Manufacturing Equipment Grant Program

The Rhode Island Commerce Corporation’s Manufacturing Equipment Grant Program is a competitive program that provides reimbursement grants of up to $25,000 to help eligible Rhode Island manufacturers defray the cost of purchasing new or used manufacturing equipment/machinery to modernize, improve or expand manufacturing processes. Grant awards can be used to:

• Reimburse the manufacturer up to 50% of the downpayment for a financed purchase of manufacturing equipment/machinery; OR
• Reimburse the manufacturer up to 50% of a cash purchase of manufacturing equipment/machinery.

Please Note: The Manufacturing Equipment Grant Program is a reimbursement program. This means that grant awards will only be paid to applicants who have:

1. Submitted a complete grant application 
2. Been selected as a grant awardee by the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation
3. Been notified of grant approval by the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation
4. Purchased the equipment/machinery specified in the application
5. Provided the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation with proof of purchase and/or an executed financing agreement for the purchase
6. Completed a grant agreement, ACH form and W9 

Upon review of applications, it may be necessary for an applicant to provide additional information to validate and confirm application information entered. Therefore, the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation reserves the right to request additional documentation to demonstrate that a business meets eligibility criteria and other program requirements.

No grant money will be paid to the applicant pre-grant approval or pre-equipment/machinery purchase. Purchases must be made AFTER notification of grant approval to be eligible for reimbursement through this program; any equipment purchases made prior to applying for the program are ineligible. 

Program Eligibility

Eligible applicants are manufacturing businesses:

• Established as for-profit entities primarily engaged in manufacturing;
• That had gross receipts of less than $5 million in 2023;
• Having a physical location (or headquarters) in Rhode Island that began manufacturing operations on or before January 1, 2021;
• Having 50 or fewer employees (including independent contractors that work an average of 37.5 hours per week);
• In compliance with all local, state, and federal laws and regulations;
• NOT in, or planning to enter, federal bankruptcy or state receivership;
• NOT owned by a nationally or regionally owned franchise; and
• Organized as one of the following: Limited Partnership (LP), Limited Liability Partnership (LLP), C-Corporation, S-Corporation, B-Corporation, Cooperative, or Limited Liability Company (LLC).