Strategic Impact Grants

FY24 Strategic Impact Grants provide funding to Community-Based Development Organizations (CBDOs) to implement targeted commercial revitalizations projects that support small businesses. The program focus of the Strategic Impact Grant program may change semiannually or annually, as new funding becomes available. Funding may also be offered to provide services to single neighborhoods, multiple neighborhoods, or on a citywide scale.

Strategic Impact Grant Opportunities

FY24 Merchant Organizing Grant

The FY24 Merchant Organizing Grant will fund nonprofit organizations to support commercial districts and merchants associations across New York City. Applicants must propose place-based projects and services that aim to form new merchants associations and/or revitalize existing merchants associations in a specific neighborhood. Projects should engage merchants to develop relationships, foster partnerships, and build local capacity to steward ongoing commercial revitalization efforts beyond the term of the grant. In addition to merchant meetings and engagement, demonstration projects may also be executed to garner merchant support and demonstrate the value of joining a merchants association. Demonstration projects may align with one or more of the following categories:

• Business Attraction
• Business Support and Retention
• Cleanliness and Beautification
• District Marketing
• Placemaking

The FY24 Merchant Organizing Grant will fund up to $100,000 per neighborhood to nonprofit organizations to lead merchant organizing efforts. Grant work will be implemented between September 2023 and June 2024. Grants will be awarded through a competitive application process. Priority consideration will be given to neighborhoods where SBS does not currently have any place-based investments. View a map of where SBS currently has multi-year place-based investments here. Proposed projects and services should align with the best practices outlined in SBS' Comprehensive Guide to Starting a Merchants Association.

Applications are now open and can be accessed via Survey Monkey Apply Here.

Read the FY24 Merchant Organizing Grant Program Guidelines for more information.

Applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on Friday September 15, 2023 in order to be considered for funding.

Have questions? Email Neighborhoods@sbs.nyc.gov