St. Louis City - Small Business Grant Fund

Overview

Read business eligibility and criteria carefully before applying.

On Monday, April 4, 2022, the City of St. Louis launched the Small Business Grant Fund to assist small businesses that have been adversely impacted by COVID-19 through in-person events only.

Funding for this State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) small business grant program is contingent upon approval of the allocation from the City of St. Louis through the Community Development Administration (CDA). The total amount of the funding available for disbursement is $4,500,000. The grant amounts will be $5,000 each. Please note, successfully submitting an application does not guarantee that you will be funded. Funding may not be approved due to ineligibility or availability of funds.

No elected or appointed officials of the City of St. Louis, employee of the St. Louis Development Corporation, or board members of The St. Louis Local Development Company or any of their immediate family members may have an ownership interest in this business. Immediate family ties include (whether by blood, marriage, or adoption) the spouse, parent (including a stepparent), child (including a stepchild), brother, sister (including a stepbrother or stepsister), grandparent, grandchild, and in-laws.

Read the policies and procedures for the distribution of funds.

Eligibility Requirements

• 25 or fewer employees
• Primary place of business must be located in the City of St. Louis. Small businesses are presumed disproportionately impacted by the pandemic if they are operating in a HUD Qualified Census Tract (QCT) within the City limits. Please visit the link below to determine whether or not you are in a HUD Qualified Census Tract
• Must have been adversely impacted as a result of COVID-19 if your business is not located within a QCT.
• Owners do not have a conflict of interest (no City employees or immediate family)
• Does not discriminate per City of St. Louis ordinances
• Must have and maintain an active City of St. Louis Business at time of application and receipt of grant funds
• Cannot be barred from receiving federal funds
• Must be current on all City taxes
• Businesses that DID NOT receive a $5,000 grant from the St. Louis Local Development Corporation Cares Act Grant Fund will receive priority in grant awards.

Businesses listed below are NOT eligible for this program. Please do not apply if your business is not eligible.

The following businesses are NOT eligible to apply:

• Banks and Financial Institutions
• Law Firms and Attorneys
• Physicians, Dentists, Surgeons, Optometrists, Chiropractors, & Veterinarians
• Insurance Brokers and Agents
• Real Estate Brokers and Sales Agents
• Architects, Engineers, & Land Surveyors

Required Documents

• A signed copy of your W-9
• A copy of your current Business License
• An approved CBI form
• Bank or income Statements demonstrating adverse economic impact resulting from Covid-19. Evidence of a reduction in gross receipts from 2019 to 2021 will also suffice to demonstrate adverse economic impact. (Required for businesses NOT operating in one of the federally designated areas presumed to be disproportionately impacted.)

Use of Funding

According to US Treasury guidelines, acceptable uses for the grant funding include the following: 

• Payroll  
• Rent                                                                           
• Mortgage Interest                                                       
• Utilities                                                           
• Inventory
• COVID-19 Supplies                                        
• Personal Protective Equipment
• Cleaning Interior/Exterior to Sanitize Facility

Note that applications should not have any outstanding issues with the Collector of Revenue. This includes being current on all payments and submission of all required reports. (The E234 Earnings Tax Report is a frequent reason for businesses failing to receive approval.) All personal property taxes must also be paid.

You are strongly encouraged to contact the Collector of Revenue and the License Collector’s Office, if you are not sure about your standing. If your application is rejected because of any delinquencies, you will need to apply again after resolving any outstanding issues. Below is the contact information for both offices.

How to Apply

In Person

There will be two in-person application assistance events for business owners who may not have access to the online application. These events will be limited to the first 120 participants each session. Events will be held on April 4th and 6th at the following locations:

During these events, SLDC staff will assist applicants with filling out applications, if they have not already done so. Additionally, we will be verifying documentation and uploading completed applications into the online portal for applicants. If able, please print out and complete an application prior to arrival. If not, hard copies will be available for you to complete the application onsite. SLDC will NOT maintain any hard copy documents.  Applicants will need to remain on site until application is uploaded. Attendees will need to bring all required documentation with them to the session. Applicants will be asked to return to another session when they have all the necessary accompanying documents, if they do not have them at time of arrival. 

Paper Application

Hard copy applications will be accepted beginning at 9:30 AM, on Thursday, April, 14th 2022. You can stop by the SLDC office, located at 1520 Market St, to drop off your completed application and required documents at our office during the following times:

• Thursday, April 14th: 9:30am - 3pm
• Friday, April 15th: 9:30am – 3pm
• Monday, April 18th: 9:30am – 3pm
• Tuesday, April 19th: 9:30am – 3pm

Attendees need to bring a completed hard copy of the application along with the required documents to any of the above sessions. SLDC staff will verify your materials onsite. Completed applications will then be uploaded directly into the online portal along with your required documents. If applicants do not have all the required supportive documents, or a completed application, they will be asked to return to another session when they have a completed application and have all the necessary accompanying documents.

After Tuesday, April 19th, hard copy applications will be accepted Monday through Friday, 9:30am - Noon, at the SLDC office, located at 1520 Market Street, Suite 2000, St. Louis, MO 63103. 

Download the SBGF Application in PDF format.

Online Application

Electronic applications will be accepted through the online portal starting at 8:00am on Thursday, April 14th, 2022 and can be completed using a computer or mobile device with internet access. Applications are accepted on a first come, first served basis. Applicants are highly encouraged to apply by April 22nd. We will close the portal when we receive 1,100 applications.

If you choose to drop off your required documents, please do so within 1-3 business days of completing the online application. We will accept your completed documents Monday through Friday, 9:30am - Noon, at the SLDC office, located at 1520 Market Street, Suite 2000, St. Louis, MO 63103. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Contact

If you have general questions about completing the application, please email sldc-grants@stlouis-mo.gov.

If you submitted an application and have not heard about your acceptance or rejection within 60 days, email sldc-grants@stlouis-mo.gov.

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