Rhode Island was the first of the thirteen original colonies to declare independence from Britain, and is nicknamed the Ocean State to reflect the abundance of coastline that Rhode Island enjoys. Despite the state's small size, it was a leading producer of textile goods before the onset of the Great Depression; today, the state’s economy is driven primarily by services in the healthcare and education sectors, and some specialized manufacturing including construction of nuclear submarines. In this research brief we will review some of the state-level grant, financing and support programs and services available to small business owners in Rhode Island.