The Portsmouth Economic Development Authority (EDA) focuses on and supports the City's growing entrepreneurship and small business community through two Business Investment Grant programs and one Real Property Investment Grant program. 

Grant programs are tailored to help new businesses, growing businesses, and established organizations making additional investments in the City of Portsmouth. For details on the programs and eligibility requirements, please click on the links below.

In an effort to further assist entrepreneurship efforts, we have partnered with the Hampton Roads Small Business Development Center, the Carolinas-Virginia Minority Supplier Development Council and Operation HOPE to provide workshops that will guide business owners through the steps of their first, or updating their current, business plan, Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) Information Sessions, and small business workshops.

We have also partnered with the City's Commissioner of the Revenue's Office, Permits and Building Inspections Department, and Planning and Zoning Department to offer quarterly grant information sessions that will prepare interested business and property owners for each grant application round.

Please send your questions regarding the grant programs through our Contact Us Form or by calling us at 757.393.8804. Look for frequent updates on our Facebook page!

Applications for the 2025 Fiscal Year are open in the grant rounds listed below for the Smart Start Business Development Grant and the Smart Start Business Acceleration Grant. Due to the overwhelming response of the Real Property Investment Grants on Round 1: July 1-31, 2024, the Real Property Investment Grant Program is now closed for FY25. Please stay turned for future funding availability and opportunities. 

Round 1: July 1-31, 2024
Round 2: October 1-31, 2024
Round 3: January 1-31, 2025
Round 4: April 1-30, 2025

EDA Grant Guidelines and Applications

Application portals will open the first day of the grant round

A printable fact sheet on all three grant programs can be found here.

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