Grants and Resources for Small Businesses
*LAST CHANCE* for FREE Consulting Services

We are reaching the end of our Consultant Technical Assistance Program for small businesses, in which you can sign up for SRPC to cover the cost of up to 9 hours of business consulting services. These services are provided by private consultants, most of which are located within the region, and specialize in the following areas:


If you are interested in being connected to a private consultant to receive this service, fill out this form. Take advantage of this opportunity before it ends!
Local Restaurant Infrastructure Investment Program

This program provides awards to local restaurants seeking reimbursement for eligible equipment, infrastructure, and technology purchases between November 1, 2021, and July 13, 2022. The purchases must be a result of or in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in order to be eligible.

Amount: Up t0 $15,000.

Deadline: July 13, 2022, 4:00 pm.

Eligibility: This program is open to New Hampshire-based restaurants, and it is intended to aid primarily full-service, eat-in, non-franchise small restaurants. In addition, applicants must:

  • Have been operating prior to March 20, 2020
  • Be actively paying Meals & Rooms taxes to the State as a food service establishment
  • Have annual gross receipts, including all affiliates, at or below $20,000,000, in tax year 2021 or not exceed annual gross receipts per New Hampshire location of $5,000,000
  • Be submitting expenses for only New Hampshire locations

To apply, click here, or visit this FAQ page for more information. Still have unanswered questions? E-mail info@goferr.nh.gov.
New Hampshire Hospitality Employee Relief Fund

This fund provides one-time grants of up to $250 to hospitality employees who are facing unforeseen hardships, such as an illness or natural disaster, and are in need of financial support.

Amount: Up to $250

Deadline: First-come, first-serve basis.

Eligibility:

  • Reside and work in the state of New Hampshire
  • Have an annual taxable income of $60,000 or less
  • Have or held a position in the beverage, food service, or hospitality industry within the last 60 days
  • Can provide proof of employment within the last 60 days (pay stubs)

To apply, click here.
Small Business Growth Fund

Through this program, hosted by Hello Alice, 50 recipients will receive a $5,000 grant provided by Mastercard to use as capital for their business.

Amount: $5,000

Deadline: May 20, 2022, 6:00 pm

Eligibility:

  • Must be a for-profit business
  • Have less than $1M in 2021 gross annual revenue
  • Have a commitment to their customers and community
  • Have a clear plan for use of funds

To apply, click here.
IFundWomen Fund "Forward Awards 2022"

This program awards one qualified entrepreneur with one grand prize of $100,000 equity investment in their company, as well as $5,000 for 6 qualified businesses, plus access to educational resources.

Amount(s):

  • One (1) Grand prize winner will receive a $100,000 equity investment in their company plus one (1) year of educational services & resources
  • Six (6) Business Category winners will each receive a $5,000 cash grant plus one (1) year of educational services & resources

Deadline: June 30, 2022

Eligibility:

  • Business must be women-owned & operated in the United States
  • Must have been in business on or before March 8, 2021
  • Must be solving a compelling problem in an innovative way
  • Must have a strong pitch and story of entrepreneurship
  • Must have a strong digital presence and visual media
  • Must demonstrate meaningful impact, product-market fit, and business growth
  • Must be willing to pitch your business in front of an audience as part of the Fund Forward Awards program and selection process.
  • Eligible small business categories include: Beauty, Tech, Community Impact, Health & Wellness, Business Services, Food & Beverage, Art, Media, & Entertainment

To apply, click here.
Save Our Granite Stages Grant

This program, organized by the NH State Council on the Arts, will provide grants to small for-profit and non-profit New Hampshire performing arts venues and performing arts production entities that did not receive grants from the federal Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) program.

Amount: Up to $25,000

Deadline: May 27, 2022

To apply, click here.
National Military Appreciation Month - Veterans and Spouses Owners Small Business Roundtable

The U.S. Small Business Administration SBA will be honoring U.S. military veterans and spouses with a Veterans Roundtable. Representatives from the SBA and other available resources from the Veteran’s Business Outreach Center, SCORE, NH Small Business Development Center, NH Procurement Technical Assistance, and the NH Department of Business and Economic Affairs will be on-hand to give a short overview of how they can help your business access the counseling, capital or contracts your business needs. 

This local network of resources is available to small businesses at all stages and offers free confidential business counseling, no or low-cost training programs, and other networking opportunities.

When? May 26 from 1:00-2:30 p.m.
Where? The Concord Hotel, 11 South Main Street, Concord, NH; The Concord Room, 3rd Floor
To register, click here.

There is no charge to participate but space is limited, so please RSVP to Miguel Moralez at (603) 225-1601, or Miguel.Moralez@sba.gov
FREE Business Advice

NH BEA (Department of Business and Economic Affairs) - Contact NH BEA's Business Specialists if you need help with establishing or growing your business in NH.

NH SBA (Small Business Administration) - The SBA is primarily known for helping businesses with financial assistance and access to capital. It also helps businesses get involved with international trade, government contracting, and offers targeted support and free counseling to help start or grow your business.

NH SBDC (Small Business Development Center) - The SBDC is best known for its team of professional business advisors that provide free one-on-one business consultations. It also offers free webinars, events, and e-courses to help you start or grow your business, and covers a broad range of topics, including cybersecurity, website support, human resources, revenue generation, marketing, and much more.

SCORE - This is a network of more than 175 volunteer mentors in New Hampshire that support small businesses by offering free advice and ongoing mentoring. They have business experts that come from every sector and offer expertise in things such as business formation and legal structure, planning and modeling, marketing and sales, finance and accounting, selling your business, and more.

NH CWE (Center for Women and Enterprise) - The CWE helps business owners (men and women!) launch and grow their businesses by providing access to resources such as education, training, free consultations, and technical assistance.

Please note, SRPC has a close working relationship with each of the above organizations and we can put you in touch with the best point of contact, depending on what your specific business needs are.
Do you have questions about resources, funding opportunities, or could use any other business-related support? Please reach out to us! We can offer you in-house assistance or connect you with one of our many partners that work to provide technical assistance to small businesses, including Chambers of Commerce, Economic Development Directors in the Seacoast, the Small Business Development Center, Small Business Administration, Center for Women and Enterprise, and more!

Sincerely,

Natalie Moles
Economic Recovery Coordinator
603-994-3500 ext. 113

Zuzana Duffy
Assistant Planner

Strafford Regional Planning Commission
150 Wakefield Street, Suite 12
Rochester, NH 03867
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