Find the leading banks, lenders, corporations, and charities in Nevada that provide either free small business grants and/or loans to minority owned small businesses, entrepreneurs, as well as women owned or run companies. A number of agencies listed below can provide financial assistance near you, along with support such as business coaching, mentoring, marketing help, and more. Small business grants as well as loans are available across Nevada, including in Las Vegas and Reno.
Applications are accepted from any small business owner or startup company in the state, however each program will allocate funds to disadvantaged businesses as well. This includes free grants for Latino, Black, Veteran, LGBTQ, disabled, and female owned businesses, among others. There are also banks, CDFIs, and lenders that give affordable, competitive loans to minority and women owned businesses in Nevada.
The financial support is given to BIPOC businesses (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) as well as MWBE owned businesses along with other assistance. Women can get mentoring from other female business leaders in Nevada. There is free advice for Black, Latina and minority owned companies. Or look into workshops, entrepreneurship classes, budgeting or financial project help and more.
Find business loans or free grants in Nevada
The list of programs, agencies, and resources below is updated daily. Any small to mid sized business, or startup company, can apply for a loan, grant, counseling, or financial help.
Year round financial assistance programs, free grants, loans and business coaching
A number of non-profits, charities, and government agencies in Nevada offer financial assistance that year round in NV. Find details below by city/county/geography as well as “category”. Or continue to scroll down the page for more resources.
Statewide MWBE and immigrant programs in Nevada
Latin Chamber of Commerce provides assistance and resources across the state. Latino, Hispanics, Immigrants, and Latinas can find free business grants or low cost loans. Or learn about services such as the Nevada Microenterprise Initiative, Urban Chamber of Commerce and other regional non-profits. Learn about starting or growing a business, getting capital, setting up retail or online websites and so much more. Both free services are offered as well as some low-cost assistance. Learn more on the Chamber of Commerce here. https://www.lvlcc.com/
Microloans from the Office of Economic Development are available. The assistance is known as the Battle Born Growth Microloan Program (BBGMP), and the funds can help Hispanic and women owned businesses in Nevada as well. The loans are for existing businesses that need a financial boost. Apply here for the BBGMP loans. https://nvmicroloans.org/
Nevada Women’s Philanthropy only helps non-profits. They provide grants as well as other support, but the focus is on assisting non-profits with a “social cause”, or those that help disadvantaged people in Southern Nevada, including Las Vegas. The financial aid is part of the Impact Grant and the Founders Gift, and the money tends to go to women, minorities, immigrants, and other non-profits that struggle to get capital. Read more here. https://www.nwpsnv.org/
The Statewide StartUpNV is for entrepreneurs and start up companies, including minority, women, immigrant and veteran among others. They can help people start, fund, and grow a business. Get free mentoring, access to Angel Investors, or learn about low cost or 0% APR loans or free government grants. There are Bootcamp programs, Incubators, Business Accelerator programs and more. Learn about the Nevada non-profit here. https://startupnv.org/
Umpqua and Kiva provide interest free loans to BIPOC businesses. It is a crowdfunding assistance program but all loans will have a 0% interest rate. The Umpqua Bank Loan Fund gives focus to small businesses owned by women, people of color, veterans, LGTBQ+ and even business owners with bad credit. Learn more and apply here. https://www.kiva.org/team/umpquabank
Las Vegas and southern Nevada free grants and loan programs for businesses
ACCESS Community Capital of Las Vegas is a non-profit that helps small businesses get the funds they need. This can include loans, free grants, equity or bank loans. The non-profit CDFI is government certified with a focus on helping minority businesses and people with low or no credit. Get microloans, contact or revenue based financing and more. Learn about the Las Vegas based CDFI here. https://accesscdfi.com/
Las Vegas and Clark County minority owned businesses and entrepreneurs, with a focus on Latino and Immigrant owned, can access free resources from the Clark County MBDA Business Center. The address is 6375 West Charleston Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89146. A number of services and assistance programs are offered. Learn about free federal and state of Neva grants and low cost loans from banks, non-profits and lenders. There are business plan development resources, help with getting procurement contracts, information on small business financing and more. Phone 702-285-7003.
Las Vegas businesses and start ups can also try the Small Business Connector. Several companies and non-profits work together on this free service, and they include Access Community Capital, UNLV Small Business Development Center, as well as Employ NV Business Hub. They help businesses get capital, provide marketing and IT help, offer technical assistance and more. A major focus is on MWBE businesses and getting them loans, grants, Revolving Loans, and other funding they may need. Read more here. http://www.cityofnorthlasvegas.com/departments/city_manager/nlv_small_business_connector.php
A Las Vegas incubator is for minority-owned small businesses. The program is several months long, and run in partnership with the the Urban Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Vegas Alliance, as well as Latin Chamber of Commerce and Prestamos CDFI. There is mentoring, help getting loans or grant, credit building programs and other free business development services. Learn more here. https://downtown.vegas/work/business-resources/
National Association of Women Business Owners Southern Nevada is a women founded, and led non-profit, that focuses on helping female owned businesses and entrepreneurs. Most years there will be free grant given out. They also help connect southern Nevada and Las Vegas owned area businesses to coaching programs, training, networking events and other resources (both financial and “non-financial”). Find details here. https://nawbosnv.org/
Southern Nevada women owned businesses can get help from NAWBO Southern Nevada. It is an organization of female business owners, leaders, influencers and others who are focused on empowering women, no matter their age or race. They will often have grants for women business owners, including Black, Latino, White, and veterans. They also hold workshops and events across Las Vegas and Southern Nevada, provide free mentoring services, and other information on raising capital from loans or grants. Read more on NAWBO here. https://nawbosnv.org/
Reno and Northern NV financial assistance and coaching programs
Disadvantaged businesses in Reno and Washoe County can access a wide variety of assistance from the Audacity Fund Reno. The non-profit works to help small business owners and women or minority entrepreneurs get the support they need. This includes everything from free grants to mentoring, networking opportunities, and general “education” on how to start or grow a small business. Get product planning help, accounting support, and other free advice. Donations to the Community Foundation of Western Nevada allow the financial aid to be paid out. Read more. https://www.audacityfundreno.com/
Nevada Women’s Fund provides support in Northern NV. It is a community program in which members of the community work together to help women owned businesses and non-profits in the region. There will be free grants for non-profits, coaching or mentoring services, scholarships and other programs – some financial and others not. Read more on the Fund here. https://www.nevadawomensfund.org/
November and December 2023
Minority owned businesses that struggle to get money can get help from the Battle Born Growth Microloan Program (BBGMP) in Nevada. The small dollar loans, some with low or 0% interest rates, help small businesses owners that lack credit or are underbanked. A major focus is on minorities, women and veterans. Apply here. https://nvsmallbiz.org/microloans/
February and March 2023
Nye County Small Business Grant program is providing funds to small businesses as part of the ARPA Recovery Plan. The government grants will be to help businesses that were hurt by the COVID pandemic. Funds will help with rental costs, inventory and other expenses incurred by a basis, with money also allocated to MWBE businesses and in Spanish too. Learn more here. https://nyecountynv.gov/1090/ARPA-Recovery-Plan
September 2020
Small businesses or entrepreneurs located in Reno can get grants from the city and/or the non-profit Audacity Institute. This particular program is only for businesses that are majority owned by a minority or female – there must be at minimum 51% ownership. At most, $20,000 is given to a qualified business. It is a grant so the money does not need to be paid back, and the funds can pay for inventory, working capital, rent, or other costs. Immigrants, Spanish speakers and others can apply as well, and call 775-470-7789 for applications.
By Jon McNamara
