NJEDA Small Business Lease Grant
New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA)
2 × 20% of annual lease
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
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.