Philadelphia COVID-19 Small Business Relief Grant / Commerce Department Small Business Grant
City of Philadelphia Department of Commerce
Up to $50,000
Philly Commerce Department small business grants
The Philadelphia Department of Commerce administers small business grant programs to support Philly-based small businesses, with a focus on economic corridors and underserved communities. The Commerce Department's grant programs — including storefront improvement, micro-enterprise development, and targeted neighborhood revitalization grants — provide awards of $5,000–$50,000 for renovation, equipment, working capital, and hiring. Programs are periodically funded through city capital budget and federal block grants.
- Funding type
- Grant
- Level
- Municipal
- Amount range
- $5,000 – $50,000
- Realistic amount
- Micro-enterprise and working capital grants: $5,000–$15,000. Storefront and corridor improvement grants: $10,000–$25,000…
- Deadline
- Rolling — multiple programs open periodically; check business.phila.gov for current open intake windows
- Status
- active
- States
- PA
- Payment model
- reimbursement
Who qualifies
- Business must be physically located within the City of Philadelphia
- Business must have been operating for at least 6 months at time of application (1 year for larger grants)
- Annual gross revenues must be under $1 million for micro-enterprise grants; up to $3.5M for storefront/corridor grants
- Must be a for-profit business (sole proprietorships included for micro-enterprise track)
- Business must have fewer than 25 employees (micro-enterprise) or fewer than 100 employees (corridor grants)
- Business owner must demonstrate personal financial investment in the business
- Business must not have received the same Philadelphia Commerce grant in the prior 24 months
- Priority given to businesses in designated Opportunity Zones or Commerce designated commercial corridors
Hard requirements
- Location restriction: true
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- Storefront renovation and facade improvements
- Equipment purchases
- Working capital (micro-enterprise track)
- Inventory (limited)
- Marketing and signage
- Leasehold improvements
- Professional services related to business growth
- Hiring and training costs (workforce component)
Ineligible expenses
- Personal or owner expenses
- Debt repayment
- Real estate acquisition
- Businesses outside Philadelphia city limits
- Political activities or lobbying
How to apply
-
1
Review current grant listings at business.phila.gov
Check business.phila.gov/start/grants-and-financial-assistance/ for currently open grant programs. Philadelphia Commerce administers multiple tracks simultaneously — match your business to the right program before applying.
~0.5 hrs
-
2
Engage the Philadelphia SBDC
The Pennsylvania Small Business Development Center at Temple University (for NE/NW Philly) and Community First Fund (for West/South Philly) provide free application preparation support for Commerce grant applicants.
~2 hrs
-
3
Prepare financial and business documents
Gather federal and city business tax returns (2 years), P&L statement, bank statements (3 months), lease or proof of Philly location, owner ID, and a written project narrative.
~3 hrs
-
4
Submit application
Submit online through the Philadelphia Commerce portal or in person at a Philadelphia Business Hub location during an open window. The Commerce Department accepts rolling applications for micro-enterprise tracks; storefront and corridor grants have cohort windows.
~2 hrs
-
5
Review and award
Commerce staff review applications within 4–8 weeks. Awards issued via grant agreement. Renovation/storefront grants are disbursed on reimbursement basis; working capital grants may be lump-sum.
~0 hrs
Philadelphia Commerce runs multiple parallel grant tracks — the micro-enterprise track ($5K–$15K) is significantly less competitive than the storefront grant. Sole proprietors and very small businesses should apply for the micro-enterprise track rather than waiting for larger grants.
Deadline & timing
Philadelphia Commerce Department opens grant cycles 2–4 times per year depending on available appropriations. The Small Business Administration Resource Centers (PSBDC) provide free assistance to applicants. Subscribe to PhillyBusiness.org newsletters for advance notice of upcoming grant rounds.
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Last reviewed 2026. GrantCompass is an independent funding-discovery tool and is not affiliated with any government agency. Always confirm details on the official program page.