Frequently Asked Questions

The Small Business Relief Grant Program is designed to mitigate financial hardship and to help prepare COVID impacted small businesses, including retail and restaurant businesses, to meet post-pandemic customer expectations through technical assistance trainings and consultations provided by the Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center and Good City Company.

Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center (Renaissance) helps to launch and maximize new and existing Bay Area small businesses, delivering a range of services.

Renaissance will provide support for the Program by ensuring that all applicants and necessary documents are gathered and meet the requirements before they are processed by the City of San Bruno.

Small business owners may use the grant funding to pay for:

• Payroll
• Benefits
• Costs to retain employees
• Mortgage
• Rent
• Utilities
• Other operating expenses

The program will provide $5,000 to awardees.

No, the grant will not require any repayment. However, you will receive a 1099 for federal tax reporting and fraud may result in prosecution. 

The application period will open on Tuesday, January 23, 2024, and close at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 29, 2024.

To apply online, visit www.sanbruno.ca.gov/SBgrant.

To apply online in Spanish, visit www.sanbruno.ca.gov/SBsubvencion. 

To apply in person, visit the Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center at 366 Grand Avenue, South San Francisco, CA 94080.

• Identification
• San Bruno Business License
• Tax Form 1040 (2019 + 2020 or 2020 + 2021)
• Tax Form Schedule C (2019 + 2020 or 2020 + 2021)
• W-9 Form

No, there is no fee to apply. There are no processing fees if you receive a grant.

The application will be available in English and Spanish.  

If you need assistance in another language, please contact us and we can make arrangements to meet with you in person.

The program will provide $5,000 to 18 businesses.

No, there is a maximum of one grant to be awarded per Tax Identification Number (TIN).

If more than 18 businesses apply, the City of San Bruno will hold a lottery choosing the 18 businesses to receive the grant.

No.  

No.

The criteria to receive the grant are as follows:

• Independently owned and operated in San Bruno and that is not dominant in its field of operation
• Operating prior to March 16, 2020, and still operating in San Bruno
• Has a valid San Bruno business license
• Has suffered financial hardship as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic
• Attends a minimum of two (2) hours of ADA (Americans with Disability Act training provided by Good City Company)
• 15 or less FTE (Full Time Equivalent) employees
• Not a licensed alcohol or tobacco retail store

Unfortunately, the business will not qualify. You will be notified by email that your application was deemed ineligible.

You will be notified by email and mail that your application is incomplete, and you will be asked to reapply with complete documentation within a set deadline.  

Any applications received during the application window but not selected for funding will be placed on a waiting list. Should additional funds become available, the applications will be selected at that time, until the additional funds are exhausted.  

Application and supporting documentation will be kept confidential, but your receipt of a grant will be publicly available information.  

If you have any questions, please contact the Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center:

Phone: (650) 829-4652

Email: brc@rencenter.org

Address: 366 Grand Avenue, South San Francisco, CA 94080