Training Subsidies for Self-Employed Professionals in the US

A guide for self-employed professionals on funding options for training — prepared by Ontology of Value, August 2026. Program rules vary by state and change over time; verify current details with the administering agency before applying.

Set Expectations First

Be aware upfront: the largest pool of U.S. training money — Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) funding — is built for two groups: employers training staff, and unemployed or underemployed job seekers. It is generally not built for people who are actively and successfully self-employed and simply want to invest in their own skills. That means your options are narrower than an employer’s or a job seeker’s, but the ones below are real and worth pursuing.

Funding & Support Options

A. NASE Growth Grants

The National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE) offers member Growth Grants — historically up to $4,000 per quarter — that can be applied toward training and education costs for your business. Requires paid NASE membership; apply through their member portal.

B. Free Business Counseling and Workshops (SBDC / WBC / SCORE)

SBA-sponsored Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) and Women’s Business Centers (WBCs) offer free or low-cost one-on-one consulting and training workshops, and SCORE provides free mentoring. These aren’t cash grants, but they replace a cost you’d otherwise pay, and their staff often know about small local or state grants that never make it into a Google search.

C. WIOA Dislocated Worker Path (Narrow, but Real)

If your business has closed, or you’re winding it down due to circumstances outside your control, you may qualify as a “dislocated worker” under WIOA — which can open access to an Individual Training Account (ITA) through your Local American Job Center. This route requires that you are no longer actively operating that business; it does not apply while you are still self-employed and trading.

D. The Tax Angle

This isn’t a subsidy, but it materially lowers your net cost: training that maintains or improves the skills you already use in your current trade or business is generally deductible as an ordinary business expense on Schedule C. Training for an entirely new trade or business typically is not deductible the same way. Confirm your specific situation with a tax professional or CPA before relying on this.

E. Demographic- and Industry-Specific Grants

Women-owned, minority-owned, and veteran-owned business grants (some run through the SBA’s WBC network, others privately funded — e.g., Amber Grant, IFundWomen) can sometimes be used toward training. Because many of these are privately administered, verify legitimacy and current eligibility directly on the funder’s own site before applying. Also check professional or trade associations in your specific field — many offer continuing-education scholarships or subsidized certification exams for members.

How to Find State and Local Options

1. Use the SBA’s locator tools to find your nearest SBDC and Women’s Business Center — book a free consultation and ask specifically about training funding.
2. Search “[your state] entrepreneur training grant” or “[your state] microenterprise grant.”
3. Check your state’s Department of Commerce or Economic Development website for small-business programs.
4. Ask professional or trade associations in your field about member scholarships or subsidized continuing education.

Step-by-Step: What to Actually Do

1. Determine your status: are you continuously self-employed, or did your business recently close or scale down involuntarily? This determines whether the WIOA Dislocated Worker path is even on the table.
2. If continuously self-employed: check whether NASE membership plus a Growth Grant covers your training cost, and book a free SBDC or WBC session to ask what else they track locally.
3. If formerly self-employed / dislocated: contact your Local American Job Center to ask about Dislocated Worker eligibility and an ITA.
4. Regardless of path: talk to a tax professional about deducting the training cost as a business expense.
5. Check professional or industry associations in your field for scholarships or subsidized continuing-education credits.

If a program description says it’s for “unemployed or underemployed individuals,” it almost certainly won’t apply to you while you’re actively self-employed — don’t spend time on WIOA’s standard Individual Training Account route unless you fall into the Dislocated Worker category above.

Common Pitfalls

• Assuming standard WIOA/ETPL training funds are open to you while actively self-employed — for most states, they are not.
• Applying to NASE’s Growth Grant without an active membership in place first.
• Skipping the free SBDC/WBC consultation — often the fastest way to learn about small, locally-funded grants.
• Not keeping receipts and a clear business-purpose note for the tax-deduction route.

Where to Get Help

• SBA’s Small Business Development Center and Women’s Business Center locators
• National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE)
• Your Local American Job Center (for the Dislocated Worker path)
• A CPA or tax professional (for the deduction route)

Sources & Further Reading

• SBA — Women’s Business Centers
• SBA — Small Business Development Centers
• eCFR, 20 CFR Part 680 Subpart D — Eligible Training Providers
• CareerOneStop — WIOA-Eligible Training Program Finder

Hiring and training staff instead? See our companion guide: Training Subsidies for Employers in the US.