Grants for Small Businesses

Do you own a small business here in Bensalem and need funding to grow? Grant money is free (in a way), but there are costs. You must put in the time to research grants and apply for them. At every step of the process, the Bensalem Economic Development Corporation is here to help you – from the preliminary application to the final presentation. 

 Grants Available to Pennsylvania Businesses

 Pennsylvania includes the following grants on a Department of Community and Economic Development web page:

• The Alternative and Clean Energy Program (ACE) provides grants and loan funds to eligible businesses to use, develop, and construct alternative and clean energy projects in the state.
• The Ben Franklin Technology Partners Challenge Grant provides grants to advance the development of new technologies and for the generation, conservation, and transportation of alternative and clean energy.
• The Foundations in Industry Training (FIT) Grant Program offers grants to registered apprenticeship programs. Their goal is to increase the number of apprenticeships and help them with talent recruitment and development.
• The Global Access Program (GAP) aims to improve small Pennsylvania businesses’ capability to increase export sales. It provides up to $10,000 per award period to qualifying companies to pay up to 75% of their eligible expenses for specific export promotion activities.
• The High Performance Building Program (HPB) provides grants to underwrite the costs of designing and constructing or renovating high-performance buildings (those with less energy demand and that use environmentally friendly material, reduce environmental impact on the area, and conserve natural resources) in Pennsylvania.
• The Industrial Sites Reuse Program provides grants for environmental site assessments and remediation work at former industrial sites.
• The Pennsylvania First Program issues grants to facilitate increased investment and job creation. It can be used for machinery, job training, building improvements, acquiring land, and working capital.

These are a fraction of all the grants. Many are very narrowly targeted for specific purposes or industries.

Grants for Businesses Owned by Women

NerdWallet lists 31 grants available to small businesses owned by women. They include:

• Amber Grants of $10,000 are issued monthly in a specific, rotating category. There’s also a second monthly grant and two quarterly grants for a startup and a nonprofit.
• The Atomic Grant program offers $1,500 microgrants to women business owners. Recipients also receive one-on-one strategy coaching sessions.
• A collaboration between Stacy’s Pita Chips and Hello Alice, the Stacy’s Rise Project awards $25,000 to ten small food and beverage businesses owned by women.
• The Fast Pitch Competition by the Women Founders Network is available to US businesses founded by women. Your business won’t qualify if it has already raised more than $750,000. Selected participants pitch their businesses in person. Winners will receive $25,000 grants.

Even if you don’t win, the process may force you to think about your business differently and confront issues you haven’t considered. But researching and applying for grants can take a lot of something you don’t have – time. 

BEDC members can help you navigate your challenges and make Bensalem the best home possible for your business. Let us know if you want to seek a grant for your business. We can suggest what grants may be a good fit for your business and how you can give yourself a fighting chance of receiving one.

Call the BEDC at (484) 354-0287 or email us at info@bensalemedc.org to learn more.