| State economic development agency | Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development (DCCED) |
| State SBIR/STTR match or Phase 0 grant | State program (see below) |
| State small-business or supplier-diversity certification | None found |
| Signature grant programs cataloged | 1 programs |
The Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development (DCCED) administers the state's primary business development programs through several divisions: the Division of Economic Development (state-funded business loans + grant pass-throughs), the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA) (project financing), and the Alaska Energy Authority (AEA) (energy-sector pass-throughs). Direct cash grants to small business are limited; the state's primary tools are loan programs and federal pass-throughs to rural and underserved communities.
Primary site: Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development (DCCED)
State-funded revolving loan program for Alaska small businesses, including pre-revenue startups, that cannot access conventional credit. Loan, not grant, but functionally fills the gap where grants are unavailable.
Program terms and application (PDF, DCCED Division of Investments) →
We found no state small-business set-aside or MBE/WBE certification program for Alaska state contracts (no state set-aside or MBE certification; Alaska bidder and Alaska veteran preferences, AS 36.30.321). Federal SBA certifications (8(a), HUBZone, WOSB, SDVOSB) still apply to federal contracts.
Alaska supports SBIR/STTR applicants through the Alaska SBIR/STTR Grant Program (DCCED) and TREND Alaska Phase 0 (Alaska SBDC). Check the program page for current rounds and eligibility; the federal award itself is still applied for through the agencies listed at SBIR.gov.
Match amount: match awards (initial awards up to $25,000; Phase II supplements up to $100,000 total); Phase 0 cash awards
Program page: Alaska SBIR/STTR Grant Program (DCCED) and TREND Alaska Phase 0 (Alaska SBDC)
Check the administering agency's page for each program's application link; we have not confirmed whether Alaska uses a single statewide grants system.
Portal: See each program page
Federal grants reach businesses in Alaska through several pass-through channels: HUD CDBG-State dollars administered by Alaska Division of Community and Regional Affairs that sub-grant to localities for economic development; EDA public-works and economic-adjustment grants, awarded through regional EDA offices to local governments, economic development districts and nonprofits; USDA Rural Development Business and Industry loan guarantees for rural businesses, plus Rural Business Development Grants that go to towns, tribes and nonprofits (not to businesses directly) to support local small businesses; and SBA loan programs (7(a), 504, Microloan) accessed via local lenders, alongside Treasury-certified CDFI lenders. Business eligibility for each channel depends on entity size, location (rural vs urban), and use-of-funds.
CDBG state administrator: Alaska Division of Community and Regional Affairs
EDA regional contact: US EDA regional office
State programs cover one half of the picture. Federal grant opportunities are listed on Grants.gov; the eligibility floor often overlaps with state programs. Use the GrantProbe Grant Map to search open federal opportunities by keyword, category and agency, and read our federal grants for startups primer for the framework behind every match.
Need help beyond business grants? The Alaska section of the GrantProbe State Assistance Finder links the official rental, LIHEAP, SNAP, Medicaid and small-business programs for Alaska.
Alaska's economic development agency administers several grant and incentive programs for businesses, but most flagship programs require either an existing operation, a defined hiring commitment, or capital investment milestones. Pure pre-revenue startups should usually pair federal SBIR/STTR (where R&D-eligible) with Alaska's SBIR/STTR support program (see above) and CDFI lending. See the signature programs section above for the named Alaska programs and their eligibility thresholds.
Yes. Alaska supports SBIR/STTR applicants through the Alaska SBIR/STTR Grant Program (DCCED) and TREND Alaska Phase 0 (Alaska SBDC): match awards (initial awards up to $25,000; Phase II supplements up to $100,000 total); Phase 0 cash awards. See the program page for current rounds.
The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program flows from HUD to Alaska's state agency (Alaska Division of Community and Regional Affairs), which sub-grants to localities. Businesses do not apply directly to the state for CDBG dollars; they apply to participating cities or counties for economic development sub-awards (job creation, blight remediation, low-to-moderate-income workforce). Contact your local economic development office for current sub-awards.
Check the administering agency's page for each program; we have not confirmed whether Alaska uses a single statewide grants system.