New grants are being made available in San Francisco to help fund proposals to revitalize a key area of the city’s economy.
The $3.4 million in grant money was announced last week through the city’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development.
According to a news release from the development office, the funding is meant to support the planning, implementation and promotion of activities, events, or pop-up shops in the area designated by the workforce development office as the “economic core.”
Grants will also fund proposals to market and promote tourism to the city and conventions hosted by the city, as well as plans to collaborate with various stakeholders in the area, including landlords, employers, employees and residents.
“This program will do a lot to bolster our small businesses, and help bring people back downtown. It’s also a great opportunity to get creative with our storefronts to showcase the diversity of food, arts, and culture that San Francisco is known for,” said Sharky Laguana, president of the San Francisco Small Business Commission.
The economic core mostly lies in the downtown area and held about 70 percent of the city’s jobs before the pandemic, according to the economic workforce development office.
“We encourage nonprofits to apply for these opportunities. We will be most successful in bringing workers, residents and visitors back into our Economic Core and to the businesses that are struggling to keep their doors open by showcasing the creativity and uniqueness that makes San Francisco so special,” said Kate Sofis, executive director of the Office of Economic and Workforce Development.
Proposals are due by Sept. 1. More information can be found online.