are not only under considerable pressure to keep up with fickle customers, they also have to figure out how they’ll retain quality talent even with the constant threat of inflation looming in the background.

If you’re preparing to launch, it’s worth reviewing the fundamentals of how to start your own business before applying for grants or other funding. Building a strong foundation from the start will help you make the most of the financial opportunities available in Montana.

Montana grants for small businesses are a way to give owners the money they need to pursue anything from expansion to research. And, unlike loans, business owners don’t need to map out a payment schedule because they’ll never have to pay the money back. As you can likely guess, though, this attractive option usually means that you may face some serious competition along the way — especially if you’re having difficulty securing financing through traditional measures.

When more than 3,100 businesses in the state declare bankruptcy every year, not to mention businesses that post losses every year, the right financial assistance can mean the difference between success and failure. The good news is that learning more about these grants can help you understand not just how to source your funds, whether from private foundations or Montana’s state government, but what you can do to stand out from the crowd.

What are small business grants?

Small business grants refer to opportunities given to either small startups or existing small businesses in an effort to help them grow and succeed. You can think of grants as free money, meaning that you will neither have to pay the grant back (even if your business fails after you win the grant) nor will you have to cede equity in your company (even if the company generates endless profits thanks to the grant).

Grants are typically given by any number of organizations, including the federal or state government, corporations, private foundations, or nonprofits. The biggest advantage of a grant is that it gives you the chance to invest in your business without having to take new debts. So, if you want to hire 10 additional people and rent a hip office space in downtown Helena, you can use the grant money to get more talent under your roof and let everyone have their chance to shine.

Or if you wanted to conduct regional market research in Wyoming to estimate the demand for your products or services, you could use the grant money to determine whether and where it makes sense to set up new locations. But another (somewhat unsung) benefit of a grant is the vote of confidence in your company’s mission. Winning a grant is as much a fuel for who you are and what you do as it is for the general state economy.

Montana state-specific grants

Montana-specific grants are those offered through the state government as opposed to the national government. Each grant sets its own parameters, but all aim to extend opportunity to deserving small businesses in all four corners of the state. Please note that state-specific grants are fairly niche, meaning that you’ll need to meet guidelines based on each grant’s application process.

Native American Business Advisor Grant

This grant supports Native American tribal development organizations that extend financial support to other Native Americans. It extends $20,000 to (up to) eight Native American organizations in the state. This grant aims to increase the capacity and functionality of the Native American business network, so everyone can thrive in today’s competitive climate. As long as you’re supporting business development in the tribal community, whether you teach classes or offer counseling, you should be eligible for the grant.

Best practices and tips

This fund is meant to create reciprocal relationships: the grant-givers bestow funds to create a circular positive impact on communities across the state. It helps to emphasize your presence in the community and how you advise business owners to leverage their assets for success.

For example, if you teach a credit counseling class, you might talk about how your curriculum adapts to unexpected economic challenges. This showcases not just your general value but your organization’s ability to adapt to new conditions.

Incumbent Worker Training

The Incumbent Worker Training program pays for the training of a small business’ current workforce, providing up to $2,500 for full-time employees and $1,000 for part-time employees. This grant is made possible by the state legislature and every fiscal year the Montana Dept of Labor & Industry receives $540,000 to distribute among winners.

Typically, the money is broken into thirds, awarding a third to businesses with 20 workers and under, a third to businesses with 21 to 50 workers, and a third to businesses with more than 50 workers.

The grant is a great way to give your employees a leg up and expand your customer base. For example, a small real estate firm might train their small team of residential agents to get their commercial licenses. Or a boutique craftsman business might invest in woodworking training to improve the quality of their furniture.

Best practices and tips

This grant is available to all businesses. The best way to secure your spot is to show and explain how additional training will boost anything from morale to revenue. For example, you might submit evidence about your changing sector as a way to demonstrate that your employees require additional training if they wish to stay competitive.

Big Sky Film Grant

Films infuse local economies with an influx of work and funds, plus it can introduce more people to the many positive qualities of arguably the most beautiful state in the union.

The Big Sky Film grant supports filmmakers in the state, whether it’s short films, TV series, music videos, feature films or documentaries. To qualify, you must film at least 50% of the principal photography days within the state. This grant does not apply to internet shows, sports, religious/political campaigns, talk shows, soap operas, or broadcast news. The amounts bestowed depend on the type of film you plan to produce (e.g., short films will receive less than feature films).

Best practices and tips

The winners of this grant will properly showcase the best of Montana, whether that’s the vast landscape in the distance or the wit of your Big Sky writers. To apply, you’ll first need to register your company on the state’s secure access portal, called Okta.

Federal grants program

Federal grant opportunities refer to grants for small businesses that are funded by the federal government. Like state grants, they can be used for an array of businesses, but they’re all linked by a common goal: provide more opportunities for professionals in all states.

Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR)

The Small Business Information Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) are similar funds to fuel innovation in Montana, typically given to healthcare, defense, or energy companies. These loans create partnerships between federal research and development organizations and Montana businesses. For example, a renewable energy startup might utilize a federal R&D program to validate that their windmills are commercially viable.

Best practices and tips

Ensure that your small business has a need for federal research and development, and then explain how this grant will help federal, state, and local interests. If you’re looking for assistance, the Montana Innovation Partnership, powered by MSU TechLink Center, can help you craft the best proposal. This organization not only understands the general rules, but can help you adapt each eligibility requirement to your specific interests.

State Trade Expansion Program (STEP)

This federal grant alleviates costs for Montana exporters, giving them the opportunity to expand into new territories. STEP is federally-funded and administered by Export Montana.

This grant program works a little differently as it reimburses funds as opposed to providing straight funding. So, you can apply for up to 75% of eligible fees (up to $10,000) for a number of international activities, including compliance testing, foreign language translation, and international digital marketing.

Best practices and tips

For this Montana grant program, it’s critical to highlight the need and value of your products outside your state. When it can be expensive and time-consuming to deal with international laws, you need to show how the funding will help you work through all the red tape.

Corporate and private foundation grants

Anyone with the available funds in Montana can offer grants to aspiring small business owners, setting their own terms and conditions based on their larger mission. These grant opportunities Montan

Amber Grant

The Amber Grant awards three grants of $10,000 every month to women business owners and three grants of $25,000 at the end of every year. You do not have to be in a specific industry to qualify, but you will be competing against small business owners throughout the country.

Best practices and tips

This grant is designed to help women navigate an often ruthless economy. To make it a little easier on them, the organization has streamlined the application process and thrown the spotlight onto community impact. While you should back up your claims with facts and figures, it’s just as important to speak from the heart.

Freed Fellowship Grant

This micro-grant awards one small business $500 every month. At the end of the year, all winners are eligible to win another $2,500. In addition to funding, you’ll also receive one-on-one strategy counseling with an expert in your industry.

Best practices and tips

Ideally, winners of this grant will be in underrepresented sectors. For instance, if you’re a minority leading a new tech company. However, it’s worth noting that this grant is available to all owners.

Conclusion

Funding opportunities Montana, whether federal, state, or private, can come and go. It’s important to do your homework about not just who’s offering the grant, but how they work through each application. Researching and submitting the appropriate paperwork can take some time, so you may want to evaluate your odds of winning before putting in excessive effort.

2025 has been an exceptionally dry year for grants in many industries, but that can all turn around in a few short months. In fact, many of the so-called grants that you might find as you research are really just low- or no-interest loans in disguise (which you can certainly consider if your grant applications fall through).

If you want to increase your odds of winning, consider hiring a professional grant writer or taking a class or two about how to win grants. Remember that grant applications are as much about telling a story as they are about statistics. The ideas is to inspire the readers by singling out your business, whether it’s based on community impact or GDP potential.