06/19/2026
🚨 SBA GRANTS: BEFORE YOU APPLY, READ THIS!
I’ve had quite a few people ask me about SBA grants this week, so I did some digging. 👀
The SBA’s current grant programs are primarily for:
💻 SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research)
➡️ Technology
➡️ Software
➡️ AI
➡️ Medical innovation
➡️ Engineering
➡️ Research & development
🎓 STTR (Small Business Technology Transfer)
➡️ Similar to SBIR
➡️ Requires a partnership with a university or research institution
🏭 Manufacturing in America E2G Grant
➡️ Announced by SBA in May 2026
➡️ Designed for organizations that provide training and technical assistance to manufacturers
➡️ NOT for general business funding
🤝 PRIME & Entrepreneurship Support Programs
➡️ Nonprofits
➡️ Organizations helping underserved entrepreneurs
➡️ Microenterprise development organizations
🌎 STEP (State Trade Expansion Program)
➡️ Helps businesses export internationally through state-sponsored programs
Now here’s the part many people don’t want to hear… 👇
If you own a:
🚚 Trucking Company
🧹 Cleaning Business
💇🏽 Salon/Barbershop
🧾 Tax Business
🍽️ Restaurant
🛍️ Retail Store
🏠 Real Estate Business
…there’s a good chance these SBA grants were NOT designed for your business.
⚠️ Also, those screenshots showing “$20,000 Approved” or “$50,000 Approved” are often SBA-backed LOANS, not grants.
Having:
✅ An LLC
✅ An EIN
✅ A Business Bank Account
✅ A Website
does NOT automatically make you eligible for an SBA grant.
📌 Before applying, ask:
“Was this program actually created for my type of business?”
Sometimes the smartest business move isn’t applying…
It’s reading the qualifications first. 😅
❤️ Just trying to save y’all some time, frustration, and unnecessary inquiries.
— Clarese Evans, CPB
CEO, CP&A Tax Services Company
