CAMPAIGN

Gold flame made from an S and F with gold ribbon with white overlaid text: Legacy Business

Legacy Business Program

Office of Small Business
Map of SF with a magnifying glass overlayed

Legacy Business Map

Find over 400 Legacy Businesses. Filter by business type, neighborhood, or business name.Go to the map

Become a Legacy Business

Apply to join the Legacy Business Registry
Long-standing small businesses can join the Registry for recognition, marketing and business help, and grants.
Benefits of being a Legacy Business
Long-standing small businesses can receive recognition, marketing and business help, and grants.
Check the status of your Legacy Business Registry application
Queue of new Legacy Business Registry applications.

First in the nation

San Francisco's Legacy Business Program is the first-of-its-kind program in the United States and is pioneering a new take on government's involvement in maintaining and promoting the small business community. The Legacy Business Program cultivates a vibrant and an only-in-SF cultural and civic experience.

Now, more than two dozen cities - and counting - have their own programs: Legacy business programs nationwide.

Resources for Legacy Businesses

Promote being on the Legacy Business Registry
Free materials, signs, and how-to guides.
Business Stabilization Grant
Property owners of San Francisco Legacy Businesses may be able to get this grant every year. It is to help Legacy Businesses stay open in San Francisco.
Rent Stabilization Grant
Property owners of San Francisco Legacy Businesses can re-apply every year for their existing Rent Stabilization Grant.
Become a City Supplier
Businesses that are Suppliers can apply for and receive certain grants and contracts with the City.
Legislation that supports Legacy Businesses
Learn about laws designed to help San Francisco's Legacy Businesses.
Toolkit for Transitioning to Employee Ownership
A guide for Legacy Businesses to the succession strategy of transitioning to employee ownership.
Who Should Own Your Business After You?
Employee ownership frequently-asked questions, description of sales processes, and key research findings.

More resources for small businesses

Free small business counseling from the Office of Small Business
Find a grant for your small business
Learn about current City-run grant options for your business.
Loans and borrowing money for your business
Borrowing money requires repaying over a period of time, usually with interest.
Get help recruiting employees
Save time and money finding quality workers for your business with personalized, zero-cost recruitment services.
Green your business
Make your business better for the environment. Save money, improve employee health, and attract customers.
Bid opportunities
Learn about bid and funding opportunities from the Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD)
Find a commercial location for your business

News and Reports

Legacy Business Light
News about the Legacy Business Program.
Annual Reports
Departmental reports on program activity and impact metrics.
Sustaining San Francisco's Living History
Published by San Francisco Heritage, September 2014.
Legacy Business Programs: Emerging Directions
Published by the American Planning Association, January 2022.
Bar with stools and one person seated in the background

Our San Francisco Legacy

The Legacy Business Program is an important part of maintaining the city's cultural identity, which helps provide local residents with employment, a sense of place, and community involvement. This supports Mayor Daniel Lurie’s key priority to revitalize the economy by cultivating a vibrant and an only-in-SF cultural and civic experience. The best way to support these businesses is to visit them!Interactive map of Legacy Businesses

About

A Legacy Business is a for-profit or nonprofit business that has operated in San Francisco for 30 or more years. The business must contribute to the neighborhood's history and/or the identity of a particular neighborhood or community, and it must commit to maintaining the physical features or traditions that define the business, including craft, culinary or art forms.

The registration process for the Legacy Business Program includes nomination by Mayor Daniel Lurie or a member of the Board of Supervisors, a written application, an advisory recommendation from the Historic Preservation Commission, and approval of the Small Business Commission. 

Inclusion on the Registry provides Legacy Businesses with recognition and support as an incentive for them to stay in the community. The program also provides educational and promotional assistance to encourage their continued viability and success in San Francisco.

Partner agencies

Office of Economic and Workforce Development

Contact information

Address

Office of Small Business, Legacy BusinessCity Hall, Room 140
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
San Francisco, CA 94102
Get directions

Phone

Michelle Reynolds, Legacy Business Program415-554-6680

Email

Legacy Business Program

legacybusiness@sfgov.org