Neighborhood Business Grant (NYC) is a microgrant from CitizensNYC that funds small business owners in New York City with up to $5,000 to support initiatives that positively impact their local community. The program funds community-minded businesses across all sectors, including barbershops, bookstores, wellness studios, cafes, and childcare providers. Applications are scored on need, relevance, urgency, and quality of life impact.

Two grant cycles are offered annually: a fall cycle with applications opening in November and a spring cycle with the July 2026 deadline. Eligible applicants must operate in one of New York City's five boroughs, have been in business at least two years, have 10 or fewer employees, be profit-generating, and provide proof of business documentation.

Neighborhood Business Grant - CitizensNYC Our Grants Neighborhood Business Grants Grant applications are currently closed. Our next round of applications will open in May. What Are Neighborhood Business Grants?

Our Neighborhood Business Grants offer up to $5,000 for initiatives your small business undertakes to positively impact your community. We fund all kinds of community-minded businesses—from barbershops and bookstores to wellness studios, cafés, and childcare providers—who play a positive role in their neighborhood.

Whether you’re just starting out or growing your impact, we want to support businesses that are rooted in, and giving back to, their neighborhoods. What is a Neighborhood Business Grant? A Neighborhood Business Grant is a microgrant given out to New York small business owners by CitizensNYC.

CitizensNYC awards microgrants of up to $5,000 for initiatives your small business undertakes to positively impact your community. Who is eligible to apply for a Neighborhood Business Grant? Applicants must meet the following criteria to be considered for a Neighborhood Business Grant: Their business must be located in one of New York City’s five boroughs.

Their business has been operating for at least two years. They must have 10 or fewer employees. They must be profit-generating.

They must be able to provide proof of business, such as bank statements, tax documents and POS terminal statements. As long as you meet the above criteria, we want to hear about your ideas for improving New York. How do we evaluate applications?

We score applications based on a number of areas, including: Need , Relevance, Urgency , and Quality of Life Impact . For more details about our scoring criteria and what each of these areas means, you can reference our evaluation criteria at the bottom of this page. What is the timeline for applying for a Neighborhood Business Grant?

Each year, we have two grant cycles. One in the fall and one in the spring. Grant Applications Open: November 3, 2025 Application Deadline: February 2, 2026, at 5:00 PM Grant Decisions Announced: May 2026 Application Deadline: July, 2026 Grant Decisions Announced: September 2026 Applicants who are awarded grants through the first cycle are ineligible to apply again during the second cycle.

Applicants for the first cycle who did not receive an award are welcome to submit an updated application for the second cycle. I have other questions. Where can I find more information?

We encourage you to join us for one of our information sessions, or for online office hours, where our team will be available to discuss any questions or concerns you have about these grants, your application, and your project idea. If you are unable to attend an info session or office hours, or if you have any other questions, you can email: businessgrants@citizensnyc. org.

You can r eference our evaluation criteria here , download a copy of the applicati on here , and view a sample application here . The Neighborhood Business Grant program is made possible by our philanthropic partners, including the generous leadership support of the Wells Fargo Foundation.

Neighborhood Business Grantee Partners Fit4Dance, underpinned by its mission of promoting physical well-being and preserving culture, engages with the community through various charitable projects. The grant will be used to recruit, hire, and offer competitive compensation for administrative staff, enhancing...

Upper West Side, Manhattan Equity Design is a capacity-building social enterprise that focuses on improving lives through physical activity, particularly in under-resourced BIPOC communities in NYC. With the grant funding, they plan to hire two AmeriCorps employees, one to focus on visibility and...

West Brighton, Staten Island The Richmond Hood Company is a community-oriented sneaker/skate shop serving Staten Island’s North Shore community since 2009. They celebrate local culture and sustainability and strongly focus on community engagement. With this grant, they plan to hire a Program...

The best way to reach the team at CitizensNYC is by email, and please do not hesitate to contact us with questions or ideas. If you have a question about our Community Leaders Grants, contact grants@citizensnyc. org .

If you have a question about our Neighborhood Business Grants, contact businessgrants@citizensnyc. org . You can also find CitizensNYC staff emails on our People page.