About this programme
The Economic Assistance Grant (EAG) is a state grant run by Utah's Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity (GOEO). The Utah Legislature allocated $4.5 million to GOEO to administer the program, which makes one-time, project-based awards of up to $200,000 to Utah businesses whose projects support industry, education, community development, or infrastructure.
EAG is not a general operating grant. It funds a defined "project" — GOEO's own guidance describes a project as a temporary effort with a clear start and end date that produces a specific, unique outcome, as distinct from a business's ongoing day-to-day operations. Applicants pick one of three funding tiers based on the size of the request, and awards inside each tier compete against other applications in that same tier.
The FY2026 application window ran September 1, 2025 (9:00 AM) through September 15, 2025 (5:00 PM), and that cycle is now closed. GOEO's program page states the next application period is "Coming Fall of 2026," so this record is tracked as closed-for-year pending the next opening.
How it works
Applicants choose one of three funding tiers when they apply: Tier 1 covers requests up to and including $50,000; Tier 2 covers requests greater than $50,000 up to and including $100,000; Tier 3 covers requests greater than $100,000 up to the $200,000 maximum award. Applications compete only against other applications in the same tier.
Funds are released in two tranches on a 75/25 split. 75% of the awarded grant is delivered once the application is approved and the grant contract between the business and the State of Utah is finalized. The remaining 25% is disbursed only after GOEO receives and approves evidence that the project and its activities were completed as described in the contract.
The contract term is set at 18 months from the date of approval, and all funded project activities must be completed inside that 18-month window.
Recipients submit invoices for both the initial 75% disbursement and the final 25% disbursement through the GOEO online application portal.
GOEO's stated priorities in scoring applications: projects that develop one or more of Utah's five Targeted Industries (the page names Aerospace & Defense, FinTech, Tech — AI/Quantum/Blockchain, Life Sciences & Healthcare, and Energy & Minerals), clear success metrics, comprehensive project planning, leveraging other funding sources or matching funds, sound organizational and project budgets, and a project completable within the 18-month window.
Who can apply
The applicant must be a for-profit or nonprofit business entity — government entities are not eligible to apply.
The business's principal place of business must be in Utah.
The business must be registered and in good standing with the Utah Division of Corporations and Commercial Code at the time of application.
How to apply
- Confirm the current application window is open — GOEO states applications are submitted through the online portal at business.utah.gov/grants/eag/, and new users request portal access via the GOEO Salesforce portal-case form linked from the program page.
- Review the "Guide to Applying for Grants," "What You Need to Know Before You Apply," and "What is a Project" resources GOEO publishes alongside the FY2026 application questions before starting.
- Prepare business information: business type and primary industry, proof of current registration with the Utah Division of Corporations and Commercial Code, the Utah county where the business is headquartered, and prior-year and current-year income statements, balance sheets, and profit-and-loss statements.
- Complete and sign a W-9, with the taxpayer information matching IRS records and the same business address used in the application — GOEO uses that address to mail grant funds.
- Write the project scope of work: the proposed project, type of work, how it will be completed, its goals and benchmarks, and whether/how it supports Utah's targeted industries, plus supporting documentation (up to three one-page attachments) and an expected completion date within 18 months.
- Describe expected deliverables and the key metrics that will be used to measure the project's success.
- Build the budget: total project cost, the funding tier the request falls into, the grant amount requested, a budget narrative covering how funds will be used and any matching-fund sources, and an itemized project budget spreadsheet covering all costs and funding sources.
- Submit within the posted application window and, if awarded, sign the resulting grant contract with the State of Utah to trigger the first (75%) disbursement.
Documents you’ll typically need
- Proof of current registration with the Utah Division of Corporations and Commercial Code
- Prior-year and current-year income statements, balance sheets, and profit-and-loss statements
- A completed and signed IRS Form W-9 matching the applicant's IRS-of-record information and application address
- Project scope of work
- Up to three one-page supporting documents for the project proposal/deliverables
- Budget narrative
- Itemized project budget spreadsheet covering all costs and funding sources
- Mid-term progress report (post-award, timing set by GOEO each cycle)
- Final report with a reimbursement request summary and evidence of completion (e.g., final project report, quantifiable outcomes, photographic documentation, receipts/invoices/bank statements) to trigger the final 25% disbursement
Frequently asked
Is the Economic Assistance Grant open right now?
No. The FY2026 window closed September 15, 2025. GOEO's program page lists the next application period as "Coming Fall of 2026" — check business.utah.gov/grants/eag closer to that window for exact dates.
How much can a business receive from EAG?
Awards go up to $200,000, split into three competitive tiers: Tier 1 (up to $50,000), Tier 2 ($50,001–$100,000), and Tier 3 ($100,001–$200,000). An applicant selects the tier matching its funding request, and the application is scored only against others in that tier.
When does GOEO actually pay out the grant?
75% of the award is paid after the application is approved and the grant contract is finalized. The remaining 25% is paid only after GOEO reviews and approves evidence that the project was completed as described in the contract — both disbursements are requested via invoice through the GOEO online portal.
Does EAG fund ongoing business operations?
No. GOEO defines EAG as project-based funding: a temporary effort with a defined start and end date that produces a specific, unique outcome, not recurring operating costs. All funded activity must be completed within the 18-month contract term.
Can any Utah business apply, or does the project need to fit a target industry?
Any Utah-headquartered, registered for-profit or nonprofit business (government entities excluded) can apply. GOEO gives priority scoring to projects that develop one of Utah's five Targeted Industries — Aerospace & Defense, FinTech, Tech (AI, Quantum, Blockchain), Life Sciences & Healthcare, and Energy & Minerals — but that is a scoring priority, not a stated eligibility requirement.
Is matching funding required to apply?
GOEO's stated priorities favor applications that leverage other funding sources or propose matching funds, and the budget narrative asks applicants to disclose any matching-fund sources. The official materials reviewed do not state a mandatory matching-fund percentage.
What happens if a funded project is not completed within 18 months?
The contract requires completion within the 18-month term, and the final 25% disbursement is contingent on GOEO's compliance review of evidence that the project was completed against the contract's scope, budget, timeline, and deliverables. The official materials reviewed do not spell out a specific penalty for late or incomplete projects beyond withholding that final payment.
Reviewed 2026-08-16. Programmes change — confirm current eligibility, amounts and deadlines on the official page before you apply. CapEasy is a private consultancy and is not affiliated with any government authority.