Storefront Opportunity Grant

Get help finding a location, negotiating a commercial lease, and opening a new storefront in San Francisco. Businesses must attend a Commercial Lease Negotiation Webinar, complete a business plan, have a Letter of Intent (LOI), and submit relevant documentation in order to apply. Grant awards are $25,000 or $50,000. $25,000 - First Commercial Storefront: -The business owner does not have a lease agreement for the commercial storefront they are applying for at time of application. -Business must submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) signed by the tenant and property owner for the desired storefront with their application. -Once we approve the application, the business must sign and submit a minimum 3-year* continuous commercial lease in San Francisco. The lease should be signed and dated after the date the application was submitted. -Businesses who are currently home or office-based, caterers looking to open a restaurant, or local vendors looking to move into a commercial storefront are eligible for this award. -If you currently share a lease with other businesses and want to open your first independent commercial storefront in San Francisco, you qualify for the $25,000 grant. -If you currently have a storefront outside of San Francisco and want to open your first storefront in San Francisco, you qualify for the $25,000 grant. *A commercial storefront must be ground floor, open to the public during regular business hours, and commercially zoned. **The lease must be for a minimum of 3-continuous years. Leases that are less than three years with the option for renewal do not qualify for any of the grants above. $50,000 - Additional Commercial Storefront Expansion: -Business has at least 12 months remaining on one or more of their current commercial lease agreements in San Francisco for the business they want to expand at time of application. -Business wants to open an additional commercial* storefront in San Francisco. -Business must submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) signed by the tenant and property owner for the additional commercial storefront with their application. -Once we approve the application, the business must sign and submit a minimum 3-year* continuous commercial lease in San Francisco. The lease for the new space must be signed and dated after the date the application was submitted. -The additional storefront must have a different address. -Cannot be home-based or office-based. *The storefront must be ground floor, open to the public during regular business hours, and commercially zoned. **The lease must be for a minimum of 3-continuous years. Leases that are less than three years with the option for renewal do not qualify for any of the grants above.