Last verified October 19, 2026 · How we verify

California small business grants: state and city programs

As of October 2026, a California small business can be matched against 156 programs: 10 California state programs, 4 multi-state programs that include California, 61 national programs open to CA businesses, and 81 federal grants via Grants.gov.

We track 10 California state programs. 6 are open or verified right now and named below. City and county grants are listed too, for San Francisco, San Diego and Los Angeles County. Most of these programs never run an ad. The money is real, but nobody tells you it exists. That's the part we fixed.

California state programs

National programs open to CA businesses

Federal grants via Grants.gov

California programs by the numbers

Who funds them: 3 funders: California Department of Food and Agriculture (3), California Employment Training Panel (ETP) (2), California Restaurant Foundation (1).
Award size: Awards from $2K to $12.5M.
Timing: 2 open now. Soonest deadline: California Nutrition Incentive Program (CNIP) CalFresh Grants, Nov 3, 2026. 4 between cycles; California Farm to School Incubator Grant Program lists its next window as “~2027 (Cohort 4 RFA pending; public comment period closed Sept 11, 2026)”.
What they fund: Agriculture (3), Food & Restaurant (3), Retail (1); 2 open to any industry.

All 6 California state programs we can name

Only California's own programs, open ones first. Each names its funder and links to the official page. Annual programs spend most of the year between windows; the date tells you when to be ready.

Program	Amount	Status	Built for	Official link
California Nutrition Incentive Program (CNIP) CalFresh Grants California Department of Food and Agriculture Verified Oct 15, 2026	$50,000 to $12,500,000 per award; $13.5 million available	Closes Nov 3, 2026	CDFA funds farmers markets, CSAs, farm stands and small grocers that give CalFresh shoppers a dollar-for-dollar match on California-grown fruits and vegetables. Awards of $50,000 to $12.5 million from a $13.5 million pool, for work from February 2027 through June 2028. Proposals are due November 3, 2026 at 5 p.m.	Official page ↗
California Paid Family Leave Small Business Grant California Employment Training Panel (ETP) Verified Oct 18, 2026	Up to $2,000 per employee who utilizes California's Paid Family Leave program (1-50 employees); up to $1,000 per employee (51-100 employees)	Closes May 31, 2028	California's Paid Family Leave Small Business Grant pays employers with 1 to 100 employees when a worker takes California Paid Family Leave. Businesses with 1 to 50 employees can get up to $2,000 per employee on leave; 51 to 100 employees, up to $1,000. The money covers cross-training staff, hiring and training temporary help, and recruiting while the employee is out. The grant period runs June 30, 2026 through May 31, 2028, or until funds run out. You need an active California Employer Account Number for your own payroll; businesses filing under a PEO's account do not qualify.	Official page ↗
California Farm to School Incubator Grant Program California Department of Food and Agriculture Verified Oct 19, 2026	Producers and food hubs: $20,000 to $200,000 (Track 3); school districts up to $1 million and technical-assistance groups up to $1.5 million; up to $38 million in total (draft Cohort 4 RFA)	Reopens, date not announced yet ~2027 (Cohort 4 RFA pending; public comment period closed Sept 11, 2026)	A state grant program supporting farm-to-school projects that serve K-12 students, promote sustainable food procurement, build climate resilience, and cultivate equity. Operates across three main tracks: procurement/education, technical assistance, and producer/food hub grants.	Official page ↗
Restaurants Care Resilience Fund California Restaurant Foundation Verified Oct 14, 2026	$5,000	Reopens, date not announced yet	$5,000 grants to independent California restaurants and commercial caterers for equipment upgrades, technology, employee retention/training, and hardship recovery. Sixth annual round in 2026 with $1.28M in funding.	Official page ↗
Employment Training Panel (ETP) Training Funds California Employment Training Panel Verified Oct 15, 2026	Varies; ETP funds approved training under performance-based contracts	Between cycles Usually opens around May 2027, based on past rounds	California's Employment Training Panel pays for employers to train workers for good-paying, long-term jobs, under performance-based contracts. The business picks the training and how it is delivered. The FY 2026-27 application window opened May 1, 2026 in the Cal-E-Force system, with no close date posted.	Official page ↗
Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) California Department of Food and Agriculture Verified Oct 10, 2026	Varies	Between cycles Usually opens around August 2027, based on past rounds	Annual competitive grant program supporting projects that enhance the competitiveness of California specialty crops (fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, and horticulture). Eligible entities include for-profit and nonprofit organizations, government entities, and universities; projects must benefit the specialty crop industry as a whole.	Official page ↗

We track 4 more California programs that are not open, dated or verified closely enough to name here yet. The quiz still checks your business against them.

City and county programs in California

Open only to businesses in one city, county or local area, so they are not counted in the California totals above.

Downtown Business Fund
San Francisco Downtown Development Corporation (SFDDC)
City and County of San Francisco only
Move-In Grants of $100,000 to $500,000 · Official page ↗
Vacant to Vibrant
SF New Deal, with the City and County of San Francisco
City and County of San Francisco only
grants ranging from $2,000 - $10,000, as well as technical assistance · Official page ↗
Safe and Secure Long Beach Grant Program
City of Long Beach Economic Development and Opportunity Department
City of Long Beach only
$750 or $1,500 (reimbursement, by storefront size) · Official page ↗
Outdoor Business Grant
City of San Diego Economic Development Department
City of San Diego only
Up to $20,000 · Official page ↗
Storefront Improvement Program
City of San Diego Economic Development Department
City of San Diego only
Half of costs up to $8,000; two-thirds up to $12,000 for historic restoration; one-half of costs up to $16,000 for multiple-tenant commercial; +30% in Promise Zone · Official page ↗
San José Creative Economy Fund (formerly Creative Industries Incentive Fund)
City of San José Office of Economic Development and Cultural Affairs (OEDCA), administered in partnership with Center for Cultural Innovation (CCI)
City of San José only
Grants of up to $8,000 · Official page ↗
Sidewalk Vendor Formalization Grants (Small Business Formalization Grants)
Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO), with Inclusive Action for the City
Unincorporated Los Angeles County only
$500 · Official page ↗

Multi-state programs that include California

Each of these covers more than three states, so we list them here instead of counting them as California state programs.

Western SARE Local Education and Demonstration (LED) Grants
Western SARE
Open in 13 states, including CA
Up to $60,000 per project (1 to 3 years) · Closes Oct 28, 2026 · Official page ↗
Western SARE Farmer/Rancher Grant
Western SARE
Open in 13 states, including CA
Up to $35,000 · Closes Oct 28, 2026 · Official page ↗
Restaurant Strong Fund Grant
The Greg Hill Foundation (with the Grubhub Community Fund)
Covers 48 states (plus DC), including CA
$5,000 · Between cycles (Usually opens around December 2026, based on past rounds) · Official page ↗

We track 1 more multi-state program that includes California and is not open, dated or verified closely enough to name here yet.

Also open to CA businesses: 61 national programs and 81 federal grants via Grants.gov. They are the same in every state, so we list them by who they fund: women-owned, veteran-owned, minority-owned, or by industry.

Every verified grant deadline in the next 90 days is on one page: the live deadlines list.

Open right now in California

California Nutrition Incentive Program (CNIP) CalFresh Grants: $50,000 to $12,500,000 per award; $13.5 million available, closes Nov 3, 2026
California Paid Family Leave Small Business Grant: Up to $2,000 per employee who utilizes California's Paid Family Leave program (1-50 employees); up to $1,000 per employee (51-100 employees), closes May 31, 2028

California small business grants, program by program

California Nutrition Incentive Program (CNIP) CalFresh Grants (California Department of Food and Agriculture): $50,000 to $12,500,000 per award; $13.5 million available, closes Nov 3, 2026

CDFA funds farmers markets, CSAs, farm stands and small grocers that give CalFresh shoppers a dollar-for-dollar match on California-grown fruits and vegetables. Awards of $50,000 to $12.5 million from a $13.5 million pool, for work from February 2027 through June 2028. Proposals are due November 3, 2026 at 5 p.m. Verified against the funder's own page Oct 15, 2026. Official page ↗

California Paid Family Leave Small Business Grant: Up to $2,000 per employee who utilizes California's Paid Family Leave program (1-50 employees); up to $1,000 per employee (51-100 employees), closes May 31, 2028

Run by California Employment Training Panel (ETP). California's Paid Family Leave Small Business Grant pays employers with 1 to 100 employees when a worker takes California Paid Family Leave. Businesses with 1 to 50 employees can get up to $2,000 per employee on leave; 51 to 100 employees, up to $1,000. The money covers cross-training staff, hiring and training temporary help, and recruiting while the employee is out. The grant period runs June 30, 2026 through May 31, 2028, or until funds run out. You need an active California Employer Account Number for your own payroll; businesses filing under a PEO's account do not qualify. Verified against the funder's own page Oct 18, 2026. Official page ↗

California Farm to School Incubator Grant Program (California Department of Food and Agriculture): Producers and food hubs: $20,000 to $200,000 (Track 3); school districts up to $1 million and technical-assistance groups up to $1.5 million; up to $38 million in total (draft Cohort 4 RFA), next window 2027

A state grant program supporting farm-to-school projects that serve K-12 students, promote sustainable food procurement, build climate resilience, and cultivate equity. Operates across three main tracks: procurement/education, technical assistance, and producer/food hub grants. Verified against the funder's own page Oct 19, 2026. Official page ↗

Restaurants Care Resilience Fund (California Restaurant Foundation): $5,000

$5,000 grants to independent California restaurants and commercial caterers for equipment upgrades, technology, employee retention/training, and hardship recovery. Sixth annual round in 2026 with $1.28M in funding. Verified against the funder's own page Oct 14, 2026. Official page ↗

Employment Training Panel (ETP) Training Funds (California Employment Training Panel): Varies; ETP funds approved training under performance-based contracts, usually opens around May 2027, based on past rounds

California's Employment Training Panel pays for employers to train workers for good-paying, long-term jobs, under performance-based contracts. The business picks the training and how it is delivered. The FY 2026-27 application window opened May 1, 2026 in the Cal-E-Force system, with no close date posted. Verified against the funder's own page Oct 15, 2026. Official page ↗

Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) (California Department of Food and Agriculture): Varies, usually opens around August 2027, based on past rounds

Annual competitive grant program supporting projects that enhance the competitiveness of California specialty crops (fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, and horticulture). Eligible entities include for-profit and nonprofit organizations, government entities, and universities; projects must benefit the specialty crop industry as a whole. Verified against the funder's own page Oct 10, 2026. Official page ↗

Starting a business in California: what grant money exists

Most grant money goes to businesses that already exist. The SBA says it plainly: it "does not provide grants for starting and expanding a business." New owners usually start with savings, a loan, or a narrow grant built for one kind of business.

California's Dream Fund, a microgrant of up to $10,000 for new businesses that finished a training program, stopped offering that training on December 31, 2022. We know of no open California state grant for starting a business.

California's Small Business Development Centers offer confidential advising from 56 centers and satellite offices.

More small business grant lists

Straight answers

Some of these say "between cycles." What do I do right now?

Get ready before the window opens. California Farm to School Incubator Grant Program lists its next window as “~2027 (Cohort 4 RFA pending; public comment period closed Sept 11, 2026)”. The owners who win are the ones whose applications are ready the week a window opens, not the ones who find out it existed the week it closed.

Does California have state business grants?

We track 10 California state programs. The 6 named on this page are each checked against the funder's own page, and 2 are open now, including California Nutrition Incentive Program (CNIP) CalFresh Grants and California Paid Family Leave Small Business Grant. Most California state grants pay for one purpose, like export marketing or farm and specialty-crop projects, not general cash for any business.

Is there a grant to start a business in California?

Not from the state right now. California's Dream Fund startup microgrant stopped taking new trainees at the end of 2022. For a new business, California's Small Business Development Centers offer no-cost advising, including help finding funding.

Are there city or county business grants in California?

Yes. Some cities and counties run their own. Right now we list 7 local programs, in San Francisco, San Diego and Los Angeles County. They are open only to businesses in that area, so they are not counted in the California totals above.

Which California business grants are open right now?

Open now: California Nutrition Incentive Program (CNIP) CalFresh Grants, up to $12,500,000, closes Nov 3, 2026; California Paid Family Leave Small Business Grant, up to $2,000, closes May 31, 2028. City and county grants in San Francisco, San Diego and Los Angeles County are listed separately.

What's the difference between state, national, and federal programs?

State programs are run through California agencies and partners and are limited to CA businesses or projects. Less competition. National programs are run by companies and foundations and are open to businesses in every state. Federal grants come through Grants.gov and tend to be larger and more paperwork-heavy.

Do I pay these back? How current is this list?

No. Grants are not loans. Each row shows the date we last checked it against the funder's own page. How we verify.

Which of these fit your California business?

This page can't read your business. The 3-minute quiz can. It matches your industry, state, and ownership against all 156 programs and shows you where you stand.

See how many grants fit my business