Get help paying for your Shared Space improvements

There are 2 grants available to Shared Spaces permit holders:  

• SF Shines for Reopening for individual businesses 
• Shared Spaces equity grant for individual business or groups with a Shared Space permit 

You can apply for both, but individual businesses will not receive more than $5,000 in all from both SF Shines for Reopening and Shared Spaces equity. Sponsors of group-operated Shared Spaces may receive more.

You must have a Shared Spaces permit or have applied for a Shared Spaces permit. 

We are looking to support businesses that: 

• Are in established cultural districts, or cultural districts in the process of formation  
• Are legacy businesses, or those acquiring legacy status  
• Serve non-English speaking communities  
• Are minority-owned businesses including women-owned, immigrant-owned, people of color-owned businesses

You can get reimbursed for past or in-progress work and materials. Use grant funds for materials like movable furnishings or traffic barriers. Items like barriers and furniture can be reimbursed or bought for you. Reimbursements are also available for in-kind services. 

Sidewalk or curbside lane Shared Space

• Movable furnishings like tables, chairs, planters, diverters, and enclosures 
• Site planning and design services 

Roadway closure Shared Space

• Barriers, cones, and signage for traffic control 
• Site planning and design services 
• Developing operations, management, and safety plans 
• Site monitoring and community ambassadors

Private property Shared Space

• Movable furnishings like tables, chairs, planters, diverters, and enclosures 
• Site planning and design services 
• Developing operations, management, and safety plans 
• Site monitoring and community ambassadors 

Parking lot Shared Space

• Movable furnishings like tables, chairs, planters, diverters, and enclosures 
• Site planning and design services 
• Developing operations, management, and safety plans 
• Site monitoring and community ambassadors 

Gross receipt history 

For individual businesses, you must tell us the amount of your total gross receipts for: 

• July 1 to September 30, 2019 and  
• July 1 to September 30, 2020

Design Guidelines 

If your Shared Space is in the sidewalk or curbside, you must follow our Design Guidelines. Download and sign the Design Guidelines PDF. 

You must upload a completed PDF and photos of your Shared Space with your grant application.

For completed work 

If you are applying for reimbursement for work that was already done, gather your receipts and take pictures of your Shared Space.

You will upload your receipts and pictures with your grant application.

You must be the Shared Spaces permit holder to fill out the application.   

We will ask you about:   

• Your business or organization location 
• The type of services or materials you want to be reimbursed for 
• The total cost of your Shared Space (including materials, labor, and consulting)

For individual businesses, we will also ask: 

• Your business owner contact and demographic information  
• Your type of business 
• Your Business Account Number (BAN) Your BAN is a 7-digit number. You can look it up.
• Number of full-time and part-time employees

You will upload: 

• Your Shared Spaces permit or a screenshot of your Shared Spaces permit application email 
• Signed Design Guidelines PDF 
• Photos of your Shared Space, if completed 
• Receipts for reimbursement
• W9 form for your business

You will also agree to our legal terms. 

It will take about 15 minutes.

We will email you a copy of your application and information about what to do next.

Applications will reopen on September 14, 2021.

We will review applications and notify all applicants about their selection status in February.

If your work was already done or materials already purchased, we will arrange for reimbursement through our nonprofit partner.

If your work is not done yet, our nonprofit partner will work with you to get materials and finish the work.