Part A · Startup-specific scheme
Growth Accelerator Fund Competition (GAFC)
Small Business Administration
Grant
Seed / Early-Stage
GAFC is a two-stage competition (America's Seed Fund's ecosystem-facing counterpart) that funds entrepreneurial support organizations tackling a specific gap in their local innovation ecosystem, rather than funding startups directly.
Type of support
Grant
Best suited for
Early-Stage (regional ecosystem)
Headline amount
Up to $150,000 (Stage 2)
How much
$75,000 (Stage 1); up to $150,000 (Stage 2)
Objectives
Strengthen the ecosystem infrastructure — accelerators, incubators, mentorship networks — that helps innovation-driven startups access capital and commercialize technology.
Who can apply?
- Applicants are entrepreneurial support organizations (accelerators, incubators, universities, economic-development organizations), not individual startups directly.
- Stage 1 requires identifying a specific ecosystem gap and proposed solution.
What do you get?
- Stage 1 awards $75,000 to identify and scope a solution.
- Stage 2 awards up to $150,000 to Stage 1 winners who show successful implementation.
- 634 awards totaling $37.9M made to date.
How to apply
Entrepreneurial support organizations apply during SBA's annual application window (recently opening in Q1 with a 3-4 week window) via SBA's Growth Accelerator Fund Competition portal.
Key links
Details as most recently confirmed against the official source linked above. Deadlines, amounts and windows change — verify on the official portal before applying.