active State Grant

NJEDA Small Business Lease Grant

New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA)

2 × 20% of annual lease

See if you qualify — free Visit official program ↗

Researched for this program: 6 rejection traps · 5 required documentsWhat decides this award ↓

The short version

NJ commercial lease grant

The NJEDA Small Business Lease Grant helps New Jersey small businesses, nonprofits, and incubator operators offset the cost of leasing or expanding street-level commercial space. The grant equals 20% of the annual lease payment, paid in two installments: the first after the grant agreement is executed, and a second matching 20% after twelve months of lease payments and compliance. To qualify, the applicant must enter a new or amended market-rate lease with a minimum five-year term for 250–10,000 square feet that includes first-floor (street-level) space, meet the SBA small-business definition, and certify it will pay wages of at least $15/hour or 120% of the state minimum wage. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis while limited funding lasts.

Funding type: Grant
Level: State
Amount range: 2 × 20% of annual lease
Realistic amount: The dollar amount scales with the lease: 40% of one year's rent paid across two installments…
Deadline: Rolling — accepting applications while limited funding lasts
Status: active
States: New Jersey
Payment model: lump-sum

Who qualifies

Must meet the SBA definition of a small business (by employee count and NAICS), or be a nonprofit or operator of an incubator
Must enter a new or amended lease with a minimum 5-year term (not including options), executed within 12 months prior to application
Leased space must be between 250 and 10,000 square feet and include first-floor (street-level) space
Lease must be market-rate based on commercial real-estate information
Lease payments may only include leased square footage (equipment cannot be included)
Applicant must certify it will pay wages that are the greater of $15/hour or 120% of the state minimum wage for the 5-year grant term
Must be legally registered and operating in New Jersey and provide a current tax clearance certificate prior to approval
Most cannabis license/certification holders are prohibited from receiving NJEDA incentives

What it covers

Eligible expenses

Annual commercial lease payments for the leased square footage (street-level space)

Ineligible expenses

Equipment included within the lease (only square footage counts)
Square footage above the 10,000 sq ft incentivized cap
Non-lease business expenses

How to apply

1

Confirm lease and business eligibility

Verify the lease is 5+ years, market-rate, 250-10,000 sq ft including street-level space, executed within the last 12 months, and that the business meets the SBA small-business definition and the $15/120% wage commitment.

~2 hrs
2

Gather documentation

Assemble the executed lease, proof of NJ registration, tax clearance certificate, and commercial real-estate evidence that the lease is market-rate.

~4 hrs
3

Apply through the NJEDA portal

Submit the application via the NJEDA programs portal (programs.njeda.com) on a rolling basis while funding lasts.

~2 hrs
4

Execute the grant agreement and receive payments

After approval, pay the $100 fee, execute the grant agreement, and receive the first 20% payment. The second 20% follows after 12 months of lease payments and confirmed compliance.

~2 hrs

Insider tip

Timing is the trap: the lease must already be executed and within the last 12 months when you apply, so don't wait — apply right after signing. Also confirm your lease is documented as market-rate (NJEDA checks against commercial real-estate data) and that it clearly includes first-floor/street-level space, since those two facts disqualify more applicants than anything else.

Deadline & timing

NJEDA is presently accepting applications on a rolling basis, but available funding is limited and submission does not guarantee approval. The lease must have been executed within 12 months prior to the application date. A $100 application fee is due after approval, before grant agreement execution.

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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.