Last verified August 5, 2026

Small business grants in Virginia

As of August 2026, a Virginia small business can be matched against 107 programs: 8 Virginia state programs, 42 national programs open to VA businesses, and 57 federal grants via Grants.gov.

Most of these programs never run an ad. The money is real — the problem is that nobody tells you it exists. That's the part we fixed.

8
Virginia state programs
42
National programs open to VA businesses
57
Federal grants via Grants.gov

Five Virginia programs worth knowing by name

Every program 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, and that's exactly when winners start preparing.

ProgramAmountStatusBuilt forOfficial link
Virginia Investment Performance Grant (VIP)
Virginia Economic Development Partnership
Verified Aug 4, 2026
up to $5 millionRolling — apply anytimeExisting Virginia manufacturers and R&D firms making major capital investmentsOfficial page ↗
Virginia Enterprise Zone – Job Creation Grant
Virginia Economic Development Partnership
Verified Aug 4, 2026
Up to $500 to $800 annually per positionRolling — apply anytimeFor-profit businesses creating jobs in a Virginia Enterprise ZoneOfficial page ↗
Virginia Port Volume Increase Grant Program
Virginia Economic Development Partnership
Verified Aug 4, 2026
$250,000 maximum per entity per calendar yearAnnual — between cycles
General application deadline March 1, 2027 (for 2026 cargo volume growth); pre-applications for 2027 cargo growth due October 31, 2026.
Agriculture, manufacturing, and mineral/gas businesses growing cargo through Virginia portsOfficial page ↗
Port of Virginia Economic and Infrastructure Development Grant (EID Grant)
Virginia Economic Development Partnership
Verified Aug 4, 2026
$1,000–$3,000 per job createdAnnual — between cycles
Pre-application window September 1 – October 31, 2026; general application deadline March 31, 2027
Companies locating or expanding maritime facilities at the Port of Virginia (25+ jobs)Official page ↗
International Trade Facility Grant Program
Virginia Economic Development Partnership
Verified Aug 5, 2026
$3,500 per qualified full-time employeeAnnual — between cycles
Pre-application opens September 1, 2026; general application deadline March 31, 2027
International trade facilities growing activity at Virginia portsOfficial page ↗

3 more Virginia programs plus the 42 national and 57 federal matches — are scored against your specific business in your full report.

Straight answers

Do grants have to be paid back?

No. A grant is not a loan. Some programs ask for a short report on how the money was used — that's the whole obligation.

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

Get ready before the window opens. Virginia Port Volume Increase Grant Program lists its next window as “General application deadline March 1, 2027 (for 2026 cargo volume growth); pre-applications for 2027 cargo growth due October 31, 2026.; Port of Virginia Economic and Infrastructure Development Grant (EID Grant) as “Pre-application window September 1 – October 31, 2026; general application deadline March 31, 2027. 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.

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

State programs come from Virginia's own budget and only VA businesses can win them — 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.

How current is this page?

Every program shows the date we last verified it against the funder's own page. Anything that closes, moves, or changes gets caught by our weekly re-check.

What does the $97 report add to this page?

This page lists programs. The report scores all 107 against your actual business — your industry, your county, how you're owned — and comes with up to 10 written applications, done with you.

Somewhere in Richmond, an owner qualifies for three of these and doesn't know it.

This page can't read your business. The 3-minute quiz can — it matches your industry, county, and ownership against all 107 programs and shows you where you stand.

See which grants match my business