Hawaii small business grants, loans and state-backed capital (2026)

What each Hawaii program actually pays you

Before you apply, sort the program into one of these groups:

• Credit support you repay. HI-CAP Collateral, HI-CAP Loans and the HI-CAP CDFI Loan Program, all run by the Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority (HGIA) ⁠¹⁠³⁠⁴.
• Equity. HI-CAP Invest puts state money into venture funds, which then invest in startups. You deal with the fund, not the state ⁠⁵.
• Reimbursement grants with windows. MAP for manufacturers, HSBIR for companies that already hold a federal SBIR or STTR award, and HiSTEP Company Assistance for exporters ⁠⁷⁠⁸⁠⁹.
• Training subsidies. The Employment and Training Fund (ETF) Micro Program pays half of approved course tuition ⁠¹¹.
• Disaster grants. The Oahu Kona Low and Kauai Hurricane Lowell Business Recovery Grants, paid with state money and run by Chamber of Commerce Hawaii ⁠¹³⁠¹⁴.
• Free help. The Hawaiʻi SBDC, a program of the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo ⁠¹².

HI-CAP: Hawaii’s $62 million SSBCI share

Hawaii signed its SSBCI allocation agreement on May 18, 2022. By December 31, 2025, Treasury had disbursed $40,354,303 to the state, and Hawaii reported $24,940,685 deployed, or 40.2% of its full allocation ⁠⁶. HTDC leads the program. HGIA, a DBEDT division, runs the three lending pieces ⁠⁵.

HI-CAP Collateral helps when a bank likes your business but you lack enough collateral. The lender asks HGIA to deposit cash into a collateral account for your loan ⁠¹. Terms from HGIA’s lender guide ⁠²:

Start-up costs, working capital, franchise fees, equipment, inventory and an owner-occupied place of business are eligible uses. Passive real estate is not ⁠¹. As of October 2026, only four lenders take HI-CAP Collateral loans: Afterglow Climate Justice Fund, Central Pacific Bank, Feed the Hunger Fund and Mission Driven Finance ⁠¹.

The HI-CAP CDFI Loan Program is the route for smaller and newer borrowers. HGIA gives nonprofit lenders a low-cost credit line. When a participating CDFI makes you an eligible loan, HGIA funds up to 50% of it ⁠⁴. The participating CDFIs are Feed the Hunger Fund, Hawaii Community Lending, the National Community Reinvestment Coalition and REDF Impact Investing Fund ⁠⁴.

HI-CAP Loans fund larger “transformative” projects in renewable energy, innovation, local agriculture, dual-use technology, manufacturing or creative industries. HGIA lends up to 50% of total project costs, and the rest must come from non-federal sources ⁠³. You apply to HGIA directly by secure email.

HI-CAP Invest has placed money with five venture funds: Startup Capital Ventures × SBI Fund, HATCH Accelerator Fund II, Blue Ventures Fund IV, Mana Up Capital Fund II and OMVC Hawaii Fund I. Founders pitch the funds directly, and each fund sets its own criteria ⁠⁵.

HTDC’s two grants for makers and researchers

The Manufacturing Assistance Program (MAP) reimburses up to 20% of qualified costs, up to $100,000, with a $1,500 minimum request ⁠⁷. You must be registered in Hawaii, current on state taxes, compliant in Hawaii Compliance Express, and have a NAICS code starting with 31, 32 or 33. You also need a Dun & Bradstreet number before payment. MAP covers manufacturing equipment, training on that equipment, energy efficiency improvements and feasibility studies for new facilities. It does not cover wages, consumables, product components or real property ⁠⁷. The Legislature put $1 million into the FY26 round, which drew 67 applications. That round is closed, and HTDC has not posted FY27 dates ⁠⁷.

The HSBIR matching grant is only for companies that have held a federal SBIR or STTR award within the past 12 months, with the project work done in Hawaii ⁠⁸. Phase I pays up to 50% of the federal Phase I award, up to $75,000. The FY27 Phase 0 and Phase I window opens October 23, 2026 at 9 a.m. and closes December 11, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. HTDC holds an information session on November 18, 2026 ⁠⁸. Phase II matching is not part of this window.

HiSTEP export awards are waiting on SBA money

HiSTEP Company Assistance pays toward export marketing for two kinds of companies ⁠⁹:

• New to Export: no export history, occasional exports, or none in 18 months. Up to $5,000.
• Market Expansion: an exporter entering a new country, region, customer segment or product line, with at least $200,000 in annual revenue. Up to $15,000.

Under the most recent request for proposals, payments came as reimbursements after you submitted receipts. Eligible costs included trade missions, foreign sales trips, trade show booths, U.S. Commerce Department services, website translation and international marketing design ⁠¹⁰. You need at least one year in business and must meet SBA size standards ⁠¹⁰. A company that won in the same category three times within five years must sit out a year ⁠¹⁰.

As of October 2026, DBEDT is not taking Company Assistance applications. The award depends on a new SBA grant, but you can submit the free 2027 HiSTEP registration now ⁠⁹.

Storm grants open this fall on Oʻahu and Kauaʻi

These are the only Hawaii grants a typical storefront business can get right now, and they are limited to storm damage.

Both programs are for non-agricultural businesses with fewer than 500 employees and less than $5 million in gross revenue. At least one owner must be a Hawaii resident, and the business must have been operating on the island before the storm ⁠¹³⁠¹⁴. You must show harm the storm caused that insurance or other aid has not covered. Photos need location and time stamps. The Oʻahu program does not fund nonprofits ⁠¹³. Kauaʻi funds are paid in order of application until they run out, so apply early ⁠¹⁴.

Training money and OHA loans

ETF Micro Program. The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations’ Workforce Development Division pays 50% of tuition for approved short courses, up to $1,000 per course. You pay the rest ⁠¹¹.

Office of Hawaiian Affairs Mālama Business loan. If you are of Native Hawaiian ancestry, OHA lends $2,500 to $149,999 at 4.00% APR for up to seven years ⁠¹⁵. You need a credit score of 600 or higher, a debt-to-income ratio no higher than 45% and a business in good standing with DCCA ⁠¹⁵. This is a repayable loan.

Working with the Hawaiʻi SBDC and HGIA, step by step

The Hawaiʻi SBDC gives confidential advising at no charge. It has centers in Hilo, Kona, Kauaʻi, Maui and Oʻahu ⁠¹². Between 2023 and 2025 it served 3,352 clients and helped start 190 businesses ⁠¹².

1. Book a free SBDC session before you borrow

   Sign up on the SBDC site. Bring your business plan, two to three years of projections and the amount you need. An adviser can tell you whether a HI-CAP lender, a CDFI or an HTDC grant fits ⁠¹².

2. Pick the right HI-CAP door

   For a bank loan with a collateral gap, go to one of the four HI-CAP Collateral lenders ⁠¹. For a small loan, go to a participating CDFI such as Hawaii Community Lending or Feed the Hunger Fund ⁠⁴. For a large project, email HGIA directly about HI-CAP Loans ⁠³.

3. Gather the lender’s documents

   Expect two years of tax returns and a personal financial statement for every owner holding 20% or more, plus a signed Borrower Application and Certification ⁠². The lender, not you, submits the enrollment packet to HGIA. HGIA holds the funds for 60 days after approval ⁠¹.

4. Get Hawaii Compliance Express in order now

   MAP, HSBIR and both storm grants require HCE compliance or a tax clearance certificate ⁠⁷⁠⁸⁠¹⁴. A lapsed certificate can hold up payment.

5. If you hold a federal SBIR or STTR award, apply to HSBIR by December 11, 2026

   Send questions to [email protected] and attend the November 18 information session ⁠⁸.

6. Exporters: register for HiSTEP and draft the export plan and budget now

   In the last round the plan was worth half of the scoring points ⁠¹⁰. Watch DBEDT’s Company Assistance page for the 2027 RFP ⁠⁹.

7. Storm-affected owners: apply on Submittable

   The Chamber notifies applicants within 15 business days of a complete application ⁠¹³. If you are denied, the Kauaʻi program lets you appeal for additional review ⁠¹⁴. The Kauaʻi and Oʻahu SBDC centers offer free help with the application ⁠¹³⁠¹⁴.

For other Hawaii assistance, see the Hawaii overview, or compare states on the small business grants hub.