Top Small Business Grants for 2025 in North Dakota

Every grant starts with the Department of Commerce from each respectable state. Without it, and there would be no grants to aid small businesses. The startup hardship of stating a business from the ground up becomes not impossible, but very difficult. Currently, there’re 33,185,500 small businesses in America.

Federal and State Grants contribute a total of 1.1 trillion Dollars to the economy alone. so while there’s a large amount of businesses in the country, there’s plenty of funding to go around. Yet, be mindful, that while there’s a huge influx of funding and grants. Each grant is quite competitive, so keep in mind when establishing your own business. Planning, creating a budget and even sometimes a little luck will either make or break your business.

What are small business grants?

Government agencies, corporate funds, and even foundational funding organizations sometimes will offer guidance for any business. Grants come in different sizes and shapes, some having specific conditions just to obtain. But despite the challenges that come with it, grants are free, they usually do not need to repay. Unless you use the funds for illegitimate purposes, then the grant is required to be reimbursed.

Yet, its not a loan. Loans come with their own stipulations and conditions. Some loans have a certain time frame for them to be repaid, others require a downpayment before you receive the loan, and the worst part. Interest.

North Dakota state-specific grants for 2025

• Technical Skills Training Grant
• Regional Workforce Impact Program

Specific grants are grants that focus on the development of specific programs or hardships. The Regional Workforce Impact Program was created in the year 2020. Its main purpose was to respond to the economic hardships of covid 19. The technical skills training grant provides financing to offset training highly skilled employees.

1. Rural Business Development Grants in North Dakota

RBD (Rural Business Development) Program grants funding for tribes, non profit organization, and public body or Governmental placement. Within this program are two grants available. Business opportunity grants and business enterprise grants.

Applications and conditions

Applications and conditions

To apply one most be one of the following. Additional information can be found here.

• Unrestricted State Allocated funding.
• Native American Set aside Funding.
• Rural Economic Area Partnership (Reap) For more information on REAP please click here.

2. Base Retention Grant

This grant alone is a federal grant. Its main contributors are the Air force. And Air national Guard. The total Grant amount is $850,000. However, is spilt up into three different counties. $250,000 in Minot, $250,000 in Fargo and $250,000 in Grand Forks.

Applications and procedures

To apply for this grant, applicants must submit a letter to the DOC Department of Commerce. With that information, applicants must provide the following:

• Preferred point of contact
• Associated Contact information
• Requested amount
• Intended use of funds
• And the desired outcome

3. State Energy Program

Energy plays a big role in our day to day life. That is also why the SEP awards participants $5000 to $50,000. There’s top priority to educational institutions, political subdivisions, nonprofit organizations and state agencies.

Applications and procedures

• Applicants must be registered at SAM.gov
• Applicants must be for future projects (cannot have a project already underway)
• Purchase of goods exceeding $10,000 require three bids. If less, an explanation letter must be sent to the program manager
• Additional information can be found on the website

Industry-specific and niche grants

Industry specific grants are very specific to a category. Weather Argicutural, Technological, or even entertainment. With that in mine, each grant has a special condition to be obtained, but anything industrial is usually earned by contributing to the state, or contributing to the state and the whole American economy. Down below is a list of programs that focus on energy, and innovative research. Each grant has its own uniqueness and requirements to participate.

1. Automate ND Grant Program

This grant aims to help businesses who experienced work shortages during the pandemic. More specifically, businesses that need hands to operate machinery.

Application process, terms and conditions

• Applicants must be registered to do business within the state of North Dakota
• Businesses must have less than 500 employees
• The Equipment must be utilized in a facility located in North Dakota
• The Machinery, equipment or software has not been purchased
• More information can be found here

2. Innovate ND

This grant focuses on encouraging entrepreneurs on furthering their business by supporting customer and market research. This grant offers an reimbursement of up to $22,500. This of course depends on the phase in which the program is in. For more information, please click this link here.

Application Process

To be eligible, applicants are not guaranteed acceptance into phase 2.

• This is a first come, first serve program
• Participating members must complete all phase requirements within the three-month timeframe of each phase
• Participant agrees to complete an annual survey at the time they are accepted into phase one. And, up to three years after the completion of the program

3. Energy Conservation Grant

This grant focuses on projects such as installation of insulation. Weather sealing, heating and venting, and air conditioning. The main objective of this grant is energy efficiency.

How to apply?

This grant has a series of rules and regulations involved. But ultimately the grant has a first come first serve basis. More information on what to do, how to do it can be found on the website.

Federal grants available to North Dakota businesses

The Federal government does a lot for its people. That also includes having grants and resources so your business too can succeed. The SBA usually focuses on helping veterans or small business centers, while the latter SBIR, STTR, and STEP. Help with exporting, research and development. While it may come off as imposing, all of them are here to help your business succeed.

1. SBIR Small Business Innovation Research

SBIR Small Business Innovation Research and STTR Small Business Technology Transfer has set aside 1.4 trillion dollars from R&D Research and development purse to aid businesses in their early development. In efforts to fund smaller businesses, SBIR has Deducted 3.2% of their R%D to help smaller businesses. While STTR has deducted 0.45% of its budget for small businesses.

2. STTR Small Business Technology Transfer

Similar to SIBR the STTR focuses more on Technology. Usually being partnered with universities or colleges in the name of Research and Development. Moreover, in the non-profit research institutions. These constitute charitable organizations, private foundations and political organizations.

Application and conditions for eligibility

There are grants sponsored by the DOD – Department of Defense that can be found here.

3. Small Business Association (SBA)

The SBA has resources and information available for a small business to thrive. They offer grants to veterans and disabled veterans-owned businesses. This also includes business development centers.

How to submit your application

There are several different grants to choose from. Each of them have their own terms and conditions. Some have very specific requirement, but all can be found here.

4. STEP State Trade Expansion Program

State Trade Expansion Program was founded in 2011, to assist small businesses in selling goods in international markets. Within this program is a series of training that aid a small business to sell proficiently on the international stage. The Office of International Trade works with different branches to aid in the success of small businesses seeking to export. To find more information, and to get in contact with some of the staff, please click here.

How to submit your application

There are several different grants to choose from. Each of them have their own terms and conditions. Some have very specific requirement, but all can be found here.

Corporate and private foundation grants for 2025

North Dakota has a total of 74,202 small businesses. With that, each business has at least at some point gotten a grant. Each grant provides its own terms of conditions, some conditions are contest-based, while others are more specific and benefit the state and or economy. Corporations usually give grants via contests. But sometimes they too grant money to a small business. Foundational grants are usually nonprofit entities. These companies and foundations include the following:

• FedEx Small Business Grants
• National Association of Self Employed
• Verizon
• Visa Foundation

With a constant growth in population, there will always be a demand for goods that are being traded every single day. Big or small, an imprint has been made today and more to come in the future of 2025.

Conclusion

Grants are essential to helping small businesses in North Dakota thrive. They provide vital financial support that eases operational strain and fosters innovation, growth, and resilience. From state initiatives like the Regional Workforce Impact Program to national opportunities through the SBA, SBIR, and STTR, there are countless ways to secure funding that strengthens both your business and the local economy.

Private organizations and foundations such as FedEx, Verizon, and the Visa Foundation continue to play an important role in fueling entrepreneurship, offering millions in grant money and resources to small businesses nationwide. By researching, planning carefully, and applying strategically, you can position your business for lasting success, and perhaps one day, pay it forward by helping other entrepreneurs do the same.