While Kansas may bring to mind sparkly red shoes clicking and iconic BBQ, it’s also home to almost 300,000 small businesses. If you’re a business owner in Kansas—or considering becoming one—then check out our funding list below. These business grants and loans are available to businesses based within the Sunflower state.
Department or Agency: Kansas Commerce
Loan or Grant title: Small Business Research & Development (R&D) Acceleration Grants
With its Small Business R&D Acceleration Grants, Kansas Commerce aims to help bring products and services to market and encourage small businesses to flourish across the state. Grants are available up to $25,000 for businesses registered in Kansas and with 50 or fewer full-time employees. Businesses must match the grant with their own resources. From the grant amount, up to $5,000 can be used to pay for a student internship position to work on the awarded project. Funds can also be used toward prototypes, testing, marketing, and other research and development expenses.
Department or Agency: GROWKS
Loan or Grant title: GROWKS Loan Program
Part of the Kansas State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI), the GROWKS Loan Program is geared toward helping underserved small businesses and entrepreneurs receive access to funding through opportunities for matching capital. Matching amounts range up to $100,000 from GROWKS, with additional financing coming from another financial institution. Funds can be put toward working capital, start-up fees, inventory, and other business expenses. Eligible businesses must be located in Kansas and have under 500 employees.
Department or Agency: South Central Kansas Economic Development District
Loan or Grant title: SBA Community Advantage Mid-Size Loan
Businesses in need of longer-term working capital or funds to cover start-up costs may be eligible for a mid-size loan from the South Central Kansas Economic Development District. To be considered, a company must be a for-profit business in the state of Kansas and be valued under $15 million—among other requirements. This loan fund was created in an effort to support disadvantaged business owners, businesses in low- to moderate-income areas, and businesses in operation for less than two years.
Department or Agency: South Central Kansas Economic Development District
Loan or Grant title: SBA Microloans
Microloans of up to $50,000 may be available for businesses in the following Kansas counties: Barber, Barton, Butler, Chase, Chautauqua, Clark, Comanche, Cowley, Edwards, Elk, Finney, Ford, Grant, Gray, Greeley, Greenwood, Hamilton, Harper, Harvey, Haskell, Hodgeman, Kearney, Kingman, Kiowa, Lane, Lyon, Marion, McPherson, Meade, Morton, Ness, Pawnee, Pratt, Reno, Rice, Rush, Saline, Scott, Sedgwick, Seward, Stafford, Stanton, Stevens, Sumner, and Wichita. The loan fund was created to support women, minorities, veterans, and other business owners who may typically face challenges securing traditional financing options. Funds can be used toward working capital, purchasing inventory or equipment, and other business expenses.
Department or Agency: South Central Kansas Economic Development District
Loan or Grant title: EDA Revolving Loan Fund
The EDA Revolving Loan Fund supports businesses that have struggled to obtain financing from traditional institutions. Eligible businesses must use the funds to create or retain jobs. To qualify, businesses need to be located in one of the following south-central Kansas counties: Butler, Chautauqua, Cowley, Elk, Greenwood, Harper, Harvey, Kingman, McPherson, Marion, Reno, Rice, Sedgwick, or Sumner.
Department or Agency: Cowley First Economic Development Partnership
Loan or Grant title: Revolving Loan Fund
Small businesses located in Cowley County may be eligible for a loan through the Revolving Loan Fund from Cowley First, which is a partnership designed to foster economic development in the area. Loan amounts range from $3,000 to $8,000 and can be used toward building renovations, equipment, and other business expenses.
Department or Agency: Cowley First Economic Development Partnership
Loan or Grant title: E-Community Loan Fund
Seed capital is available for small businesses in Cowley County in amounts up to $50,000 through the E-Community Loan Fund. Applicants are required to secure a 40% matching loan from another eligible lender. The goal of the program is to increase the creation of jobs that pay above-average wages for the county and applicable business sector.
Department or Agency: Kansas Development Finance Authority
Loan or Grant title: Industrial Revenue Bonds
The Kansas Development Finance Authority offers Industrial Revenue Bonds (IRBs) to help businesses financing their land, equipment, and buildings. Eligible Kansas companies can buy bonds from private investors to acquire land, start a construction project, or expand their existing facilities.
Department or Agency: Kansas Department of Commerce
Loan or Grant title: Community Development Block Grant – Economic Development
As part of Kansas’s Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), the Kansas Department of Commerce is offering eligible businesses a matching grant of up to $750,000 to start or expand their operations. Businesses can put the funds toward infrastructure improvements, land acquisition, site preparation, building construction or renovation, machinery, equipment, lease payments, inventory, payroll, and other working capital items. To receive financing, businesses must demonstrate that at least 51% of the jobs they create or retain are considered low or moderate-income and invest at least $35,000 for every job created or retained.
Department or Agency: LISC Greater Kansas City
Loan or Grant title: Kiva Microloans
LISC Greater Kansas City partners with crowdfunding platform Kiva to offer microloans to businesses that have struggled to get financing from traditional institutions. Businesses can get up to $10,000 to cover working capital and pay start-up expenses.
Department or Agency: LISC Greater Kansas City
Loan or Grant title: Accelerated Business Loan
LISC Greater Kansas City’s Accelerated Business Loan gives commercial and small businesses loans from $25,000 to $100,000 for working capital, equipment, and leasehold improvements. To be eligible, your business needs to have been in operation for at least two years and have a minimum credit score of 600.
Department or Agency: LISC Greater Kansas City
Loan or Grant title: Permanent Working Capital
Commercial and small businesses in Kansas City can get a Permanent Working Capital loan from $100,000 to $500,000, with interest rates between 6-10%. To be eligible, your business needs to have been in operation for at least two years and have a minimum credit score of 600.
Department or Agency: LISC Greater Kansas City
Loan or Grant title: Leasehold Improvement/FF&E Loan
Kansas City businesses with large commercial projects can get a leasehold improvement loan between $100,000 and $500,000 to pay expansion costs and make building improvements. To be eligible, your business needs to have been in operation for at least two years and have a minimum credit score of 600.
Department or Agency: LISC Greater Kansas City
Loan or Grant title: Maker Space Loans
Maker Space Loans gives commercial businesses loans between $500,000 and $3 million for land and property acquisition and construction projects. The interest rates are between 6-10%. To be eligible, your business needs to have been in operation for at least two years and have a minimum credit score of 600.
Department or Agency: LISC Greater Kansas City
Loan or Grant title: Commercial Real Estate Loan
LISC’s Commercial Real Estate Loan gives commercial businesses loans between $500,000 and $5 million for land and property acquisition and construction projects. The interest rates are between 6-10%. To be eligible, your business needs to have been in operation for at least two years and have a minimum credit score of 600.
Department or Agency: GO Topeka
Loan or Grant title: Topeka & Shawnee County Small Business Incentives Program
Topeka and Shawnee County’s Small Business INcentives Program provides matching grants to local businesses to help with marketing costs, construction, equipment purchases, and more. Eligible businesses can get grants from $1,000 up to $20,000 depending on their project needs and matching investment. To qualify, businesses must be located in the City of Topeka or Shawnee County, have at least one but no more than 100 full-time employees, and demonstrate that their project will contribute to the economy.
Department or Agency: GO Topeka
Loan or Grant title: Topeka & Shawnee County First Opportunity Fund
Topeka and Shawnee County’s First Opportunity Fund offers loans of up to $100,000 to businesses that meet one of the following criteria: 1) are owned by a low-income individual, 2) are located in an economically distressed area, or 3) employ low-income individuals.
Department or Agency: Downtown Topeka, Inc.
Loan or Grant title: Downtown Topeka Redevelopment Incentive Grant Program
Downtown Topeka, Inc. is offering grants to eligible businesses located in Topeka’s Capital City Improvement District. Businesses can get a grant of up to $10,000 to cover the cost of rehabilitating or improving their commercial or business facility downtown.
Department or Agency: Shawnee County Startups
Loan or Grant title: Kansas Community Investment Fund – Empower Fund
In partnership with NetWork Kansas, Shawnee County Startups has an Empower Fund, which is designed to support minority-owned businesses. Eligible businesses can get a loan up to $15,000 to use on inventory, equipment, repairs, building purchases, infrastructure, and working capital.
Department or Agency: City of Wichita
Loan or Grant title: PROPEL Small Business Loan
The City of Wichita has a low-interest, short-term revolving loan program for local businesses. Eligible businesses can get a loan of up to $20,000 to use for working capital. To qualify, you need to have been in operation for at least two years and have a minimum credit score of 540.
