New York small business grants, SSBCI loans and training funds (2026)

Where ESD put New York’s SSBCI money

ESD describes more than $500 million in federal State Small Business Credit Initiative money, from the American Rescue Plan Act, aimed at small businesses, very small businesses and businesses owned by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals (SEDI) ⁠¹. It runs the money as separate funds, each with its own partner lender or manager, and many programs take applications only through those partners ⁠¹. The Main Street Capital Loan Fund is a $10 million fund ⁠³.

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The SSBCI Technical Assistance Program is the one free piece. It pays for legal, accounting and financial advice through providers such as Adirondack EDC, BOC Capital Corp, Renaissance Economic Development Corporation and LaunchNY. It is open to businesses with fewer than 10 employees, manufacturers with fewer than 100, and businesses with fewer than 100 employees owned by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals ⁠¹.

Two open ESD loan funds, and the one that stopped lending

Main Street Capital Loan Fund. This is the only ESD loan built for startups. It lends up to $100,000 at a fixed 9.90% APR over at most six years, and the first year is interest-only ⁠³. The owner must be a New York resident, and the business must have 100 or fewer full-time employees, revenue under $5 million and fewer than four years in operation. Anyone owning 20% or more signs a personal guarantee. It can pay for startup costs, working capital, equipment and inventory, but not refinancing ⁠³.

Small Business Revolving Loan Fund Round 2. ESD puts $63.5 million behind loans made by 17 community-based lenders (as of May 15, 2026), including Accompany Capital, BOC Capital Corp., Grameen America, NYBDC/Pursuit Lending and TruFund Financial Services ⁠⁴. Microloans run from $500 to $25,000. Larger loans run above $25,000, and the state’s share of any one loan is capped at 50% of principal or $125,000. Terms run up to 10 years, and each lender sets its own rate ⁠⁴. Borrowers need 100 or fewer full-time employees and must be based in New York ⁠⁴.

New York Forward Loan Fund 2. Many lists still point to this $150,000 loan, but the fund’s own site says it is not accepting new loan applications. When it was open, it lent at 8.25% to 11.25% fixed for 36 to 72 months to businesses with at least one year of operations and under $5 million in revenue ⁠⁵. The fund’s site sends borrowers to the Main Street and Revolving Loan funds instead.

NY Ventures equity is for venture-backable startups only

The Pre-Seed and Seed Matching Fund Program invests $50,000 to $250,000 in a company. Every state dollar must be matched by at least one dollar from a qualified private investor ⁠⁶. Companies must be at the pre-seed or seed stage (with $2 million or less raised so far), have their headquarters and at least one C-suite employee in New York, and work in a technology field such as climate tech, life sciences, fintech or advanced manufacturing. ESD prefers C-corporations. Applications are taken on a rolling basis ⁠⁶. This is an ownership stake, not a grant. A restaurant or contractor will not fit.

NYSTAR’s match for SBIR and STTR winners

The Innovation Matching Grants Program is New York’s clearest business grant, and it only helps companies that win federal research money. NYSTAR matches up to $100,000 of a Phase I SBIR or STTR award and up to $200,000 of a Phase II award. The match can never exceed 50% of the federal award ⁠⁷. Applicants must be New York small businesses with 100 or fewer employees. Each company gets one Phase I and one Phase II match per lifetime. The money covers costs SBIR does not, such as business planning, patents and marketing studies ⁠⁷.

You can apply after winning your federal award or up to three months before you submit the federal proposal. Applying early gets you a commitment letter to attach, but NYSTAR pays only if the federal award comes through ⁠⁷. Grantees must keep their headquarters and operations in New York for two years or return the money. Rounds open at 9 a.m. on the second Wednesday of October and April and stay open one week. Round 6 runs October 14 to October 20, 2026, closing at 5 p.m., so most readers should plan for the April 2027 round ⁠⁷.

Export reimbursement through Global NY STEP

STEP 14 covers activities from September 30, 2026 through September 29, 2027. It reimburses 50% of eligible costs, up to a combined $10,000, first come, first served until the money runs out ⁠⁸. Eligible costs include booth space at international trade shows (or U.S. shows with at least 25% international attendance), organized foreign sales trips for one employee, and foreign-language website translation done by a third party. The business must be for-profit, headquartered in New York, at least one year old, and selling a product or service with at least 51% U.S. content ⁠⁸. Nothing done or paid before you apply qualifies, except trade show deposits and travel bookings. ESD rules on eligibility within 30 business days and pays about six weeks after you submit receipts ⁠⁸.

Training money: ETIP credits, closed DOL rounds and NYC’s grant

Employee Training Incentive Program. ETIP is a refundable tax credit, not a grant. It covers 50% of eligible training costs, up to $10,000 per employee, and 50% of intern stipends, up to $3,000 per intern. The internship credit is limited to firms with fewer than 100 employees training in advanced technology, life sciences, software development or clean energy ⁠⁹. Businesses must meet a strategic-industry test, such as a worker shortage or a location in an economically distressed area ⁠⁹. You apply through the CFA. You receive a conditional eligibility certificate first, and then file a final application within 24 months, after training ends. Accounting, hospitality, law, real estate, finance, utilities, medical practices and restaurants are excluded ⁠⁹.

Statewide training grants are mostly closed in 2026. ESD’s Office of Strategic Workforce Development says its capital and Pay for Performance grants are offline for the rest of 2026, with new windows to come in 2027 ⁠¹⁰. Those grants fund training providers, not single employers. The Department of Labor’s last employer round was the Workforce Development Training programs, which included Employee Retention and Advancement Training and closed October 25, 2024. Its only open solicitation now is the Growing the Clean Energy Workforce: Electric Vehicles round, due December 3, 2026 ⁠¹¹.

NYC Customized Training Grant Program. In the five boroughs, the Department of Small Business Services reimburses up to 60% of training costs, with grants from $10,000 to $400,000. To qualify, a business must be for-profit, more than one year old, and train at least five employees. Smaller firms can apply together as a group ⁠¹⁴. After the training, you must give the trained employees raises. The next pre-application date is October 30, 2026, with grant notices on December 18, 2026. The following dates are January 5 and February 26, 2027 ⁠¹⁴.

Regional council money and New York City loans

The 2026 Consolidated Funding Application ran from June 1 to July 31, 2026. It included $60 million in Regional Council Capital Funds (formerly the ESD Grants Program), with a $100,000 minimum request, open to for-profit businesses as well as nonprofits and municipalities ⁠¹². Awards are expected in late fall 2026, and the next round will not open until 2027. They fund capital projects tied to a regional plan, not startup costs. The Excelsior Jobs Program offers $75 million in tax credits for job growth and investment and takes applications year-round ⁠¹².

In New York City, the NYC Future Fund lends $25,000 to $500,000 at 7.5% for up to five years, with a 3% origination fee. Principal payments rise and fall with monthly revenue ⁠¹⁵. Borrowers need at least 12 months in operation, a year of filed tax returns and $50,000 or more in annual revenue, and must meet with a financial coach every month until the loan is repaid ⁠¹⁵.

Applying in New York, step by step

1. Start with a free NYSBDC adviser

   New York has 20 regional SBDC centers and more than 70 satellite locations, hosted by SUNY, CUNY and Pace campuses. Book through the regional center locator or call 800-732-SBDC ⁠¹³.

2. Match your stage to an ESD fund

   Under four years old and under $100,000: the Main Street Capital Loan Fund through Pursuit ⁠³. Need a microloan or have weaker credit: a Revolving Loan Fund lender in your region ⁠⁴. Venture-backed tech startup: NY Ventures ⁠⁶.

3. Gather a lender’s standard file

   Have your tax returns, year-to-date financials, a debt schedule, an ownership list (owners of 20% or more give personal guarantees for the Main Street fund) and proof that the business is registered in New York ⁠³.

4. Ask an SSBCI technical assistance provider for help if you qualify

   Firms with fewer than 10 employees, or SEDI-owned firms with fewer than 100, can get free legal and accounting help to prepare the application ⁠¹.

5. Time research and export grants to their windows

   File for the NYSTAR match at least three months before your SBIR/STTR deadline ⁠⁷. Apply for STEP at least 30 days before the trade show or trip, and talk to your regional Global NY trade manager first ([email protected], 212-803-2300) ⁠⁸.

6. Use the CFA for ETIP

   Submit the ETIP application before training begins, keep training invoices, and file the final application within 24 months ⁠⁹.

7. If you are turned down, change lenders or wait for the next round

   Each Revolving Loan Fund lender makes its own credit decision, so a no from one is not a no from all ⁠⁴. NYSTAR and STEP are competitive or first come, first served, so apply again in the next window ⁠⁷⁠⁸.

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