Idaho Gem Grant — FY2027

FundingFY27 Application Guide: up to $100,000 per project; awards above $50,000 are reserved for projects with significant permanent private-sector job creation and capital-investment benefits. Idaho Commerce's current landing page still states a $50,000 maximum, so applicants should confirm with Commerce before relying on an amount above $50,000.

DeadlineFY27 quarterly dates are now reconciled between Idaho Commerce's live landing page and the currently linked FY27 Application Guide: June 15, 2026; September 21, 2026; December 21, 2026; and March 15, 2027. Neither controlling source publishes an exact submission clock time or time zone. Do not calculate a 48-hour ORIGINAL-outreach cutoff or rely on a final-day submission time until Idaho Commerce authoritatively confirms the clock time and time zone.

Last verifiedSeptember 23, 2026

Required next actionPreserve Draft / Source Verification Hold. The prior September 14/December 14 deadline conflict is resolved: the live Idaho Commerce landing page and currently linked FY27 Application Guide both show September 21 and December 21, 2026. Remaining material ambiguities are the exact submission clock time/time zone and the funding-ceiling conflict ($50,000 landing page versus up to $100,000 in the FY27 guide). Verify those controls directly from Idaho Commerce before ORIGINAL outreach or final budgeting. Preserve the 20% match requirement and current procurement/allowable-cost rules.

Broad Eligibility

Rural Idaho cities with populations under 25,000 and not contiguous to a larger community, counties representing unincorporated rural areas, and tribes may apply. Cities and counties may apply on behalf of special governing bodies and nonprofit organizations. Only one open Gem Grant may be held by a city, county, or tribe at a time. A match equal to at least 20% of the requested grant amount is required and must be committed and documented at submission.

Atlas Analysis

Atlas Opportunity Score 70/100. The currently linked FY27 Idaho Gem Grant Application Guide allows up to $100,000 per project, reserves awards above $50,000 for projects with significant permanent private-sector job creation and capital-investment benefits, and requires a match equal to or exceeding 20% of the requested grant. The live Idaho Commerce landing page still states a $50,000 maximum. The two current official sources now agree on FY27 quarterly dates: June 15, September 21 and December 21, 2026, and March 15, 2027. No exact submission clock time or time zone is published. Eligible costs include construction materials, construction contracts, architect/engineering and other implementation professional services, fixed equipment, equipment installation, procurement/legal advertising, and certain real-estate acquisition. Portable items such as vehicles, computers, mobile generators, and software are ineligible. N9+ Fit remains 3/100; do not force a portable clinical device/platform into this program.

Idaho opportunity. The Idaho Department of Commerce administers the Idaho Gem Grant Program for rural economic-development projects. Eligible applicants are rural Idaho cities, counties representing unincorporated rural areas, and tribes; cities and counties may apply on behalf of special governing bodies and nonprofit organizations. The FY27 guide states a general rural-community population threshold of 25,000 or fewer, with limited director discretion for other rural cities.

Funding and deadline: The FY27 Application Guide currently linked by Idaho Commerce states that eligible communities may receive up to $100,000 per project, with awards above $50,000 reserved for projects demonstrating significant permanent private-sector job creation and capital-investment benefits. The cycle-specific FY27 Application Guide states up to $100,000 per project, so Atlas uses that figure for FY27 while treating the generic landing page’s $50,000 summary as inconsistent with the current guide. The official Idaho Commerce landing page currently lists FY27 deadlines of September 21, 2026, December 21, 2026, and March 15, 2027, while the FY27 Application Guide indexed by Idaho Commerce lists September 14, 2026, December 14, 2026, and March 15, 2027. No exact closing time or time zone is published. Atlas is holding this opportunity from new outreach until Idaho Commerce resolves the conflicting cycle dates.

Eligible activity and costs: Projects must be tied to an economic-development goal, especially durable private-sector job creation and capital investment. Eligible costs include construction materials and contracts, architect/engineering and required professional services, fixed equipment, equipment installation, procurement/legal advertising, real-estate acquisition for business development, and qualifying matching funds for other economic-development grants. Portable items such as vehicles, computers, mobile generators, and software are expressly ineligible.

Match and submission: Every recipient must provide at least a 20% match, cash or in-kind, fully committed and documented at application. Applications are submitted through the Idaho Commerce Grants Portal and require a sign-and-submit resolution, Idaho Gem Grant budget, documentation of matching funds, and any supporting materials. Procurement must conform to applicable Idaho law.

Healthcare relevance: The program is not healthcare-specific, but Idaho Commerce has funded health-adjacent projects through it, including the Owyhee County Fitness Court, and a 2026 City of Payette resolution supported a Gem Grant application for a patient bus stop serving Valley Family Health Clinic. Any healthcare project must independently satisfy the program’s economic-development and job-creation requirements.

Atlas assessment: Opportunity Score 70/100. N9+ Fit Score 3/100. Because portable equipment and software are expressly ineligible, Atlas should not position Nonagon N9+ absent written Idaho Commerce confirmation that a specific configuration qualifies as fixed equipment and fits the economic-development objective. Dr. Miltie is not an eligible direct applicant; any role would be as a vendor or project partner to an eligible governmental or tribal applicant and would remain subject to match, procurement, and allowability rules.

Source: Idaho Department of Commerce.

Source verificationOfficial government source · commerce.idaho.govAtlas last verified this record September 23, 2026. Always use the funder's current application materials, amendments and portal instructions as the controlling source.View source and application materials ↗