Strategic Impact Grants

The FY23 Merchant Organizing Strategic Impact Grant will fund citywide nonprofit organizations to serve multiple boroughs and neighborhoods across the City in partnership with no less than three Community-Based Development Organizations and/or merchants associations (CBDOs). Applicants must propose place-based projects and services that aim to form new merchants associations and/or revitalize existing merchants associations in each target 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 FY23 Merchant Organizing Strategic Impact Grant will fund up to $700,000 to citywide nonprofit organizations that can support a minimum of three neighborhoods and collaborate with three different CBDO partners. Grant work will be implemented between January – June 2023. 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 SurveyMonkey Apply Here.

Read the FY23 Merchant Organizing Strategic Impact Grant Program Guidelines for more information.

Applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, December 18, 2022, to be considered for funding.