Microenterprise Advancement Passport (MAP) Grant Program

Microenterprise Advancement Passport (MAP) Grant Program is sponsored by Hamilton County, Ohio. Grants for eligible small/micro businesses in Hamilton County to support growth, operations, and access to capital. Aimed at microenterprises in the Cincinnati area.

Microenterprise Advancement Passport (MAP) Grant Program Microenterprise Advancement Passport (MAP) Grant Program Microenterprise Advancement Passport (MAP) Grant Program The Microenterprise Advancement Passport (MAP) Grant Program provides grants ranging from $5,000 to $10,000 to eligible small businesses in Hamilton County.

The program is designed to help microenterprises access capital, strengthen operations, and support business growth. For a summary of the MAP program, view our one-page flyer . Please note that MAP is available to businesses located in Hamilton County, but is not available to businesses within following communities: the City of Cincinnati, Blue Ash, Evendale, Indian Hill, Terrace Park, and Milford.

To determine the location of your business, the following tool is searchable by address and will show the "Physical City" of your business: The Finder - Ohio Department of Taxation . The PY2026 MAP Grant Program will open on May 4, 2026, with applications being accepted via Hamilton County's Neighborly Software Portal .

Maximum Household Income Before Taxes: Please refer to the timeline below for pertinent dates and deadlines: Monday, May 11, 2026, at 9:00am ET Virtual Question & Answer Meeting Small Business Day (see "Participation Requirement" section below for mandatory MAP sessions) Application Deadline (must be submitted via Hamilton County's Neighborly Software Portal) Participation Requirement To be eligible for the MAP Grant Program, attendees must complete a minimum of two sessions listed below.

You can attend these sessions on-site during Small Business Day on Monday, May 18 at the Sharonville Convention Center. The event runs from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM and is free to attend. For more details and to register, visit: Small Business Day.

If you are unable to attend in person, see information on available makeup classes below. The following sessions qualify for MAP Grant eligibility. NOTE: Attendees must participate in at least two sessions from this list.

Attendance will be tracked via QR codes provided at each session, which link to a sign-in form. Eligible MAP Sessions at Small Business Day: AI QuickStart Track (Room 202) Session 1: QuickStart AI Marketing Plans Learn how to quickly build effective marketing plans using AI tools, including content generation, audience targeting, and strategy development.

Session 2: QuickStart AI Capability Statements Create professional capability statements using AI. This session focuses on positioning your business for contracts and partnerships. Session 3: QuickStart AI Business Plans Marketing Track (Room 201) Session 3: Branding Your Small Business Strengthen your brand identity through clear messaging, visual consistency, and market differentiation.

Funding Readiness Track (Room 204) Session 1: Business Plans for Fundability Understand what funders look for in a business plan and how to position your business to improve funding readiness.

If you are unable to attend the required sessions at Small Business Day on May 18, 2026, at the Sharonville Convention Center, we are offering two 45 minute training sessions with a 30 minute lunch break in between, followed by an optional open work time for those who want to apply what they learn with support and/or have help with the grant application; lunch will be provided.

The make-up sessions will take place on Wednesday, May 20th, 2026, at Alloy Growth Lab, 1776 Mentor Ave. , Suite 129, Cincinnati, OH 45212. Link to register for the make-up sessions: https://www.

signupgenius. com/go/10C0B4AAAA823A1F8CE9-63824459-mapgrant Session 1: AI Quickstart Marketing Plans Break for lunch and possibly grant application assistance Session 2: Business Planning Optional work session, with grant application assistance Please send inquiries to MAPprogram@hamiltoncountyohio.

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