Innovation Network Matching Grants
The Innovation Network Matching Grant Program is part of Rhode Island Commerce’s Innovation Initiatives Portfolio, created to foster innovation in small businesses and further advance the competitiveness of Rhode Island’s companies in the national and global economies.
The Innovation Network Matching Grant Program provides grants to organizations that provide support to small businesses through one or more of the following ways:
- Technical assistance
- Space on flexible terms
- Access to capital
Key Components of the Grant:
- Minimum of $50,000 in funding request, with a required in-kind or cash match
- There is no maximum grant amount but typical grants in the program are around $75,000-$125,000
- Eligible applicants include nonprofits, universities and co-working space operators
- Applicant must offer support to small businesses (500 or fewer employees) that are either:
- in targeted industries including small and underserved businesses, life sciences, ocean economy, defense, food/agriculture, critical technologies (cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, quantum, etc.), financial empowerment, and technology commercialization, or
- evaluating a transition to become an employee-owned business*, regardless of industry.
*An “employee-owned business” means any small business that is a workers’ cooperative or has an employee stock ownership plan.
*Note: For the September 2026 Network Matching Grant program round, applicants must support small and underserved businesses due to the round’s funding source.
References
Apply for a Network Matching Grant
The Network Matching Grant application is open from September 8, 2026, to 5:00PM on September 18, 2026.
The application can be accessed here.
The next standard Network Matching Grant program application period is anticipated to open in Winter 2026. Please join the Innovation Initiatives mailing list for notification of future funding opportunities