Hawaii Small Business Grants 2026: What's Open Now

Hawaii small business grants open or recurring in 2026

Four Hawaii grant programs for for-profit businesses were open or had a dated next round on October 18, 2026. Two are one-time disaster programs tied to specific islands and storms. One is for research companies, and one pays for energy upgrades.

That's what's open. Here's what most Hawaii owners actually use outside of a disaster. These are loans, credits, and free help, not grants:

Left out on purpose: HTDC's Manufacturing Assistance Program, which reimburses up to 20% of qualified expenses (up to $100,000) but whose FY26 round closed and whose FY27 dates weren't posted; HiSTEP, DBEDT's export program, where 2027 registration is open but the trade show assistance terms weren't posted; the Hawaii County Kona Low grant, which closed August 31, 2026 according to news reports; the City and County of Honolulu's small business programs, which local news reported were suspended when its Office of Economic Revitalization closed on August 14, 2026; Maui wildfire funds, where Grantsights found no open business-owner round; and the Department of Agriculture's emergency farmer relief, which couldn't be confirmed as open.

Last updated: 2026-10-18

Hawaii is a hard state for small business grants outside of a disaster declaration. The honest advice for most owners is to take the storm grant if you qualify, then build a relationship with a CDFI or HI-CAP lender. To see which Hawaii routes fit your island and business, use the free eligibility checker, or search current listings in the Grantsights grant database. The small business grants by state hub compares Hawaii with the mainland.

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The Kona Low and Hurricane Lowell recovery grants

These two programs are the closest thing Hawaii has to a general small business grant, and both are open now. They're funded by the State of Hawaii through DBEDT and run by the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii, with the same two tiers for for-profit businesses: $5,000 for micro businesses with revenue under $250,000 and 1 to 10 employees, and $10,000 for businesses with revenue of $250,000 to $5 million and 11 to 500 employees. If your revenue and headcount point to different tiers, revenue decides.

The Oahu program has $3.35 million for non-agricultural businesses hurt by the Kona Low storms of March 10 to 23, 2026. You must have been operating on Oahu and registered with the state's Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs before March 10, 2026 (sole proprietors are exempt from registration but need a tax clearance certificate). Nonprofits can't apply. The deadline is 11:59 p.m. on November 15, 2026.

The Kauai program has $2 million for businesses hurt by Hurricane Lowell on September 7 and 8, 2026, and it also has separate nonprofit tiers. You must have been operating on Kauai before September 7, and you must show storm losses that insurance and other aid didn't cover. The Chamber's FAQ sets a deadline of 11:59 p.m. on December 15, 2026, but the County of Kauai's release says awards are first-come, first-served until the money runs out. The county says agricultural businesses will get a separate state program, with details to come.

The paperwork is where applications stall. You'll need federal and state tax clearances and a Certificate of Good Standing no more than 60 days old, owner ID, bank details, and evidence of damage such as photos or repair estimates. If something's missing, you get 10 business days to fix it, and your resubmission date becomes your new place in line. The Chamber aims to review within 15 business days and pay within 30 days of approval.

For example, one company in Lihue with $400,000 in revenue and 12 employees would fall in the $10,000 tier, as long as it can document at least that much in unmet storm losses. A home-based Kauai business with $90,000 in revenue would be in the $5,000 tier. The Kauai SBDC helps applicants for free.

HSBIR, EmPOWER, and Hawaii's other narrow grants

HTDC's HSBIR program matches federal research awards. It pays up to 50% of a Phase I SBIR or STTR award, up to $75,000, and the FY27 Phase 0 and Phase I round opens at 9 a.m. on October 23, 2026 and closes at 11:59 p.m. on December 11, 2026. You must already hold a federal award or contract active within the past 12 months, be registered in Hawaii, and do the work in Hawaii. HTDC gives priority to first-time and neighbor island applicants, and to companies in ocean, space, energy, and health technology. The SBIR Phase 1 grant guide explains the federal side.

EmPOWER is a different kind of grant: Hawaii Energy pays for efficiency upgrades that cut your electric bill. Small businesses in facilities under 5,000 square feet, restaurants, and other small-demand customers can get up to $10,000 on Oahu and up to $15,000 in Maui County and on Hawaii Island. You must use one of Hawaii Energy's approved contractors, and the money comes as a reimbursement after the approved project is done. The page lists Hawaii Island, Lanai, Maui, Molokai, and Oahu; Kauai isn't on the list.

Of Hawaii's non-disaster grants, EmPOWER is the best bet for an ordinary small business, because almost every shop and restaurant pays high electric rates and the eligibility test is about the building, not the industry. HSBIR is worth it only for research companies. The Manufacturing Assistance Program is worth watching if you're a manufacturer: it reimburses up to 20% of equipment, training, and efficiency costs, from $1,500 to $100,000, but you must include proof of payment with your application, and the next round hasn't been posted.

HI-CAP, CBED, and other Hawaii loans

According to the Treasury SSBCI program summary, last updated for Hawaii in July 2023, Hawaii's SSBCI money totals $61.5 million:

HTDC says the money will be deployed through 2030. You don't apply to HTDC for collateral support; your bank enrolls the loan when there's a collateral gap. For the CDFI pool, you apply through a participating CDFI. HI-CAP Loans favors projects in renewable energy, innovation, local agriculture, dual-use technology, manufacturing, and creative industries.

DBEDT's CBED loan program is the state's own lender of last resort for small businesses. Loans usually run $50,000 to $125,000, with terms up to 10 years at 4% to 8%, and you must show a turn-down from at least one financial institution. It focuses on agriculture and food production, manufacturing, and wholesale.

For smaller amounts, the Hawaiian Council is the Hawaii lender on SBA's microlender list. Its small business loans run $10,000 to $250,000 at up to 8.00%, with a processing fee of up to 3% and terms up to seven years, and you'll need two years of business tax returns and a business plan. According to SBA, microloans go up to $50,000, and the average is about $13,000. Native Hawaiian owners can also use OHA's Malama Business loan at 4.00% APR, and Hawaii Community Lending makes social enterprise loans of up to $100,000 for community development projects.

The Hawaii SBDC, founded in 1990, is the only statewide business assistance organization in Hawaii, and its advising is free. It reports serving 3,352 clients from 2023 to 2025.

Which federal grants reached Hawaii small businesses in FY2025

Hawaii small businesses received $6.33 million in net federal grant obligations in FY2025, across 42 awards to 20 recipients, according to USAspending.gov data. Those figures come from a Grantsights analysis of USAspending.gov (opens in a new tab) FY2025 grant awards to small-business recipients in Hawaii, pulled from the public USAspending.gov API (opens in a new tab) on October 18, 2026 (grant award types 02 through 05, October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2025, recipient type "small business").

Hawaii's mix is more varied than most small states. Alongside the usual NIH and NSF research awards, there's ocean and energy work, a wood innovation award, a Navy ship repair grant, and a fisheries grant. No single recipient dominates; the largest received about a quarter. Even so, nearly all of it is research or a specialized federal program, not money an ordinary shop or restaurant can win.

Two limits. The "small business" type is self-reported in each recipient's SAM.gov registration (opens in a new tab), and USAspending reports obligations, which are commitments and can be negative when an older award is reduced. That's why the NSF education line is below zero and the total is net.

What DBEDT's website doesn't tell you about Hawaii small business grants

DBEDT's site and news coverage of the storm grants can make it sound like Hawaii has a lot of grant money. Here's the friction behind it.

Disaster grants need documented losses. Both storm programs require that you were operating before the storm and, for Kauai, that you show losses insurance and other aid didn't cover. They're not growth grants, and they don't help a business that wasn't hit.

First-come, first-served means the deadline can come early. The Oahu and Kauai programs both pay until funding is exhausted. A common mistake is waiting for the posted deadline; an incomplete application also loses its place in line.

Good standing paperwork trips people up. The storm grants, HSBIR, and MAP all require state registration and tax compliance, and the storm grants want a Certificate of Good Standing no more than 60 days old. Order your tax clearances first.

Reimbursement is the norm outside disasters. EmPOWER pays after the project is done, and MAP wants proof of payment with the application. Budget to pay first.

Grant "facilitators" are a red flag. The Hawaii SBDC's own site warns about phishing and imposter scams. The storm grants are applied for only through the Chamber's portal, at no cost. According to the FTC's grant scam page (opens in a new tab), no government agency will contact you to demand payment for a grant, and the free list of federal grants is at Grants.gov (opens in a new tab).

How to apply, step by step

1. Check the storm grants first. If you're on Oahu or Kauai and lost money in 2026, apply now through the Chamber's portal.
2. Gather your compliance documents. Tax clearances and a current Certificate of Good Standing are needed for most programs.
3. Ask a Hawaii Energy contractor about EmPOWER if your building is under 5,000 square feet.
4. Talk to a lender about HI-CAP if you're short on collateral, or to DBEDT about CBED if a bank said no.
5. Book a free SBDC session. Hawaii's SBDC centers help with grant applications and loan packages.

Hawaii has no neighboring state, but owners comparing markets may want the California small business grants guide, and exporters should read the export grants guide for federal help that works alongside HiSTEP.

Sources

• Chamber of Commerce Hawaii Kona Low Business Recovery Grant (opens in a new tab)
• Chamber of Commerce Hawaii Hurricane Lowell Business Recovery Grant (opens in a new tab)
• County of Kauai Hurricane Lowell grant release (opens in a new tab)
• HTDC HSBIR grants (opens in a new tab)
• HTDC Manufacturing Assistance Program (opens in a new tab)
• HTDC HI-CAP (opens in a new tab)
• DBEDT HiSTEP (opens in a new tab)
• DBEDT CBED loan program (opens in a new tab)
• Hawaii Energy EmPOWER grant (opens in a new tab)
• Treasury SSBCI capital program summaries (opens in a new tab)
• Hawaiian Council loan fund (opens in a new tab)
• OHA Malama Business loan (opens in a new tab)
• Hawaii Community Lending loans (opens in a new tab)
• Hawaii SBDC (opens in a new tab)
• SBA list of microlenders (opens in a new tab)
• FTC: government grant scams (opens in a new tab)
• USAspending.gov API (opens in a new tab)