The SPACE (Supporting Pandemic Affected Community Enterprises) Grant Program prioritizes helping the small businesses, with a priority for industries that were most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Donor Name: City of Boston
State: Massachusetts
City: Boston
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 04/30/2024
Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
The City is working to identify creative ways to bring people back to commercial districts to revitalize the local economy. They are seeking to fill vacant storefronts and help small business owners secure new storefront space or expand to a space by subsidizing the costs associated with operating expenses.
These prioritized businesses include, but are not limited to:
- food service and production, restaurants
- childcare
- repair and maintenance and laundry services (i.e., laundromats, dry cleaning)
- retail
- art, entertainment, creative economy, and
- fitness, wellness (including spas and salons), and recreation.
Benefits
- City of Boston will provide grants of up to $200,000 to small businesses disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 that are looking to fill vacant commercial space in the City.
- The grant can be used for start-up costs like rent, infrastructure build-out, security, deposit.
- The funding will be delivered over the course of two years, not all at once.
- In addition to grant funding, SPACE Grantees will receive wrap-around technical assistance services thanks to the Small Business Technical Assistance Program, and free one-year memberships to the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce and the Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM) organizations. Grantees have also been granted a two-year membership to the Retailers Association of Massachusetts.
Eligibility Criteria
All applicants must meet the following criteria to be considered for a grant:
- Business must be incorporated in a Qualified Census Tract or one of the prioritized businesses mentioned above.
- Fewer than twenty-five (25) employees (not including the business owner).
- Business owners must provide proof of a Boston business address (e.g., a signed lease, business permit / license / title, utility bill in which the business is named directly, or other home office documentation).
- Business and business owner must be in good-standing with the City of Boston
- Business must provide a copy of its up to date Business Certificate.
For more information, visit City of Boston.
