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Small Business Resources
This page provides links to resources to assist small business in San Marcos. This website will be updated with additional resources as they become available.
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Note: Grants and programs listed below are active as of time published. The list below is for informational purposes, and the City of San Marcos does not give any endorsement to third-party grants or program.
General Grants & Programs
| Grant or Program | Description | Link for More Information |
|---|---|---|
| 7(a) Management and Technical Assistance Program | This program from the SBA assists businesses with being competitive for federal, state, and local government contracts. | Click Here |
| Amber Grant | This grant is provided by WomensNet and offers women-owned businesses grants between $1,000 and $25,000. | Click Here |
| Business Improvement & Growth (BIG) Grant | This grant is provided by the City of San Marcos to provide technical and financial assistance to property owners or business tenants seeking to renovate or restore facades, signage, lighting and life-safety systems for commercial buildings. | Click Here |
| Dream Big Awards | The U.S. Chamber of Commerce holds an annual Dream Big Awards program where the Small Business of the Year is awarded $25,000. *Applications for 2022 are due July 8. | Click Here |
| FedEx Small Business Grant Contest | This grant is provided by FedEx on an annual basis with awards ranging from $15,000 to $75,000. *Applications for 2022 have closed. | Click Here |
| Grants.gov | This website is a clearinghouse for federal funding opportunities. | Click Here |
| Product Development and Small Business Incubator Fund | This is a state offered opportunity offering long-term, asset-backed loans to produce development companies and small business incubators/accelerators. | Click Here |
| ReviveSMTX | This grant is offered in collaboration with the City of San Marcos and San Marcos Area Chamber of Commerce. Grants can be used for operation safety, sanitation training, PPE, and digital redesign for social distancing. | Click Here |
| Small Business Counseling Program | This proposed program by the City of San Marcos provides free, confidential, one-to-one counseling for businesses in key areas. *Expected start date is Fall 2022. | Click Here |
| Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) | This is a federal program encouraging small businesses to engage in Federal Research/R&D with the potential for commercialization. | Click Here |
| Skills for Small Business | This program is offered through the Texas Workforce Commission to provide training for businesses with fewer than 100 employees. | Click Here |
| State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) | This is a federal grant through the state to assist small businesses with export development. | Click Here |
Sustainability Grants & Programs
| Grant or Program | Description | Link for More Information |
|---|---|---|
| Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Produce Manufacturing Assistance Program | This USDA program provides loan guarantees for the development, construction, and retrofitting of new and emerging technologies. | Click Here |
| Conservation Grants | The Fund works with public, private, and nonprofit partners to protect land and water resources through land acquisition, sustainable community and economic development, and leadership training. | Click Here |
| PACE Program | The Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) is a financial tool to upgrade facility infrastructure with little or no capital outlay. TX-PACE programs enable owners to lower their operating costs and use the savings to pay for eligible water conservation, energy efficiency, resiliency, and distributed generation projects. | Click Here |
| Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) | This is a federal grant that the EPA competitively funds environmental technology research at small businesses. | Click Here |
Downtown Grants & Programs
Grant or Program | Description | Link for More Information |
|---|---|---|
| Design Assistance | This program through the Texas Main Street Program can provide services to individual building and business owners at no charge. Services provided range from façade renderings to Investment Tax Credit Assistance. | Contact Main Street Staff to apply |
| Downtown Co-Marketing Fund | This fund through the City of San Marcos provides matching advertising funds for businesses to promote their products or services outside of San Marcos. | Application Here |
| Economic Development Assistance | This program through the Texas Historical Commission can provide services to building and property owners and developers. Services range from SWOT analyses to Economic Impacts Studies. | Contact Main Street Staff to apply |
The following documents are demographic reports for the City of San Marcos and can provide valuable data as you prepare your business plan or explore new markets.