District News

NYC Small Business Resilience Grant

Dec 21, 2021
woman business owner

A grant funded by the New York City Department of Small Business Services offers $10,000 to help small businesses in the arts, entertainment, and food service industries recover from economic hardship that occurred because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The NYC Small Business Resilience Grant funds must be used to offset operational expenses incurred between March 3, 2020 and December 23, 2024, such as payroll & benefits, mortgage or rent, utilities and other operating costs.

To be eligible for a grant, small businesses must:

  1. Operate in New York City

  2. Meet the statutory definition of “small business” (i.e., have 500 or fewer employees, or, if applicable, the size standard in number of employees established by the U.S. Small Business Administration administrator or meet the definition of “small business concern” as defined in 15 U.S.C. § 632)

  1. Be one or both of the following:

  • a small business in which at least 50% of its revenue is generated from activities that are defined by the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) as part of the Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation sector, or the Accommodation and Food Services sector

  • a small business that physically operates from a low-to-moderate census tract as defined by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (as validated by the business address; use this map to check if your business is located in an eligible census tract)
  1. Be in operation since October 1, 2019, and in operation at the time of submission of the application

  1. Demonstrate at least a 25% reduction in gross receipts or revenue in either: (a) comparable quarters in 2019 and 2020, or (b) the 12-month 2019 calendar year and the 12-month 2020 calendar year

  1. Be in substantial compliance with applicable Federal, State, and local laws, rules, and other legal requirements

  1. Be current or in repayment on all Federal, State, and City taxes (including delinquency repayment, prior to December 31, 2019)

  1. Have not received a grant from either the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant Program or the Restaurant Revitalization Fund

  1. Follow any additional, detailed requirements outlined in the application and program guide which will be made available online at www.nyc.gov/sbs or by directly contacting the New York Department of Small Business Services (SBS) or the Program administrator

­Though Lincoln Square is not located in an eligible census tract, some of our businesses may qualify in the Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation or Accommodation and Food Services sectors.

Funding for the program is limited, and priority will be given to businesses in low- and moderate-income census tracts. More information and the grant application are available on the NYC Small Business Resilience Grant website.

Photo credit: NYC Department of Small Business Services