SBA Growth Accelerator Fund Competition
U.S. Small Business Administration — Office of Investment and Innovation
$75,000–$150,000
Researched for this program: 4 rejection traps · 5 required documentsWhat decides this award ↓
Seed funding for innovation ecosystem builders
The SBA Growth Accelerator Fund Competition (GAFC) awards cash prizes to accelerators, incubators, and entrepreneurial support organizations (ESOs) that strengthen regional innovation ecosystems supporting SBIR/STTR-focused small businesses. Since 2014, SBA has distributed $50+ million across 1,000+ organizations. The 2025 competition offered $75,000 in Stage One prizes and $150,000 in Stage Two prizes. Recipients use awards to deliver programming, mentorship, and services to STEM and R&D-focused startups, particularly those owned by women, minorities, and veterans, or in rural areas.
- Funding type
- Award
- Level
- Federal
- Amount range
- $75,000 – $150,000
- Realistic amount
- Stage One $75,000 awards are the most accessible entry point. Stage Two $150,000 is available to Stage One winners who demonstrate progress and apply for follow-on funding.
- Deadline
- Ended — GAFC ran 2014–2025 and has been succeeded by the SCALE program; no further competitions.
- Status
- discontinued
- States
- Nationwide
- Payment model
- lump sum
Who qualifies
- Applicants must be organizations (not individuals) — accelerators, incubators, university entrepreneurship programs, or other ESOs
- Must be U.S.-based and focused on serving science, technology, and innovation-driven small businesses
- Must demonstrate programming that supports SBIR/STTR-phase startups
- Priority given to organizations serving women, minority, veteran, and rural founders
- Both for-profit and nonprofit organizations are eligible as applicants
- FOR-PROFIT SMALL BUSINESSES: Not direct recipients — the competition funds the ecosystem orgs, not the small businesses themselves
Hard requirements
- Funds intermediaries, not businesses directly
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- Staffing for accelerator programming and mentorship services
- Events, workshops, and programming for SBIR-focused startups
- Technology and tools to support ecosystem building activities
- Outreach to underrepresented entrepreneur communities
- Operational costs directly tied to expanding innovation ecosystem programming
Ineligible expenses
- Capital expenditures (major equipment or building purchases)
- Lobbying or political activities
- Individual startup funding (prize cannot be passed through directly to portfolio companies)
- Activities unrelated to building innovation ecosystems
How to apply
-
1
Submit Stage One application
Apply at americasseedfund.us. Describe your organization, the innovation ecosystem challenges you're addressing, your proposed solution, and how the $75,000 award would be used. Applications typically require narrative responses + organizational info.
-
2
Receive Stage One award notification
SBA reviews all Stage One applications and notifies winners. Stage One winners receive $75,000 and begin implementing their proposed solution.
-
3
Apply for Stage Two (if eligible)
Stage One winners with demonstrated progress may apply for the $150,000 Stage Two prize. Stage Two applications describe implementation results and how additional funds would scale the solution.
SBA explicitly prioritizes organizations supporting underrepresented founders and rural ecosystems. If your accelerator serves women, minorities, veterans, or rural communities, lead with that in your application — it is a scoring differentiator.
Deadline & timing
Annual competition; 2025 Stage One closed January 31, 2025. Stage Two for eligible Stage One winners had a separate later deadline. Monitor americasseedfund.us and sbir.gov for FY2026 announcement.
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