The 2023-2024 New York State Annual Budget funded up to $400,000 for the Small Business and Entrepreneur Grant Program (“Program”) to award grants to entrepreneurs and small business owners to cover start-up costs of a new small business, or to support or expand an existing small business in New York State. ESD is seeking RFAs from New York State Entrepreneurship Assistance Centers (“EAC”) to establish, organize and manage a new or expand an existing Business Plan Competition (“BPC”) Program. ESD will provide up to $100,000 in grant funding each of four (4) EACs to utilize funds to administer a business plan competition and make grant awards to successful business plan competition winners of up to $25,000, but not less than $5,000. Grant awards will be awarded to entrepreneurs and small business owners to cover start-up costs of a new small business, or to support or expand an existing small business. The EACs will be allowed to use up to 20% of grant funds for administrative costs to support a pilot business plan competition initiative over two years.