Growth Accelerator Fund Competition (GAFC)
Offers annual awards for accelerators and incubators in the United States building supportive startup ecosystems.
The Growth Accelerator Fund Competition (GAFC) is an annual prize competition run by SBA's Office of Investment and Innovation under the America's Seed Fund brand. It awards Entrepreneur Support Organizations (ESOs) — accelerators, incubators, technology transfer offices, university programs — that build innovation-based entrepreneurship ecosystems. GAFC does not fund startups directly. The competition runs in two stages: Stage 1 awards $75,000 to qualifying ESOs that identify ecosystem challenges; Stage 2 awards $150,000 to advancing Stage 1 winners. Theme areas in recent cycles have been Lab-to-Market (national security, domestic manufacturing, biotech) and Capital Formation. The 2026 cycle is projected to distribute up to $9 million, the largest in program history (FY2025: $5.7M distributed). Historical pattern: Stage 1 opens Q1 of each calendar year.
Each grant below is a distinct funding opportunity with its own eligibility, scope, and deliverables.