Indiana allocates funding to accelerate critical small business growth, improvement and innovation

The Indiana Small Business Development Center (Indiana SBDC) will again help Hoosier entrepreneurs and small businesses connect with professional assistance through its Indiana Technical Assistance Program (INTAP) in 2025.

Applications for the initiative, which is designed to help small businesses complete growth and improvement projects, will be accepted Jan. 15 - Feb. 21, 2025, and will be open to small businesses that are clients of the Indiana SBDC. Small businesses that are not yet a client of the Indiana SBDC are encouraged to connect with their local center prior to the application window.  

Applications for the initiative, which is designed to help small businesses complete growth and improvement projects, will be accepted Jan. 15 - Feb. 21, 2025, and will be open to small businesses that are clients of the Indiana SBDC. Small businesses that are not yet a client of the Indiana SBDC are encouraged to connect with their local center prior to the application window.  
 
"As a state, Indiana continues to support Hoosier entrepreneurs and small businesses through innovative and strategic ways at no cost,” said Jon Myers, state director of the Indiana SBDC and vice president of small business at the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC). “INTAP allows entrepreneurs to tap into talent that might not otherwise be available, enabling small businesses and startups to develop and implement new technologies and processes to take their operations to the next level and greater their impact on their employees, their communities and our economy.”  

Through INTAP, eligible small businesses may apply to receive up to $15,000 in professional services from a qualified vendor to complete growth and improvement projects that require specialized assistance or technical expertise. Types of eligible projects include app or technology development, inventory and point of sale tracking system updates or training, intellectual property legal assistance, grant writing assistance for the federal Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) programs, and more. The program is administered in partnership with Ivy Tech Community College Bloomington's Cook Center for Entrepreneurship, which houses the South Central Indiana SBDC regional office. 
 
INTAP was launched in 2017 and has since helped 316 Hoosier businesses complete projects critical to their continued growth and success. Indiana businesses interested in leveraging the initiative for improvement projects are encouraged to review the eligibility requirements, register for an upcoming information session and submit an application online.

To be eligible for INTAP, Indiana small businesses must meet the following criteria:     

• be an Indiana SBDC client,
• have a physical presence in Indiana,
• use a vendor physically located in Indiana,
• be able to complete the project within five months and before Dec. 31, 2025,
• be an eligible project type, and
• be able to demonstrate a positive impact after project completion, including but not limited to new job creation, increased production or sales, or new market expansion. 

INTAP is just one of the many resources, programs and funding opportunities made available to Indiana entrepreneurs and small businesses through the IEDC and the Indiana SBDC. The state of Indiana has tripled its investment in its entrepreneurial ecosystem in recent years, helping earn recognition as the No. 2 state for starting a business by Forbes. Learn more at https://iedc.in.gov/entrepreneurship.