San Francisco Launches New Grants to Support Neighborhood Businesses and Accelerate Storefront Openings

The Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD) announces $6.3 million in new grants to support small businesses, reduce barriers to opening and operating storefronts and bring activity into neighborhood business districts across San Francisco. The grant programs are part of the Mayor Daniel Lurie’s efforts to drive San Francisco’s comeback by making it easier for new and existing businesses to do business, fill vacancies, and support thriving neighborhood commercial corridors.  

The grants build on a series of major initiatives aimed at strengthening the small business sector and activating vacant storefronts across San Francisco. In his first year in office, Mayor Lurie extended the First Year Free Program,  established five new entertainment zones; issued 20 new liquor licenses to support nightlife downtown; expanded the Vacant to Vibrant program, which has turned 25 empty spaces into active storefronts; and supported new businesses in the Tenderloin. Last fall, OEWD, in partnership with Main Street Launch, expanded the Downtown SF Vibrancy Loan Fund, which offers low-interest loans and grants to businesses moving downtown, giving San Franciscans and visitors more reasons to enjoy the heart of the city. The Mayor’s signature reform initiative, PermitSF, also continues full steam ahead with the passage of 20 ordinances, including common-sense reforms that allow businesses to place sidewalk café tables and paint their own names on storefronts, and the unveiling of the new PermitSF portal, just last week. 

The latest round of small business grants is designed to meet small businesses at different stages—supporting existing storefronts that need to make critical upgrades and helping new businesses open in vacant spaces with the capital and technical support required to succeed. The grants complement ongoing programs provided by OEWD and the Office of Small Business such as pro-bono business counseling, including permitting and leasing support to help owners start or expand a business.  

“Our office is committed to empowering our entrepreneurs at every stage of their journey. These new grants are strategic investments that stabilize businesses by covering essential operating costs, providing tools that support compliance and growth, and activate vacant spaces with new storefronts. Together, these programs build confidence across our business community and among customers that local businesses are ready to serve, succeed, and energize our neighborhoods,” said Anne Taupier, Executive Director, OEWD.  

SF Shines Equipment Grant

Small businesses citywide can now apply for the SF Shines Equipment Grant, which provides up to $10,000 to support equipment purchases that are essential to business operations. The program is designed to help businesses make targeted investments that improve functionality, efficiency, and compliance.  

Eligible equipment must support business operations and fall within one of three categories:  

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

The Mayor’s budget allocates $2 million for this grant, which is expected to support approximately 200 businesses. Small business storefronts anywhere in San Francisco are eligible to apply. To ensure resources reach businesses facing the greatest barriers, 70 percent of awards will prioritize businesses located in designated low- to moderate-income neighborhoods, with the remaining awards available citywide. 

“CLECHA applauds San Francisco’s continued investment in small businesses through key grant opportunities that help entrepreneurs stabilize, improve, and grow,” said Alma Castellano, Chief Operating Officer. “The Storefront Opportunity Grant strengthens commercial corridors by helping businesses secure and activate brick and mortar spaces, while the launch of the SF Shines Equipment Grant gives owners a practical boost to upgrade essential tools, improve operations, and remain in compliance. Together with the impact of the SF Thrives funding that supported covid impacted businesses, these grants reduce the real costs of staying open in San Francisco, protect local jobs, and help neighborhood serving businesses build long term resilience so our communities stay vibrant and locally owned.” 

Storefront Opportunity Grant

With $3.3 million in the Mayor’s budget, the city’s Storefront Opportunity Grant helps entrepreneurs open sustainable storefront businesses in neighborhoods where vacancies and barriers to entry remain high. Grant amounts are tailored to support a range of neighborhood-serving uses, including retail and personal services, food and café concepts, full-service restaurants and bars, and essential neighborhood amenities. 

Earlier this month, OEWD advanced a Storefront Opportunity Grant focused on the Tenderloin, Excelsior, and Visitacion Valley, supporting businesses that are preparing to open a storefront but do not yet have a lease. Through this approach, selected businesses receive: 

• Grant funding between $50,000 and $100,000, based on business type 
• Commercial broker services to identify an appropriate storefront and secure a Letter of Intent 
• Lease review and one-on-one technical assistance to support negotiations and opening 

Building on this targeted approach, the City is expanding the Storefront Opportunity Grant to support businesses that already have a lease in place and are preparing to open a new storefront. This grant pathway will provide funding to eligible businesses opening in the following neighborhoods: Bayview, Chinatown, Downtown, Western Addition / Fillmore, Mid-Market, Mission, and the Port.  

Businesses applying through this round must have a lease with a commencement date on or after October 1, 2025. Funding follows the same tiered structure, with grants ranging from $50,000 to $100,000, including support for essential neighborhood amenities such as pharmacies, full-service grocery stores, and small business incubator kitchens. 

“We know firsthand how these targeted investments strengthen existing businesses and help draw new operators to the district,” stated Mid-Market Business Association Executive Director Fernando Pujals. “Leveraging this type of funding is crucial to revitalizing Mid-Market with culture, commerce, and community, breathing creative life into the area as an arts and culture district alongside the convention corridor.”  

“On behalf of La Cocina, we want to convey how exciting these new opportunities are and in particular the expansion of neighborhoods,” said Leticia Landa, Executive Director of La Cocina. “We appreciate how clearly you are listening to the needs of small businesses at this time!”

Vandalism and Fire Relief Grants

Mayor Lurie’s budget also included $1.2 million to continue assisting small businesses with unexpected expenses caused by vandalism and fire. Businesses can be awarded for the vandalism relief grant up to three times per year. Applications may include past vandalism incidents, as long as they occurred on or after January 1, 2025.The Vandalism Relief Grant provides up to $2,000 grants to help small businesses repair storefront damage caused by Vandalism. 

The Fire Disaster Relief Grant awards up to $10,000 for businesses that are significantly damaged by a fire for which they were not at fault. Grant funds can help businesses replace inventory and equipment, relocation or repair costs, employee salaries, and other expenses. Last year, the City disbursed $575,000 and 367 awards to businesses in the form of relief funding. 

Recent Awards to Support Economic Recovery

SF Thrives launched earlier this fiscal year across four neighborhoods with the lowest sales tax recovery rate since COVID, in total $1.8 million was awarded to 180 small businesses. The grant program offered grants of up to $10,000 for eligible operating expenses—such as utilities, payroll, rent, and insurance—helping businesses reinvest in day-to-day costs. Tenderloin, and SOMA, followed by the Western Addition and Treasure Island.    

Businesses interested in applying for funding or learning more about eligibility can visit or contact OEWD directly for additional details. Find a grant for your small business | SF.gov