Government Opportunities: Grants, Programs and Incentives

A HUB at TriNet is defined as is a business led by one or more members of a historically underrepresented community or that serves those that serve these communities. We define such communities as persons of color, women, the differently abled, veterans and the LGBTQ+.

However, if you look online, a HUB may also stand for “historically underutilized business,” which some states define as a corporation, sole proprietorship, partnership or a joint venture formed for the purpose of making a profit in which at least 51% ownership of the business is by a woman, minority and/or service-disabled veteran.

You should know that certain states don’t use the “HUB” acronym at all though they may use “minority-owned business” or something similar. Our goal is to promote existing federal or state government programs that may benefit our SMB ecosystems.

We’ve put together a few links to helpful resources.

One is a link to a federal site that shares information about grants.
https://www.grants.gov

Another is a link to our R&D Tax Credit Calculator.
https://clarusrd.com/trinet

Finally, we’ve compiled two lists of links that might be helpful.
https://www.trinet.com/esg-hub-state-grants-programs-and-incentives

One is a list of links to find state-developed or managed sites that give SMBs information about programs, offerings and incentives in their state. We tried to lean towards the state pages that offer information about state grants. Not all of these sites have the same information. Some are specific to businesses that represent the historically underrepresented while others have a broader focus.

The second column of links are to state-monitored sites that relate to becoming certified as a “minority owned business” or “woman owned business.”

Please note that our inclusion of any third-party hyperlinks does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by TriNet of the linked websites, or the information, products or services contained therein. TriNet does not exercise any editorial control over the information you may find at these locations. We are presenting the material and information provided for informational and review purposes only. You may take further action if you so choose, however, you should understand that TriNet has no responsibility or obligation if you do.

Our goal is to raise awareness of existing opportunities with the government. It is our hope that this information will be helpful to your HUB or individuals you know who operate a HUB.

TriNet recognizes how hard it is to build any business. We understand that everyday challenges to push your business forward can be compounded within the HUB SMB community. From overcoming barriers to accessing capital and funding to being disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, you have your hands full. TriNet created this page to support our HUB community. Through this page, you will have access to government programming intended to support growing businesses.

We hope these links will provide:
- Access to government grants and contracts
- Increased business partnership opportunities
- Training workshops, management and technical guidance
- Networking opportunities

Many states and cities have minority-owned business programs, which are also often referred to as minority business enterprise (MBE) programs. There are similar programs devoted to women-owned businesses.

Certification can significantly help your business gain access to certain government benefits. Please check the links provided for more information and to work out whether certification is right for your business.

The process varies by state. Please refer to the table of links below for resources in your state.

A grant is an award, usually financial, given by one entity—a company, foundation or government—to an individual or a company to facilitate a goal or incentivize performance. Please review the terms and conditions of any grant opportunity you pursue.

It really depends. You need to read through the requirements and any associated terms and conditions. We tried to source links to grants that tie directly to what a HUB might want to know more about. Our goal here is to raise awareness regarding these grants.

Start by going to the links we’ve put together and reading the requirements. That is the first step. If you have questions, please connect with the state-identified organization or contact. TriNet has no additional information as the content on each of these state-run sites can be changed without notice to us. Moreover, TriNet is not directly involved in any of the development or execution of the programs listed in these links. However, we know these links are not very widely known—so we are helping in that respect!

Generally, grants, unlike a loan, do not have to be paid back, but they often come with restrictions on how the money can be spent. Please check grant details to learn more about disclaimers and specifics. If you have additional questions, please use the contact information on the government site we’ve linked you to regarding grants.

There might be. If you are unsure, we suggest reaching out to some of the contacts on the webpages we have provided.

We cannot help our clients or any SMB within our ecosystem to help you apply for a grant or a state certification in your state at this time. Program requirements are usually very specific to each applying entity.