Grants for business incubators and entrepreneur centers
Grants that business incubators, accelerators, makerspaces and entrepreneur centers in Tennessee can apply for, chosen from what incubators actually win: federal awards to organizations named incubator, accelerator or entrepreneur center since 2019 (USAspending.gov), and Tennessee foundation grants to incubators in IRS filings.
Federal programs incubators win
Programs are ranked by federal grant dollars to recipients named incubator, accelerator, entrepreneur, innovation center or business development center, FY2020–FY2026 (USAspending.gov spending by Assistance Listing).
Economic Adjustment Assistance (11.307)
The most common federal grant to incubators and entrepreneur centers nationwide: planning, feasibility studies, operating support and revolving loan funds for regions adjusting to economic change.
3 notices open or coming: FY 2023 Disaster Supplemental; EDA FY25 Disaster Supplemental; FY 2025 EDA Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance Programs · 17 Tennessee awards on file
Investments for Public Works and Economic Development Facilities (11.300)
Builds and renovates the facility itself: EDA Public Works pays for business incubator buildings and other economic development infrastructure.
1 notice open or coming: FY 2025 EDA Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance Programs · 4 Tennessee awards on file
BUILD TO SCALE (11.024)
Build to Scale (Venture Challenge, Capital Challenge): EDA's competition for programs that help tech startups grow and raise capital.
No open notice right now.
Rural Business Development Grant (10.351)
USDA Rural Business Development Grants list rural business incubators as an eligible use. In Tennessee, the Knoxville Entrepreneur Center, Upper Cumberland Entrepreneurial Foundation and Cleveland/Bradley Business Incubator have won them.
No open notice right now.
Appalachian Area Development (23.002)
Appalachian Regional Commission grants, applied for through TNECD in ARC counties. Sync Space Entrepreneur Center in Kingsport won $250,000 for a business incubator in 2022.
No open notice right now.
Women's Business Ownership Assistance (59.043)
SBA Women's Business Centers: multi-year funding for nonprofits that train and counsel women entrepreneurs.
No open notice right now.
Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program (10.870)
USDA Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program: loans and technical-assistance grants for organizations serving rural microbusinesses.
No open notice right now.
Federal and State Technology Partnership Program (59.058)
SBA Federal and State Technology (FAST) Partnership: helps organizations prepare small businesses to win SBIR/STTR awards.
No open notice right now.
Manufacturing Extension Partnership (11.611)
Manufacturing Extension Partnership: support for programs serving small manufacturers (Tennessee's MEP center is UT's Center for Industrial Services).
1 notice open or coming: MEP Center State Competition
Community Development Financial Institutions Program (21.020)
CDFI Fund: for incubators and entrepreneur centers that also lend to small businesses and become certified CDFIs.
No open notice right now.
Economic Development Initiative, Community Project Funding, and Miscellaneous grants (14.251)
Community Project Funding: many incubators win these congressionally directed grants. Your U.S. House member and senators each take project requests once a year.
No open notice right now.
Congressional Grants (59.059)
SBA Congressional Grants: the SBA's share of congressionally directed projects, often entrepreneur centers and incubator build-outs.
No open notice right now.
Open and coming grants that mention this work
- Region 4 Small Business Transportation Technical Assistance Center (SBTTAC) · 69A350 OSDBU · Due Oct 31, 2026 · 25 days left · Up to $250K
- Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Programs Phase II · National Institute of Food and Agriculture · Due Nov 17, 2026 · 42 days left · $600K – $650K
- Site Development Grant – 2027 Round 1 · TN Department of Economic & Community Development · Due Nov 19, 2026 · 44 days left · Up to $5M
- Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives Program (DBI) Fiscal Year 2026 · Agricultural Marketing Service · Due Dec 1, 2026 · 56 days left · $2.3M – $3.5M
- Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, Phase I · Administration for Community Living · Expected around Dec 16, 2026 (not yet confirmed) · $95K – $100K
- Small Business Transition Grant for New Entrepreneurs (Parent R41/R42 Clinical Trial Optional) · National Institutes of Health · Expected around Jan 5, 2027 (not yet confirmed)
- Small Business Transition Grant for New Entrepreneurs (Parent R43/R44 Clinical Trial Optional) · National Institutes of Health · Expected around Jan 5, 2027 (not yet confirmed)
- Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) Phase II · Administration for Community Living · Expected around Feb 1, 2027 (not yet confirmed) · $280K – $288K
- NIH, CDC and FDA Small Business Innovation Research Grant (Parent SBIR [R43/R44] Clinical Trial Optional) · National Institutes of Health · Due Apr 5, 2027 · 181 days left
- NIH Small Business Technology Transfer Grant (Parent STTR [R41/R42] Clinical Trial Optional) · National Institutes of Health · Due Apr 5, 2027 · 181 days left
- LPS Qubit Collaboratory (LQC) · Dept of the Army -- Materiel Command · Due Apr 30, 2027 · 206 days left
- Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund (AEIF) 2026 · U.S. Mission to Honduras · Done for this year · next round expected Apr 9 – May 12, 2027 · $5,000 – $35K
- Public Diplomacy Commercial Partnerships and Entrepreneurship Program · U.S. Mission to Kyrgyzstan · Done for this year · next round expected Mar 31 – May 15, 2027 · $25K – $75K
- Prosperity Stack Fellowship · U.S. Mission to South Korea · Done for this year · next round expected Jun 10 – Jul 13, 2027 · $100K – $108K
- States' Economic Development Assistance Program (SEDAP) – 2026 · Delta Regional Authority · Done for this year · next round expected Jun 1 – Jul 31, 2027 · $50K – $500K
- EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement Program: EPSCoR Research Incubators for STEM Excellence (E-RISE) · U.S. National Science Foundation · Due Aug 10, 2027 · 308 days left · From $8M
- Community Economic Development Projects · Administration for Children and Families - OCS · Done for this year · next round expected Aug 10 – Sep 8, 2027 · $100K – $800K
- Catalyze: Product Definition for Small Molecules, Biologics and Combination Products - Target Identification and Validation, and Preliminary Product/Lead Series Identification (R61/R33 Clinical Trials Not Allowed) · National Institutes of Health · Due Dec 23, 2027 · 443 days left
- Catalyze Product Definition Medical Device prototype design/testing and disease target identification and assay development (R61/R33 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed) · National Institutes of Health · Due Dec 23, 2027 · 443 days left
- Catalyze: Product Definition for Small Molecules, Biologics, and Combination Products - Preliminary Product/Lead Series Identification and Combination Product Prototype (R33 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed) · National Institutes of Health · Due Dec 23, 2027 · 443 days left
- Catalyze: Product Definition Medical Device Prototype Optimization (R33 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed) · National Institutes of Health · Due Dec 23, 2027 · 443 days left
- Catalyze: Enabling Technologies and Transformative Platforms for HLBS Research (R33 - Clinical Trials Not Allowed) · National Institutes of Health · Due Dec 23, 2027 · 443 days left · Up to $350K
- NIH Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase IIB Strategic Breakthrough Award (Parent [R44] Clinical Trial Optional) · National Institutes of Health · Due Apr 5, 2029 · 912 days left
- SBIR/STTR Commercialization Readiness Pilot (CRP) Program (Parent SB1 Clinical Trial Optional) · National Institutes of Health · Due Apr 5, 2029 · 912 days left
- Science of Organizations (SoO) · U.S. National Science Foundation · Due Sep 30, 2076 · 18257 days left
Tennessee programs that fund this work
- SBIR/STTR Matching Fund – FY2027 · Launch Tennessee · Due Oct 16, 2026 · 10 days left
- ARC Planning Grants – quarterly intake (Tennessee) · TN Department of Economic & Community Development · Due Nov 13, 2026 · 38 days left
- Rural Economic Development Loan & Grant (REDLG) - business incubator projects sponsored by a TN electric or telecom co-op · USDA Rural Development (Tennessee State Office) via local electric/telephone cooperatives · Due Dec 31, 2026 · 86 days left
- TTAC Partnership Program (Program Grants and Event & Meeting Grants) · Launch Tennessee (Tennessee Technology Advancement Consortium) · Due Jun 1, 2027 · 238 days left
- Rural Business Development Grants (Tennessee) · USDA Rural Development – Tennessee State Office · Done for this year · next round expected due around Jun 30, 2027
- POWER Initiative (coal-impacted communities) – FY2026 · Appalachian Regional Commission · Done for this year · next round expected May 5 – Jul 8, 2027
- Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) Area Development Grants – FY2027 (Tennessee) · TN Department of Economic & Community Development · Done for this year · next round expected due around Aug 14, 2027
Foundations that funded Tennessee incubators
From their IRS filings. Foundations that take applications are listed first.
| Foundation | Based in | Funded | Total | Takes applications? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| J R Hyde III Foundation | TN | Vibrant Memphis Inc. Dba Epicenter | $1.1M | Takes applications |
| Boyd Foundation | TN | Knoxville Entrepreneur Center | $50K | Takes applications |
| Lawson Family Foundation | TN | Knoxville Entrepreneur Center | $25K | Takes applications |
| The Bank of America Charitable | NC | Knoxville Entrepreneur Center | $25K | Takes applications |
| James Stephen Turner Family Foundation Inc. | TN | The Nashville Entrepreneur Center | $10K | Takes applications |
| Lillian L Colby Charitable Foundation | TN | Colab | $10K | Takes applications |
| Tennessee Titans Foundation | TN | Entrepreneur Latina Leaders of America Inc.; Nashville Entrepreneur Center | $7,500 | Takes applications |
| The Community Foundation of Middle | TN | Entrepreneur Latina Leaders of America Inc.; Launch Tennessee Tennessee Technology Development Corporation; The Nashville Entrepreneur Center | $455K | Check how to apply |
| Vanderbilt University | TN | Launch Tennessee; Launch Tennessee (dba Tennessee Technology Development Corporation); Nashville Entrepreneur Center | $150K | Check how to apply |
| Lbmc Cares Foundation | TN | Nashville Entrepreneur Center | $25K | Check how to apply |
| The Ayco Charitable Foundation | NY | Nashville Entrepreneur Center | $10K | Check how to apply |
| Ford Motor Company Fund | MI | Entrepreneur Development Center of Southwest Tennessee Inc.; Entrepreneur Development Center of Sw TN Inc. Dba Theco | $510K | Invitation only |
| Benwood Foundation Inc. | TN | Colab | $490K | Invitation only |
| Gs Donor Advised Philanthropy Fund | NY | Wow and Wonder Colab | $305K | Invitation only |
| Silicon Valley Community Foundation | CA | Upper Cumberland Entrepreneurial Foundation | $205K | Invitation only |
| Yarbrough Family Foundation | TN | Nashville Entrepreneur Center | $150K | Invitation only |
| Leptas Foundation Trust | CO | Wow and Wonder Colab | $135K | Invitation only |
| National Philanthropic Trust | PA | Knoxville Entrepreneur Center; The Nashville Entrepreneur Center | $121K | Invitation only |
| Albert Jay Martin Family Foundation | TN | Epicenter Memphis; Society of Entrepreneurs | $115K | Invitation only |
| Donor Advised Charitable Giving Inc. | CA | Nashville Entrepreneur Center | $81K | Invitation only |
| Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund | MA | Nashville Entrepreneur Center | $56K | Invitation only |
| Crews Family Foundation | TN | Epicenter; Society of Entrepreneurs | $46K | Invitation only |
| Community Foundation | TN | Society of Entrepreneurs | $32K | Invitation only |
| Charities Aid Foundation America | VA | Entrepreneur Latina Leaders of America Inc.; Knoxville Entrepreneur Center | $30K | Invitation only |
| Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program | PA | Knoxville Entrepreneur Center | $30K | Invitation only |
| Wells Fargo Foundation | MN | The Nashville Entrepreneur Center | $25K | Invitation only |
| Cla Foundation | MN | Nashville Entrepreneur Center | $25K | Invitation only |
| Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc. | IN | Wow and Wonder Colab | $20K | Invitation only |
| Natl Christian Charitable Fdn Inc. | GA | Nashville Entrepreneur Center | $20K | Invitation only |
| Milton and Denice Johnson Family Foundation | TN | Nashville Entrepreneur Center | $15K | Invitation only |
Tennessee peers: see who funds them
- The Nashville Entrepreneur Center Nashville · 20 foundations
- Knoxville Entrepreneur Center Knoxville · 8 foundations
- Society of Entrepreneurs Memphis · 4 foundations
- Colab Chattanooga · 4 foundations
- Entrepreneur Latina Leaders of America Inc. Nashville · 3 foundations
- Wow and Wonder Colab Nashville · 3 foundations
- Launch Tennessee Nashville · 1 foundation
- Tennessee Technology Development Corporation Dba Launchtn Nashville · 1 foundation
- Entrepreneur Development Center of Sw TN Inc. Dba Theco Jackson · 1 foundation
- Model City Makerspace Kingsport · 1 foundation
- Clarksville Entrepreneur Center Clarksville · 1 foundation
- Cleveland-Bradley Business Incubator Cleveland · 1 foundation
Eligibility tips
- A community college can apply to EDA directly as an institution of higher education. A nonprofit incubator is eligible only when acting in cooperation with officials of a city or county, so a letter or resolution from your city or county, or applying through your community college partner, matters. 13 CFR 300.3 (EDA eligible recipients)
- EDA pays at most 60% of a project, plus up to 30% more in economically distressed regions, so plan for a local share of 10% to 40%. 13 CFR 301.4 (EDA investment rates)
- Launch Tennessee's TTAC Partnership Program funds Tennessee nonprofits, including incubators, for projects with an industry partner and a letter from a TTAC member university; apply at least 30 days before the activity starts. Launch Tennessee
- USDA's Rural Economic Development Loan & Grant program names business incubators as eligible projects, but your local electric or telephone co-op applies and passes the money on as a zero-interest loan. Ask your co-op. USDA Rural Development
- USDA Rural Business Development Grants go to public bodies, tribes and nonprofits serving rural areas: places outside any city of 50,000 or more and its urbanized edges. For-profit businesses can't receive them. Applications go through USDA Rural Development's Tennessee office; the 2026 deadlines were June 15 and June 30. USDA Rural Development
- Your regional development district writes and administers many EDA and ARC applications for free and keeps the region's economic development strategy that federal reviewers look for. Development districts
- Foundations that funded other Tennessee incubators are your warmest leads. Open a peer below and see every foundation that paid it a grant. Who funded this group?
Checked Oct 6, 2026. Each funder's official notice controls; confirm eligibility there before applying.