Applications are now open for the City of San Antonio’s COVID-19/Construction Recovery Grant.
The program offers targeted relief to small businesses impacted by both COVID-19 and prolonged construction-related loss of revenues tied to specific City-initiated projects. Qualifying businesses may receive up to $35,000 in grant funding to help offset demonstrated losses in 2022 compared to 2021.This program was announced by the City in January and is being administered in partnership with LiftFund.
“The City is proud to launch this program, which will provide much needed funding to businesses impacted by COVID-19 and longer-term construction projects,” said City Manager Erik Walsh. “These necessary upgrades will improve the infrastructure and accessibility of some of San Antonio’s key community and business centers and we look forward to the completion of these projects in the near future.”
This targeted program is tied to fifteen specific construction zones in which work commenced between Jan. 1, 2020, and June 30, 2022. 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 (IH-35 to E Houston Street)
- Bulverde Road Phase 1 (Butterleigh Drive to North of Quiet Meadow Street)
- Commerce Street (St. Mary’s Street to Santa Rosa Street)
- Commerce Street (Frio Street to Santa Rosa Street)
- Enrique M. Barrera Parkway Phase 1 (Old Highway 90 Area)
- Fredericksburg Road (North Flores Street to West Woodlawn Avenue)
- Harry Wurzbach Road/Austin Highway Connectors
- North Main Avenue & Soledad Street (Pecan Street to Navarro Street)
- North New Braunfels Avenue Phase 1 (East Houston Street to Burleson Street)
- North St. Mary’s Street (East Mistletoe Avenue to West Josephine Street)
- San Saba Street (Nueva Street to Martin Street)
- Santa Rosa Street (César E. Chávez Boulevard to Martin Street)
- The Alamo (Area Streets)
- West Commerce Street (Frio Street to Colorado Street)
- Maverick Plaza
To be eligible, applicants must:
- Have a minimum of $10,000 gross sales in 2021.
- Be a retail or service business with a store front location that requires customer foot traffic for operations or can demonstrate that customers physically visit your business location.
- Meet the SBA Size standard for small business.
- Demonstrate net profit/loss in 2021 that is at least $10,000 greater than net/profit loss in 2022. Net profit/loss is based on Line 29 of Schedule C, Line 30 of 1120, Line 21 of 1120S or Line 22 of 1065.
- Be in operation prior to Jan. 1, 2021.
- Be currently in operation and not have filed for bankruptcy at time of application.
- Be located within an eligible construction zone and remain for one year from date of grant award.
- Not be in the following categories: non-profits, gambling/gaming businesses; franchisors; sexually oriented businesses; payday & auto loan providers; liquor stores and businesses in which a City employee or officer has a financial interest, as defined in Sec. 2-53 of the City’s Ethics Code.
- Be the majority owner of the business.
Funds received through this program may be applied to any of these approved business expenses; working capital, machinery and equipment, payroll/health care benefits, contract labor, supplier payments, rent/lease/mortgage payments tied to business property, utility payments tied to business property, 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 Feb. 28, 2023. For further information, to register for an information session, or to apply, visit cosaconstructionimpactgrant.com or call LiftFund at 800-923-9551.
