Applications are now open for the City of San Antonio’s Small Business Construction Support grant. The program offers targeted relief to small businesses impacted by construction-related loss of revenue tied to specific City-initiated projects.

Qualifying businesses may receive up to $35,000 in grant funding to help offset demonstrated losses in 2023 compared to 2022. This program, announced by the City of San Antonio in May 2024, is being administered in partnership with LiftFund.

“San Antonio is continually growing and thriving,” City Manager Erik Walsh said. “To keep up with growth, the City values and supports infrastructural upgrades and improvement projects. We prioritize resources and opportunities like this to help alleviate the impacts of construction to our small businesses."

This targeted program is tied to eight specific construction zones where work commenced between June 2020 and February 2023. Applications will be scored based on assessed need and will not be disbursed on a first-come, first-served basis.

Eligible construction project areas include:

• Broadway Street Corridor (E Houston to E Hildebrand)
• Bulverde Road Phase 1 (Butterleigh Drive to North of Quiet Meadow Street)
• Zona Cultural Streets
• Santa Rosa (Cesar E. Chavez to Martin)
• San Saba (Nueva to Martin)
• Commerce (Frio to Santa Rosa)
• Gevers Drainage (Cosgrove to Minnetonka)
• South Presa (SE Military to Southcross Blvd)
• South Alamo Street (Market Street to Cesar E. Chavez)
• The Alamo (Area Streets)
• Bynum Avenue Phase 2 (W. Mayfield Blvd to W. Gerald Ave)

To be eligible, applicants must:

• Have a minimum of $10,000 gross sales in 2022.
• Have owned the business and have a formation date on or before January 1, 2022.
• Demonstrate a net profit/loss in 2022 that is at least $5,000 greater than in 2023.
• Be a retail or service business that requires customer foot traffic for operations.
• Meet the SBA Size standard for small business.
• Demonstrate a net profit/loss in 2021 that is at least $10,000 greater than in 2022.
• Be currently in operation and not have filed for bankruptcy at any point in the application process.
• Be located within an eligible construction zone and remain there for one year from the date of the grant award.
• Not be in the following categories: non-profits, gambling/gaming businesses, franchisors, sexually oriented businesses, payday and auto loan providers, liquor stores, and businesses in which a City employee or officer has a financial interest.
• Be the majority owner of the business, or an equal share owner with a partner.

Grant awards are limited to one per business at each physical address within the City of San Antonio. Applicants with multiple businesses in eligible construction zones can receive more than one grant award if they can financially differentiate between the businesses and meet all eligibility criteria.

Funds from this program may be applied to approved business expenses, including working capital, machinery and equipment, payroll/health care benefits, contract labor, supplier payments, rent/lease/mortgage payments, utility payments, and costs incurred due to critical business operations. They cannot be used to make distributions to owners/investors or to acquire new assets.

Applications close on July 15, 2024. Additional details are provided on the grant program website. Small businesses with questions may call LiftFund at 800-923-9551.

The City also partnered with LiftFund to offer zero percent interest small business loans, which began in February 2024. Funding is still available to qualified applicants, with more information provided on the loan program website.