Los Angeles District 1 - Small Business Grant

The Geneva Microenterprise Assistance Program (GMAP) provides Geneva, New York small businesses, start-ups, and entrepreneurs with grants of $5,000 to $30,000 to support business start-up and growth. Administered by the City of Geneva's Grant Coordinator (with additional program delivery support from a training consultant) and funded by the New York State Office of Community Renewal through the federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Microenterprise Assistance Program, the program has $150,000 in total grant funding available. The GMAP is designed to meet the CDBG National Objective of benefiting low- and moderate-income (LMI) persons through LMI job creation and LMI microenterprise assistance, and aims to help launch or grow at least seven small businesses (including at least four owned by LMI persons) and create at least three new LMI-qualifying jobs. To qualify, applicants must be a private for-profit business (sole proprietorship, partnership, LLC, or corporation) with an existing or planned business location within the City of Geneva, currently have five or fewer employees (including the owner), and be up to date on all local, state, and federal taxes and obligations. Applicants must either have majority ownership held by LMI individuals or commit to creating at least one new full-time equivalent (FTE) job for an LMI individual. Businesses that received prior MAP funding will be required to create at least one new LMI job regardless of owner LMI status. If more than one FTE job is created as a result of GMAP funding, at least 50 percent of the jobs created must be made available to or taken by LMI individuals. Applicants must also commit to a 10 percent equity (cash) match of the awarded grant amount and complete an OCR-approved entrepreneurial training program (either the Fast Track to Business Start-up offered by the Onondaga Small Business Development Center, the Business Startup Program offered by an Ibero Business Center, or the customized training program offered at no cost by the City of Geneva) before incurring any grant-related costs. Grant funds may be used for working capital for equipment, furniture, inventory, operations, salaries, and hardware and software directly related to business operations. Funds may not be used to pay off existing debt, for lobbying, religious, or political activities, to purchase real estate, for short-term rental properties or private recreational facilities, or for construction-related activities. Grants are disbursed on a reimbursement basis: expenditures must be paid by the awardee and submitted to City staff for reimbursement with relevant invoices and receipts as proof of payment. The equity match must be documented on a pro rata basis before any grant disbursements will be processed, and no disbursements will be issued until the awardee submits a certificate of completion for the required entrepreneurial training program (or receives an approved waiver based on completion within the prior 24 months). Applications are reviewed by a Grant Review Committee that scores each eligible application across ten criteria (out of 40 total points), including LMI ownership, minority/woman/veteran ownership, start-up status (less than 6 months in operation), whether the project will fill a vacant, street-level storefront in downtown or a neighborhood business district, reasonableness of costs, project feasibility, owner experience, size of the match relative to the grant amount, job creation, and expected economic multiplier effects (such as attracting visitors or committing to procure goods and services locally).

The Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Agency’s (SEOPW CRA) Small Business Grant Program is a targeted financial assistance initiative designed to support the growth and stability of small businesses operating within the designated redevelopment area. With a focus on economic revitalization, job creation, and neighborhood development, the program offers direct funding to eligible local businesses to help offset operational costs, invest in infrastructure, and foster long-term sustainability. ‍ Applications are reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis and must be submitted by email or hand-delivered to the Overtown Business Resource Center located at 1490 NW 3rd Ave, Suite 106, Miami, FL 33136, or the SEOPW CRA Office located at 819 NW 2nd Ave, Third Floor, Miami, FL 33136, Tuesday–Thursday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

The Chicago Neighborhood Market Grant Program provides Chicago small food and beverage business owners and farmers market operators with one-time grants of $10,000 to strengthen local food systems and expand access to fresh, healthy food across the city. Administered by the Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP) in partnership with Allies for Community Business (A4CB), the program is funded by the Chicago Road to Recovery Plan through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), with A4CB providing $450,000 in total grant funding to eligible applicants. To qualify, applicants must be a small retail food and beverage business owner or a farmers market operator, operating a storefront or market that is physically located within one of Chicago's designated priority geographies. The program specifically focuses on businesses that serve as both economic anchors and food access points in neighborhoods historically impacted by disinvestment, with the broader goal of ensuring that access to fresh, healthy food does not depend on the neighborhood a resident lives in. Grant funds may be used for a range of purposes, including equipment purchases, market operations, marketing and outreach efforts, and improvements that help farmers markets operate year-round rather than only during traditional market seasons.

The IHCC Small Business Microgrant provides Illinois small businesses affected by federal immigration enforcement activities with grants of $5,000 to help cover essential business expenses such as rent, employee wages, and inventory. Administered by the IHCC Foundation, the 501(c)(3) arm of the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and supported by the Searle Funds at The Chicago Community Trust, the program is part of the IHCC's broader Resilient Communities Initiative, which is focused on helping small businesses in immigrant-heavy communities across Chicago and the suburbs weather reduced foot traffic, staff shortages, and other operational disruptions. A total of 52 grants of $5,000 each are being distributed across three phases of funding, with each phase focused on specific communities throughout Chicagoland to equitably disperse funds across affected areas. Recent and upcoming phases have prioritized businesses located in Pilsen, Brighton Park, McKinley Park, Archer Heights, Back of the Yards, Little Village, Chicago Lawn, West Lawn, Berwyn, and Cicero. To qualify, businesses must have been in operation for at least two years, be registered with the State of Illinois (either as an LLC in good standing or as a sole proprietor registered with the city or municipality), have 10 or fewer employees, and submit a copy of their business license. Only one business or location per owner is eligible. As part of the application, businesses must submit a written explanation (100 to 250 words) describing how the actions of immigration authorities have affected their business, including any documented loss of income and specific timelines (reduced foot traffic, drop in sales, reduced hours, event cancellations, or similar impacts). The strongest applications are those that clearly describe how the business was directly affected via loss of revenue.

The King County Community Reinvestment Small Business Grant provides King County small businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs with workforce-focused grants ranging from $3,500 to $10,000 to support business startup, recovery, or growth. Funded by the Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County (WDC) through Washington State's Community Reinvestment Program and administered locally by the Seattle Latino Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce (SLMCC) and Tabor 100, the program offers three tiers tailored to a business's current stage: Tier 1 — Start Up ($3,500) for businesses just beginning or working toward their first hire, Tier 2 — Recovery ($6,500) for businesses with employees that have faced challenges and need to stabilize their workforce, and Tier 3 — Growth ($10,000) for established businesses ready to create new jobs, increase wages, or build advancement pathways. Approximately 28 grants are distributed across the tiers from a total pool of $200,000. Funds may be used for training, equipment, inventory, marketing, licensing, wages for new hires, software, and capital improvements, with all approved uses required to connect to workforce outcomes such as hiring, retention, wage improvement, or workforce capacity-building. Working capital, land or building acquisition, and debt repayment are not eligible uses. Eligible applicants must either be a small business with 50 employees or fewer holding an active business license in King County (nonprofits included), or an individual living in King County who plans to start a business there during the grant period. Funding is prioritized for businesses owned and operated by Black, Latine, Native American, Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander individuals, as well as Economic Security for All (EcSA) participants and businesses that employ or plan to hire EcSA participants.