Montana Indian Equity Fund Small Business Grant
Montana Department of Commerce — Office of Indian Country Economic Development
Up to $14,000
Montana state grants for tribal entrepreneurs
The Montana Indian Equity Fund provides grants up to $14,000 to enrolled members of Montana's eight federally recognized tribes who are starting or expanding a business. A dollar-for-dollar cash or in-kind match is required. The state awards a total of $320,000 annually to Native-owned enterprises statewide, typically funding 20–30 businesses per cycle. Applications open each August and close October 31.
- Funding type
- Grant
- Level
- State
- Amount range
- $1,000 – $14,000
- Realistic amount
- In a recent cycle, 26 businesses shared $320,000 — average award approximately $12,300. Most awards are near the $14,000…
- Deadline
- Annual: applications open August 18 and close October 31. Award decisions typically made in December.
- Status
- active
- States
- MT
- Payment model
- advance
Who qualifies
- Applicant must be an enrolled member of one of the eight federally recognized tribes in Montana
- Must provide a Certified Indian Blood (CIB) Form or tribal ID — applications lacking this are considered incomplete
- Business must be a startup or expanding existing business located in Montana
- Must demonstrate a dollar-for-dollar cash or in-kind match that is firmly committed and documented in the application
- For-profit businesses; nonprofits and tribal governments generally not eligible for this individual entrepreneur program
- Only one award per business entity per cycle
Hard requirements
- Demographic eligibility: native-american-owned
- Location restriction: Montana — enrolled member of one of Montana's 8 federally recognized tribes
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- Equipment and machinery purchases
- Inventory and supplies
- Working capital for business startup or expansion
- Development of new product lines
- Leasehold improvements
- Marketing and advertising
- Technology and software (business-related)
Ineligible expenses
- Personal expenses
- Debt repayment
- Expenses incurred before grant award
- Real estate purchase (typically not covered — verify current guidelines)
- Nonprofit operations
How to apply
-
1
Download and review program guidelines
Access the current program guidelines on the Montana Grants and Loans portal (montana.servicenowservices.com/mtgl) once the August window opens. Guidelines specify eligible expenses and documentation requirements for the cycle.
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2
Prepare tribal enrollment documentation
Obtain a current Certificate of Indian Blood (CIB) Form or current tribal ID card from your tribal enrollment office. This is a hard requirement — missing this document makes the application incomplete.
-
3
Document your match commitment
Prepare documentation of your dollar-for-dollar match (cash or in-kind). Cash match: bank statements or commitment letters. In-kind match: signed letters from suppliers or contractors specifying donated goods or labor at fair market value.
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4
Complete and submit application
Fill out the grant application through the Montana Grants and Loans online portal by October 31. Attach all required documentation including tribal enrollment, business plan or project description, budget showing match, and any required tax documents.
In the most recent cycle, 26 businesses received awards from the $320K pool — roughly 1 in 3 applicants funded. Strong match documentation and a specific equipment/project tied to expansion (not just working capital) correlates with higher awards.
Deadline & timing
The 2026 application window runs August 18 – October 31, 2026. Applications submitted outside this window are not accepted. Program guidelines and application are posted on the Montana Grants and Loans portal at montana.servicenowservices.com/mtgl.
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Last reviewed 2026. GrantCompass is an independent funding-discovery tool and is not affiliated with any government agency. Always confirm details on the official program page.