With more than $13,568.00 million dollars in grants and additional local government funding sources of $10,293.00 million dollars, the majority of the federal budget in government grants is put into the business sector every year as small businesses and large corporations are the foundation of the economic growth in Missouri. There are 118,502 business establishments in the state of Missouri, and they break down to the following:
Missouri Business Sector Breakdown by Size:
Protection from personal liability in the event your business is sued; For most small businesses, registering an LLC is a great option. In comparison to other business entities, LLCs are easier to set up and manage and they have favorable tax treatment. You can set up an LLC in Illinois for $500. Freelancers, independent contractors and small business owners who expect to owe at least $1,000 in taxes need to estimate and pay quarterly taxes. If you don’t pay them, or don’t pay enough, you can be hit with penalties and interest, and open yourself up to all kinds of unpleasantness.
- 70,377 registered businesses in Missouri have 0 to 4 employees. People who work at home with sole proprietorship are included in this breakdown.
- 19,264 registered businesses in Missouri have 5 to 9 employees.
- 12,259 registered businesses in Missouri have 10-19 employees.
- 11,055 registered businesses in Missouri have 20-99 employees.
- 2,733 registered businesses in Missouri have 100 to 499 employees.
- Over 2,814 registered businesses in Missouri have over 500 employees.
Missouri Business Sector Breakdown in Service Industries:
- 13,516 registered businesses in Missouri are in the Professional, Scientific and Technical Services sector.
- 7,497 registered businesses in Missouri are in the Administrative, Support, Waste Management, and Remediation Services sector.
- 12,215 registered businesses in Missouri are in the Accommodation and Food Services sector.
- More than 15,927 registered businesses in Missouri are also service orientated businesses but are not categorized to the above sectors.
If you are in the farming industry, you may be eligible to apply for small business grants as well. There are more than 108,000 farms in the state of Missouri.
Starting and managing a small business in Missouri is not an easy task. Over $88,809,106,000.00 US dollars are paid to employee salaries/payroll alone in the state of Missouri and more than 32,931 businesses declare bankruptcy every single year. Although the federal government does not publically provide grants for starting and expanding a business, in Missouri, some small business grants are given to business owners to start and grow their ventures, and grant recipients do not have to pay back the funding from government. Therefore, it makes sense to look into small business grants as one of your sources to fund your business.
To apply for business grants in Missouri, contact Missouri financial aid agencies.
Recent State Funding Opportunities
Below is a list of opportunities recently published in the local state:
| Funding Number | Funding Title |
|---|---|
| HHS 2021 ACF OHS CH R07 1876 | Head Start/Early Head Start Grantee -- Communities in the state of Missouri |
| USDA NRCS MO CIG 20 GEN0010780 | Announcement for Program Funding for NRCS’ Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2020 – Missouri |
| NPS NOIP20AC00365 | GRPL CESU: Expand Missouri River Institute Internship Program for MNRR |
| USDA NRCS MO MULTI 20 GEN0010652 | Missouri Funding Opportunity |
| BOR MB 20 F001 | FY 2020 Water Conservation Field Services Program: Missouri Basin Region |
| HHS 2020 ACF OHS CH R07 1729 | Head Start and/or Early Head Start Grantee -- The City of St. Louis and St. Louis, St. Charles, Lincoln, Warren and Montgomery Counties, Missouri |
| HHS 2020 ACF OHS CH R07 1639 | Head Start and/or Early Head Start Grantee -- Andrew, Buchanan, Clinton and Dekalb Counties, Missouri |
| HHS 2020 ACF OHS CH R07 1646 | Head Start and/or Early Head Start Grantee -- Johnson, Lafayette, Ray, Chariton, Carroll, Pettis and Saline Counties, Missouri |
| HHS 2020 ACF OHS HP R07 1757 | Early Head Start Expansion and Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership Grants - Andrew, Buchanan, Clinton and Dekalb Counties, Missouri |
| HHS 2020 ACF OHS HP R07 1723 | Early Head Start Expansion and Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership Grants - Dunklin, Pemiscot and Scott Counties, Missouri |
Small Business Grants in Local States
AlabamaAlaskaArkansasArizonaCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareDistrict of ColumbiaFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyomingGrant application guides and resources
It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!
Apply for GrantsLooking to start a small business in Missouri? You may need to obtain one or more state licenses or permits, or complete one or more kinds of state registration, as part of the start-up process. Here’s a quick look at some of the main informational resources available and a few of the steps you may need to take.
The Missouri Business Portal is a website run by Missouri state government. The website contains links to information on many state business topics, such as how to start, grow, and manage your business. Using the portal, you can navigate to information on required business filings, taxes, and various registrations.
Not every Missouri business needs a license. However, many types of business either can or must get a license. Some of the general categories of business licenses and permits in Missouri are:
- agricultural licenses and permits
- professional licenses, and
- environmental permits, registrations, or certifications.
Different categories of licenses and permits are issued by different state agencies. You can find more information by clicking on the Registering My Business section of the Missouri Business Portal website.
In addition, some required licenses are issued locally. The City of St. Louis, for example, requires most businesses to obtain a Graduated Business License (GBL). Similarly, the City of Springfield also requires most businesses to obtain a license. You can find more details by checking the website for the city where you’ll operate your business. (Some businesses may be exempt from licensing requirements under state or federal law.)
Beyond obtaining required licenses or permits, some legal forms of business, such as corporations and limited liability companies (LLCs), are required to file records with the state. More specifically, corporations, LLCs, and certain other types of business must register with the Business Services Division of the Missouri Secretary of State (SOS). Check the Start a Business section of the SOS website for more details.
If you’re a member of one of many professions and occupations, you’ll need to be licensed by the State of Missouri. Among the professions requiring state licensing are doctors, lawyers, dentists, accountants, architects, engineers, nurses, and pharmacists. There are at least two places you can check online for initial information about this kind of licensing:
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- the Missouri Division of Professional Registration (an office within the state’s Department of Insurance, Financial Institutions & Professional Registration (DIFP)); and
- the Missouri Business Portal.
The Division of Professional Registration website has links to detailed licensing information about each profession. The Missouri Business Portal has a similar set of links.
Example: Monique wants to work as a licensed athletic trainer. She’ll need to apply for a license through the Missouri State Board of Registration for the Healing Arts.
Many small businesses don’t simply operate under the names of their owners. Instead, they operate under a business name. In addition, some businesses, such as corporations and LLCs, may originally register with the state under one name (sometimes called the registered name, actual name, or true name), but later choose to operate under another name. Depending on where you’re doing business and how your business is structured, this alternative business name technically may be known as an assumed name, a fictitious name, a trade name, or a DBA (for “doing business as”). In Missouri, any person or business operating under a fictitious name (a name other than the “true name”) must register the name with the Secretary of State. For more information, check the Fictitious Name Registration FAQ section of the SOS website.
Example: Gordon originally organized his car repair business as a Missouri corporation named Gordie’s St. Louis Garage, Inc. He now wants to operate the business under the name Western Gateway Foreign Auto Repair, Inc. Gordon must file a Registration of Fictitious Name, including the filing fee, with the SOS.
There are separate legal definitions for trademarks, service marks, and trade names. However, speaking very generally, trademarks, service marks, and trade names are used to uniquely identify goods (products), services, or a business. This includes distinguishing a product, service, or business from potential competitors. Trademarks and service marks can be registered with the state. (This is distinct from federal registration.) You can find more information, including forms, in the Trademarks & Service Marks section of the SOS website.
Example: Harriet wants to sell her coffee-cocoa candy bars under the name “Harriet's’s Rich Chocolate Buzz Bars.” So—after checking to make sure the name isn’t already in use—she files a TRADEMARK AND SERVICE MARK APPLICATION, including the filing fee, with the SOS.
Guide To St. Louis Small Business Tax Deductions
This article covers only the very tip of the iceberg regarding small business licenses and registrations in Missouri. You can find much more information in the many other articles in the Small Business section here on Nolo.com. Many of those articles are part of a 50-state series—so you can get plenty of information that’s specific to the State of Missouri. You can also find expanded information in many Nolo books, such as Legal Guide for Starting & Running a Small Business, by Fred S. Steingold, and The Small Business Start-Up Kit, by Peri Pakroo.