North Dakota small business grants, loans and equity programs (2026)

Why North Dakota’s SSBCI money is equity, not loans

Equity means an investor buys a share of your company or holds a note that converts into shares. You do not repay it like a loan, but you give up ownership, and both SSBCI programs only invest alongside private investors ⁠¹. That makes them a fit for scalable technology, manufacturing and ag-tech startups, not for a retail store, restaurant or local service business.

Angel Match Program (AMP). The NDDF matches private investment dollar for dollar, from $10,000 up to $250,000 per business ⁠². The whole round, including the match, cannot exceed $2 million. The vehicle must be a convertible note, a SAFE or direct equity, and the match takes the same terms as the private investors and closes on the same day ⁠². To qualify, a company must be a high-growth, early-stage startup with a path to exit in 5 to 10 years. It must also be certified as a primary sector business by Commerce, have fewer than 250 employees, and keep at least one C-suite officer and 25% of W-2 employees as North Dakota residents while the state’s money is at risk ⁠². Money from cities, counties, Commerce or federal sources cannot be matched. A business can receive at most three AMP investments, and the NDDF bills legal work at $250 an hour ⁠².

Wonder Fund North Dakota. O’Leary Ventures co-invests SSBCI money of $50,000 to $5 million, an average of about $250,000, in early-stage companies headquartered in the state, in any industry ⁠¹.

Bank of North Dakota guarantees and buydowns through your lender

None of these programs gives money to the business owner. BND either guarantees part of a bank’s loan or uses its own funds and community funds to lower the interest rate.

The Beginning Entrepreneur Loan Guarantee is for North Dakota residents who have a high school diploma or GED and training or experience in the business they plan to run. Your net worth must be under $500,000 ⁠⁵. Proceeds can cover real estate, equipment, working capital, startup accounting and legal costs, or a licensed child care home or center. BND can guarantee a loan of up to $25,000 without collateral. The guarantee fee is 0.50% a year or a one-time 2% of the guaranteed portion, and the guarantee lasts at most five years ⁠⁵.

Flex PACE buys down the interest rate on a BND participation loan for businesses that are not primary sector, such as main-street retail and services, with no job-creation requirement ⁠⁶. Your city decides whether the project meets local needs and puts up a share of the buydown. That share usually comes from a local development corporation, and the borrower cannot fund it. BND’s PACE Fund covers 65% to 85% of the buydown depending on the community. The rate can drop as much as 5 percentage points below the note rate, with a 1% floor. The buydown is capped at $200,000 per business project ($300,000 for child care) and $500,000 per borrower per biennium across all PACE programs ⁠⁶. Primary sector companies use the larger PACE program instead ⁠⁶.

Development Fund gap financing and the LIFT innovation loan

The North Dakota Development Fund lends to or invests in primary sector businesses. It provides up to $3,000,000, targeting about 25% of the project, with terms of 1 to 10 years ⁠³. Debt deals need 15% owner equity and personal guarantees, and the fee is 1% of capital deployed plus legal costs ⁠³. For rural businesses that cannot be primary sector certified, the NDDF Non-Primary Sector program lends $25,000 to $1,000,000 at a fixed 2%, covering no more than 40% of the project ⁠⁴. To qualify, you must be in a city under 10,000 people or more than five miles outside city limits and have fewer than 100 employees. A lead lender must finance at least 60% of the project, you must put in 10% equity, and you need a support letter from your local development group ⁠⁴.

LIFT (Legacy Investment for Technology Loan Fund) is a repayable loan, not a grant, for companies commercializing intellectual property in fields such as agriculture technology, energy, health care, autonomous systems and advanced computing ⁠⁷. It charges 0% with no payments in years one to three, then 2% interest-only payments in years four and five, with principal due at the end of year five ⁠⁷. Funds pay for applied research and testing in the state, not for equipment, buildings or inventory. Commerce’s published schedule puts the current window at October 5 to November 9, 2026 (5 p.m.), with review on January 13, 2027, and the next window at February 2 to March 4, 2027 ⁠⁷. Commerce does not publish a maximum LIFT loan amount.

The few real grants: APUC, STEP ND and Innovate ND

APUC grants from the Department of Agriculture fund companies and individuals adding value to North Dakota farm products. The categories are research, marketing and utilization, farm diversification, technical assistance, nature-based agritourism and prototype development ⁠¹³. Applications are due January 1, April 1, July 1 and October 1. The first 15 qualified applicants each quarter present to the commission. You must commit a match of at least 25% of the amount requested, and no more than half of that match can be in-kind. The grant reimburses expenses, and the final 10% is held until your final report is accepted ⁠¹³. The guidelines set no fixed maximum award.

STEP ND reimburses 75% of eligible export costs, up to $5,000 per activity. Eligible costs include foreign trade shows and missions, sales trips, website localization, translated marketing materials and EXIM credit insurance ⁠¹². A company can start with two activities worth up to $10,000 through September 29, 2027. The pool for June 30, 2026 to September 29, 2027 is $183,000, and the North Dakota Trade Office allocates it on a rolling basis until it runs out ⁠¹². You must have been in business at least one year, meet SBA size standards, have a significant presence in North Dakota and already sell a commercialized product. Costs incurred before NDTO’s written commitment are not reimbursed ⁠¹².

Innovate ND paid up to $50,000 in reimbursed customer and market research costs for scalable startups, in two $25,000 phases run through Entrepreneur Centers. Commerce says the application period is closed for the 2025-2027 biennium ⁠⁸. Retail, hospitality and local service businesses were never eligible ⁠⁸.

Employer training and hiring money from Commerce and Job Service

• Technical Skills Training Grant (grant, 1:1 match). Businesses, colleges and training providers can apply. Track B pays up to $100,000 for upskilling, onboarding or safety training for existing staff. Track C pays up to $200,000 for automation-related training, plus up to $100,000 for an automation feasibility study ⁠⁹. The jobs must be on the state’s In-Demand Occupations list, and payments go to the trainer, not to trainees. The portal was open as of August 2026 under guidance updated August 4, 2026 ⁠⁹.
• Operation Intern (grant, 1:1 match). Employers in energy, advanced manufacturing, value-added agriculture, tourism, technology and autonomous systems can receive up to $5,000 per intern. The cap is $25,000 per round and $50,000 per biennium, with no more than five interns per round ⁠¹⁰. Commerce reports that all funds for the current year have been requested, so new applicants go on a waitlist. Separately, the state offers an income tax credit of 10% of intern pay ⁠¹⁰.
• New Jobs Training Program (withholding-based loan or reimbursement). Primary sector businesses that create new full-time jobs paying at least $10 an hour plus benefits within 12 months can recover the state income tax withheld from those jobs for up to 10 years ⁠¹¹. A preliminary agreement must be signed before the first new employee starts ⁠¹¹.

SBIR help and free advising from UND-based centers

North Dakota Commerce lists no state SBIR/STTR matching grant among its programs. Instead, the UND Center for Innovation offers eligible companies up to 14 hours of SBIR/STTR consulting and grant-writing help, valued at $3,500, at no cost ⁠¹⁵. The ND SBDC, hosted by UND, provides no-cost, confidential advising to for-profit North Dakota businesses ⁠¹⁴.

Applying in North Dakota: from SBDC intake to lender referral

1. Register with the ND SBDC

   Sign up online or email [email protected]. Bring a business plan, projections and the amount you need ⁠¹⁴.

2. Ask your local bank about BND

   The lender submits your request to BND. Have proof of residency, your diploma or GED, a net-worth statement under $500,000 and your loan request ready ⁠⁵.

3. Line up the community match for Flex PACE

   Ask your city or local development corporation to commit its share before the lender applies ⁠⁶.

4. Get primary sector certified if you are a scalable company

   Certification from Commerce is required for AMP, NDDF primary sector financing, PACE and New Jobs Training ⁠²⁠³⁠¹¹.

5. Raise private money before you contact AMP

   Collect soft commitments from investors and email the AMP application and certifications to the NDDF. The NDDF reviews them, then issues a commitment or denial letter and sets a closing date ⁠².

6. Apply for training or export money before you spend

   Use the Commerce portal for the Technical Skills Training Grant and email [email protected] for STEP ND. NDTO decides within one to two weeks after acknowledging an application ⁠⁹⁠¹².

7. Reapply or switch programs if turned down

   A BND decision is a lender credit decision, so you can try another lender. APUC accepts new applications every quarter, and LIFT reopens February 2, 2027 ⁠⁷⁠¹³.

For other North Dakota help, see the North Dakota overview or compare states on the small business grants hub.