Montana Tribal Tourism Small Business Grant
Montana Department of Commerce — Office of Indian Country Economic Development
Up to $30,000
Researched for this program: 4 rejection traps · 5 required documentsWhat decides this award ↓
Montana tribal tourism grants — no match up to $25,000
Montana's Tribal Tourism Small Business Grant provides up to $30,000 to enrolled members of the 12 federally recognized tribes in Montana who are starting or expanding tourism-related businesses. No match is needed up to $25,000; awards of $25,001 to $30,000 need a 10% cash match. The state allocates $240,000 annually and has awarded approximately 21–24 grants per cycle. Applications open October 1 and close November 30. Tourism businesses include hospitality, guiding, cultural experiences, arts-crafts retail, and outdoor recreation.
- Funding type
- Grant
- Level
- State
- Amount range
- $500 – $30,000
- Realistic amount
- In recent cycles, 21–24 businesses shared the $240,000 pool — average award approximately $10,000 under the FY26 cap of $10,000; the FY27 cap is $30,000 (no match up to $25,000).
- Deadline
- The application period is October 1 to November 30, 2026, closing at 11:59 p.m.
- Status
- active
- States
- MT
- Payment model
- advance
Who qualifies
- Applicant must be an enrolled citizen aged 18 or older of a federally recognized tribe in Montana
- Must provide valid photo ID and documentation of tribal enrollment
- Business must be a tourism-related startup or expanding existing tourism business in Montana
- Tourism businesses include: lodging/hospitality, guiding and outfitting, cultural experiences, arts and crafts retail, outdoor recreation, food and beverage serving visitors, and similar tourism-facing enterprises
- No match up to $25,000, and a 10% cash match for $25,001 to $30,000 (the Indian Equity Fund requires a 1:1 match)
- Only one award per business entity per cycle
Hard requirements
- Demographic eligibility: native-american-owned
- Location restriction: Montana — enrolled member of one of the 12 federally recognized tribes in Montana
- Restricted to industry: tourism — must be a tourism-related business (hospitality, guiding, cultural experiences, arts-crafts, outdoor recreation)
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- Tourism equipment (canoes, kayaks, hiking gear, horses/tack, ATV/snowmobile)
- Lodging and hospitality setup and improvements
- Arts and crafts inventory and supplies for retail
- Marketing and website development for tourism customers
- Cultural experience programming supplies and materials
- Working capital for operating a tourism season
- Food service equipment for tourism-facing operations
Ineligible expenses
- Personal expenses
- Non-tourism business expenses
- Debt repayment
- Businesses not located in Montana
How to apply
-
1
Gather tribal enrollment documentation
Obtain a current valid photo ID and tribal enrollment documentation. Applications without both pieces of documentation are considered incomplete.
-
2
Access the Montana Grants and Loans portal in October
When the window opens October 1, access the application at montana.servicenowservices.com/mtgl. Download and review the current program guidelines for FY2026 eligible expenses and documentation requirements.
-
3
Complete and submit application by November 30
Fill out the online grant application by November 30. Include: tribal enrollment documentation, valid photo ID, tourism business description, planned use of grant funds, and budget breakdown. Since no match is needed up to $25,000, focus on the quality of the tourism business concept and growth plan.
No match up to $25,000 — this makes it more accessible than the Indian Equity Fund. The 3-per-tribe structure means your competition is primarily other enrolled members of YOUR tribe, not the entire Montana Native entrepreneur pool.
Deadline & timing
The FY2026 application window runs October 1 – November 30, 2026. Applications submitted outside this window are not accepted. Access the application through the Montana Grants and Loans portal. Approximately 3 awards per tribal nation (8 tribes × 3 = ~24 awards).
Deadline: November 30, 2026 — put it in your calendar before you close this tab.
Includes reminders one week and one day before. Verify on the official program page — funders move dates.
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Last updated October 22, 2026. GrantCompass is an independent funding-discovery tool and is not affiliated with any government agency. Always confirm details on the official program page.