Apply for an SF Shines Equipment Grant

About the program

The SF Shines Equipment Grant helps small businesses invest in equipment to start, stay, and grow in San Francisco. The goal is to support long-term success and help our City's commercial corridors thrive.

Eligible equipment must support your business operations and align with one of the following purposes:

1. Start Up / Scale Up / Expand – To increase capacity, add new services, improve efficiency, or support growth
2. Remediation – To fix broken equipment that is limiting your ability to operate
3. Compliance – To resolve an open Notice of Violation (NOV) related to equipment in the interior of your storefront

Questions? Learn more about eligibility on our FAQ page.

NOTE: Compliance-related applicants must include their Notice of Violation (NOV) complaint number.

NOTE: Remediation-related applicants must include proof of their equipment issue (photos, video, or an invoice/estimate from a repair professional).

NOTE: ADA-related expenses are not eligible for this program. Refer to our Accessible Barrier Removal Grant Program.

NOTE: The City has sole discretion in determining awardees.

PLEASE READ BEFORE APPLYING

1. Do NOT purchase equipment until you are authorized.
   1. Purchases made before you receive notification will not be considered.
2. If you are approved, you will have until May 8, 2026, to purchase your equipment.
   1. We will hold funding for every approved business during the purchase period.
3. You must be able to cover the full cost up front.
   1. If you are not able to pay for the equipment before being reimbursed, this program may not be a good fit for your business.
4. Applications will be evaluated based on impact, urgency, and strategy.
   1. Those who meet the minimum evaluation threshold will be invited to move forward. Funding is limited.

We understand that fronting the cost can be challenging for small businesses. If you don’t currently have the funds available, you still may have options. Some businesses choose to work with a lender to secure short-term financing, such as a small business loan or a line of credit. The City offers information on lending and borrowing options here: Small Business Resources

NOTE: Failure to meet program deadlines may result in your award being forfeited.

Step 1: Check eligibility

Small business storefronts anywhere in the city can apply to this program. Businesses in designated low-moderate income neighborhoods will be given priority and will make up 70% of all awards. The other 30% of awards will go to businesses anywhere in the city.

All equipment purchases must fit into one of these three categories: Start up/Expansion, Remediation, or Compliance.

Eligible businesses must:

• Be located within a ground-level street-facing storefront that provides goods and services to the public
• Have less than $5M in gross revenue on your 2024 or 2025 tax return
• Have 100 or fewer employees
• Make a good-faith effort to stay in business for at least 24 months after funding

Not eligible:

Business types not eligible:

• Formula retail businesses
• Businesses located inside malls
• Mobile businesses or home-based businesses
• Property owners (unless they are also the business owner)
• Parking lots
• Religious institutions
• Medical/healthcare offices
• Financial, insurance, or legal offices
• Non-revenue-generating nonprofits

Businesses that received funding from any of the following programs are not eligible:

• SF Shines 2022
• SF Shines Design Referral & Construction
• SF Shines 2024
• Office of Small Business Storefront
• Geary Storefront & Folsom Storefront
• SF Shines Interior 2025

NOTE: Recipients of SF Shines Facade 2025 and Tenderloin Facade may still be eligible.

Step 2: Attend informational webinar [OPTIONAL]

Businesses interested in applying to the program can attend an optional informational webinar to learn more. Sign up for the session (English) below:

February 20, 2026, at 1:00PM

If you need language support to understand this program email sfshines@sfgov.org.

Step 3: Gather estimates

Estimates must include:

• Equipment type
• Vendor/retailer information
• Price

NOTE: Please visit our FAQ page to learn what types of equipment are NOT eligible.

NOTE: Equipment purchased in the past is not eligible.

NOTE: ADA-related expenses are not eligible for this program. Refer to our Accessible Barrier Removal Grant Program.

Step 4: Apply for SF Shines Equipment Grant

Applications will be evaluated based on impact, urgency, and strategy. Those who meet the minimum evaluation threshold will be invited to move forward.

ALL applicants must upload estimates for the equipment they want to buy.

ALL applicants will be asked about:

• The need or strategic reason for the purchase
• Timeline and planning
• Goals for the next 1-2 years

Compliance applicants must submit:

• Notice of Violation (NOV) complaint number

Remediation applicants must submit:

• Proof of their equipment issue (photos, video, or an invoice/estimate from a repair professional)

NOTE: Compliance applications will be prioritized first, followed by remediation applications. Learn more about how applications are scored on our FAQ page.

NOTE: The City reserves the right to request additional information about your application.

Applications are due March 6, 2026, at 5:00PM: APPLY NOW
Looking for application assistance? Contact one of our community partners.

You will receive a submission confirmation email from noreply@api.sf.gov with a copy of your responses. Please ensure that everything you submitted is accurate and complete.

NOTE: Check your spam folder if you do not receive the confirmation email.

Step 5: Purchase equipment & receive final payment

Applicants will be notified if they are accepted into the program on March 27, 2026.

If you are accepted, you will have until May 8, 2026 to purchase your equipment. We will hold funding for every invited business during the purchase period.

You must upload:

• Receipt or paid invoice
• Proof of purchase (bank statement, credit card statement, or cashed check)

NOTE: Cash payments are not allowed.

All invited applicants will receive an award letter for approved expenses on or before June 5, 2026.

Funds will be sent by direct deposit after all steps are completed.

NOTE: The City reserves the right to reject any receipt submissions with unapproved purchases.

Step 6: Follow-up survey [MANDATORY]

After award payments are disbursed, businesses will be asked to complete a form to submit photos of the new equipment inside their storefront.

NOTE: Businesses that do not complete the survey will be out of compliance with our department. This may affect your eligibility for future funding opportunities within the Office of Economic and Workforce Development. As a reminder, grant funding is at the City's sole discretion.