Most business owners researching grants land on the same well-known sources, SEDFA, the dtic and the National Empowerment Fund, and stop there, missing other genuinely accessible grant routes that get far less attention simply because they’re less widely known.
These are worth exploring alongside the more obvious sources.
Development finance institution infrastructure funds
The Development Bank of Southern Africa funds infrastructure-linked projects, which is relevant to a broader range of businesses than the name suggests, including those in construction, logistics and municipal service delivery.
These funds are typically less crowded with applicants than the more visible small business grant schemes, simply because fewer businesses think to look there.
Sector-specific incentive niches
Beyond the well-known agro-processing and clothing incentives, more specific niche incentive categories exist within broader schemes, and reading the fine print of a scheme’s full scope, rather than only its headline description, sometimes reveals a category that fits a specific business better than the obvious one.
The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition’s full incentives list is worth reading in full at least once, rather than only the categories that seem obviously relevant.
Provincial and municipal economic development grants
Provincial economic development agencies and, in some cases, municipalities run their own grant programmes tied to local economic priorities, which are easy to miss since they aren’t part of the national conversation around funding.
These are often less competitive than national schemes simply due to lower awareness, and eligibility sometimes depends only on being registered and operating within that specific province or municipality.
Sector-specific and cause-linked funds
Grant funds tied to a specific sector, such as spaza shop formalisation, or cause, such as women-owned or youth-owned business development, exist alongside the general funding landscape, and a business that fits one of these specific categories should check for it directly rather than assuming general funding sources are the only option.
Our guide to small business funding grants covers the main established sources alongside these less obvious ones.
Frequently asked questions
Why do some grant sources get overlooked?
Most business owners stop at the well-known sources, SEDFA, the dtic and the NEF, missing other genuinely accessible routes that get less attention.
What does the Development Bank of Southern Africa fund?
Infrastructure-linked projects, relevant to a broader range of businesses than the name suggests, including construction and logistics.
Should the dtic’s full incentive list be read in detail?
Yes. Niche categories within broader schemes are sometimes a better fit than the obvious headline category.
Do provinces and municipalities run their own grants?
Yes, tied to local economic priorities, often less competitive than national schemes due to lower awareness.
Are there grants for specific causes like youth or women-owned businesses?
Yes, alongside the general funding landscape, worth checking directly if a business fits one of these specific categories.
