Native American Small Business Support Program

Native American Small Business Support Program

Funds Native American-owned small businesses in North Dakota with resources for growth and market readiness.

Eligibility · United States · US-ND

⚠ This may reflect a past cycle — verify the current call on the funder's site.

The Native American Small Business Support Program is a competitive grant administered by the North Dakota Department of Commerce to support the growth and stability of Native American-owned small businesses operating in the state. The 2026 cycle made $600,000 available, with individual awards ranging from $10,000 up to the full $600,000 pool depending on the number and quality of applications, leaving open the possibility of a single large award or multiple smaller ones. Eligible uses include working capital, equipment and technology purchases, business expansion costs, marketing, workforce training, and other investments demonstrating measurable business impact. The application deadline for this cycle was January 13, 2026, and all awarded funds must be fully expended by June 30, 2027.

Eligibility requires at least 51% Native American ownership, for-profit status, fewer than 500 employees, active revenue generation at the time of application, physical location and operations within North Dakota, and good standing with both state and federal requirements. Universities, non-profits, and businesses not meeting the ownership threshold are ineligible. Applications were evaluated on a 100-point rubric: business viability (25 points), use of funds (25 points), impact including job creation and community benefit (30 points), organisational capacity (10 points), and application completeness (10 points).

Awardees must submit progress reports every six months and a final report summarising expenditures and outcomes, with all funds spent by the June 30, 2027 deadline. Because the 2026 cycle is now closed, organisations that missed this round should contact the North Dakota Department of Commerce (submit inquiries to sakason@nd.gov) to be notified when the next funding cycle opens. The programme's scoring framework rewards applicants who can articulate concrete job creation targets, revenue growth projections, and a clear connection between the requested funds and community-level impact.