UpStart Cocoa Small Business Development Grant
City of Cocoa
$10,000–$15,000
Up to $15K forgivable grant for Cocoa businesses; two $10K citywide and two $15K Diamond Square awards offered each year.
The City of Cocoa's UpStart Small Business Development Program is a three-year forgivable loan program that supports small businesses starting or expanding in Cocoa, Florida. Each year the program offers two $10,000 grants for eligible businesses located anywhere in Cocoa and two $15,000 grants for businesses in the Diamond Square Community. Applicants are required to meet with the Small Business Development Council (SBDC) at Eastern Florida State College before interviewing with the UpStart review selection committee. The loan is fully forgiven after successful completion of the program and maintaining operations in Cocoa for three years.
- Funding type
- Grant
- Level
- Municipal
- Amount range
- $10,000 – $15,000
- Realistic amount
- $10,000 for citywide businesses; $15,000 for Diamond Square Community businesses.
- Deadline
- Applications will remain open until all grants are awarded
- Status
- active
- States
- FL
Who qualifies
- Businesses less than three years old located anywhere within the City of Cocoa
- Businesses less than five years old located within the Diamond Square Community
- Must meet with the SBDC at Eastern Florida State College before the UpStart interview
- Must maintain operations in Cocoa for three years for full loan forgiveness
Who is not eligible
- Businesses three years or older (citywide) or five years or older (Diamond Square)
- Businesses located outside Cocoa
- Businesses unwilling or unable to maintain Cocoa operations for three years
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- Startup and expansion costs as approved through the program
- Equipment and capital investments
- Working capital tied to business growth
Ineligible expenses
- Personal expenses
- Costs not tied to an approved business use
How to apply
-
1
Confirm location and age eligibility
Verify the business is located in Cocoa and is under three years old (citywide) or under five years old (Diamond Square Community).
~0.5 hrs
-
2
Meet with SBDC at Eastern Florida State College
Schedule and complete a required meeting with the SBDC to prepare for the UpStart review selection committee interview.
~2 hrs
-
3
Prepare business plan and supporting materials
Develop a business plan and financial projections to present to the UpStart review committee.
~4 hrs
-
4
Complete UpStart interview and apply
Interview with the UpStart review selection committee and submit the application through ChooseCocoa.org/UpStart.
~1.5 hrs
-
5
Maintain operations in Cocoa for three years
Operate the business in Cocoa for three years to achieve full loan forgiveness.
Diamond Square Community businesses can be up to five years old and receive the larger $15,000 award. Schedule the required SBDC meeting early because the interview slot cannot happen without it.
Deadline & timing
Rolling/first-come until the annual grants are awarded. Double-fetch confirmed on 2026-08-25.
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Required documents
- Proof of Cocoa location and business age
- SBDC meeting completion documentation
- Business plan or strategy document
- Financial projections
- Application submitted through ChooseCocoa.org/UpStart
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Alternatives computed from the live GrantCompass catalog on August 25, 2026 — all 183 open grant programs · filter the database.
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Researched and verified 2026-08-24 against the official program source. GrantCompass is an independent funding-discovery tool and is not affiliated with any government agency. Always confirm details on the official program page.