| State economic development agency | Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism (DBEDT) |
| 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 Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism (DBEDT) is the state's lead agency for economic development. DBEDT houses the High Technology Development Corporation (HTDC), the Hawaii Strategic Development Corporation (HSDC), and the Foreign Trade Zone. HTDC operates the state's primary technology commercialization grants and SBIR/STTR support. Hawaii's isolated geography motivates concentrated state investment in technology and energy diversification.
Primary site: Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism (DBEDT)
NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) center for Hawaii, delivered by HTDC. Cost-shared technical assistance for small/mid-sized manufacturers; not a direct grant but a state-leveraged federal pass-through.
We found no state small-business set-aside or MBE/WBE certification program for Hawaii state contracts (small-business preference interim rules have expired). Federal SBA certifications (8(a), HUBZone, WOSB, SDVOSB) still apply to federal contracts.
Hawaii supports SBIR/STTR applicants through the Hawaii Small Business Innovation Research (HSBIR) Program, run by HTDC. 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: Phase 0 up to $3,000 for grant writing; Phase I 50% match up to $75,000; reopens fall 2026
Program page: Hawaii Small Business Innovation Research (HSBIR) Program, run by HTDC
Check the administering agency's page for each program's application link; we have not confirmed whether Hawaii uses a single statewide grants system.
Portal: See each program page
Federal grants reach businesses in Hawaii through several pass-through channels: HUD CDBG-State dollars administered by Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism (DBEDT) 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: Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism (DBEDT) (CDBG-state administrator)
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 Hawaii section of the GrantProbe State Assistance Finder links the official rental, LIHEAP, SNAP, Medicaid and small-business programs for Hawaii.
Hawaii'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 Hawaii's SBIR/STTR support program (see above) and CDFI lending. See the signature programs section above for the named Hawaii programs and their eligibility thresholds.
Yes. Hawaii supports SBIR/STTR applicants through the Hawaii Small Business Innovation Research (HSBIR) Program, run by HTDC: Phase 0 up to $3,000 for grant writing; Phase I 50% match up to $75,000; reopens fall 2026. See the program page for current rounds.
The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program flows from HUD to Hawaii's state agency (Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism (DBEDT) (CDBG-state administrator)), 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 Hawaii uses a single statewide grants system.