Apply for a grant to strengthen small businesses in Western Addition

About the program

SF Thrives Grant

The SF Thrives Grant celebrates the perseverance of San Francisco’s local entrepreneurs who kept their doors open through the pandemic and continue to anchor their communities today. Offering up to $10,000 in reimbursement grants for eligible operational expenses, the program supports small businesses in low- to moderate-income neighborhoods experiencing a slower post-pandemic rebound—helping them stabilize, reinvest, and thrive as part of San Francisco’s broader economic recovery.

Neighborhood Anchor and Legacy Businesses will be prioritized and invited to apply separately, but they must first submit the eligibility form to be considered.

Funding is limited, and not all eligible businesses may receive an award. Grants will be distributed based on available funding.

Grant details

Storefronts must have been operating on or before December 31, 2020 and had to close or limit operations during Shelter In Place (SIP) orders. Storefronts must be located within the eligible low-to-moderate income areas shown on this map and continue to provide goods and services to residents in the area today.

Due to limited funding eligible businesses will be invited to apply if selected.

Eligible reimbursements

• Utilities (water, gas, electricity, Recology, internet, phone)
• Employee wages/payroll
• Rent
• Insurance
  
  NOTE: All invoices must indicate they have been paid. This is a reimbursement-only program.
  NOTE: All invoices must be dated after January 1, 2025.

Check our FAQs page to find answers to commonly asked questions.

Step 1: Check eligibility

Your business must:

• Have an active Business Account Number (BAN) registered at the same location within the eligible boundaries on or before December 31, 2020
• Have been financially impacted by Shelter in Place (SIP) orders due to closures or limited operations
• Have a ground-floor street-facing physical storefront that provides goods and/or services to the public and is in current operation
• Have less than $5M in gross revenue on your most recent tax return
• Have 100 or fewer employees
• Make a good-faith effort to remain open for 12+ months after funding
• Not have any open notices of violation with any City Department
• Be in good standing with the California Secretary of State
  • If you are suspended from the Franchise Tax Board (FTB), you are not eligible.

Nonprofits are only eligible if: The location lost revenue during COVID-19 and are current with the Registry of Charitable Trusts.

Ineligible:

Formula retail • Parking lots • Second-floor businesses • Property owners (unless they are also the business owner) • Businesses inside malls • Mobile businesses • Home-based businesses • Religious institutions • Businesses not impacted by Shelter in Place (SIP) orders

NOTE: The City has sole discretion in determining awardees.
NOTE: If DataSF shows a “Location End Date” for the BAN number associated with the storefront within the eligible boundaries, that storefront is not eligible.

Step 2: Attend an informational webinar [OPTIONAL]

Businesses that are interested in applying to the program can attend an optional informational webinar to learn more about the program. Businesses can sign up for any of the sessions below:

Wednesday, October 29, 2025

• 10:00 - 11:00 AM (English)
• 11:30 - 12:30 PM (Cantonese)
• 1:00 - 2:00 PM (Filipino)
• 2:00 - 3:00 PM (Vietnamese)
• 3:30 - 4:30 PM (Spanish)

Need another language? Email investsf@sfgov.org with subject line "language assistance needed – SF Thrives Grant." Or contact one of our nonprofit partners for assistance. For all other questions, please contact investsf@sfgov.org.

Step 3: Submit your eligibility verification form

You will need to provide:

• Your Business Account Number (BAN) (If you don't know it, you can look it up.)
• Your business location
• Basic business and owner details (business name, owner name, contact information, etc.)

Submit eligibility form

We are no longer accepting eligibility forms for this program. The form closed on Friday, November 14, 2025, at 5:00pm.

Failure to submit an eligibility form will disqualify your storefront from the program.

Step 4: Notification email

Because funding is limited, eligible businesses will be chosen and will get an email with a link to apply for the grant.

Neighborhood Anchor and Legacy Businesses will be prioritized and invited to apply separately. Businesses must be part of the official registry on or before November 14th to be prioritized for this grant.

What happens next?

1. We’ll confirm your eligibility based on your submitted form.
2. All eligible businesses that submit a form will be invited to apply.

All applicants will receive notification on Friday, November 21, 2025 by 5 PM.

Step 5: Receive invitation link to apply

Receiving a link to apply does NOT guarantee you will receive funding. Grantees are determined at the City's sole discretion.

Application details

1. Business information
2. Business owner details
3. Demographic information
4. Reimbursement type
5. Narrative of impact
6. Use of funds
7. Uploads

Invited applicants will receive detailed instructions and guidelines on how to submit a complete application. Failure to do so may result in disqualification.

Step 6: After you apply

We will email you a confirmation that your application has been submitted, along with a copy of your responses. Please confirm that everything you submitted is accurate and complete.

Once your application is approved, the award amount will be final, and you cannot submit additional documents.

Award confirmations will be sent out in several rounds throughout January 2026 to help process payments efficiently.

All applicants will be notified of their award or non-award status by January 30, 2026. If awarded, your grant will be disbursed via direct deposit once all required steps are completed.

Please check our FAQs page to find answers to commonly asked questions. If you still have questions, email investsf@sfgov.org with a detailed message and include your business name in the subject line.