In 2023, the City of Mountain View released the Small Business Outdoor Furnishings Grant Program to help address the lingering impacts of COVID-19 on the Mountain View small business community. The City allocated $200,000 to the grant program, providing 40 eligible businesses with onetime grants of $5,000 for the purchase of outdoor furnishings.

To date, 25 applications have been approved and those businesses are currently in the contracting process. The program can accommodate an additional 15 grant recipients, and the City will continue to accept applications until the funds are depleted.

Grant recipients can use the funding for expenses incurred following receipt of the grant funds.  Expenses including outdoor rated chairs, tables, umbrellas (no advertising on umbrellas), heaters or small planters are all eligible uses of the funds.  The furnishing need to comply with outdoor guidelines.  Please refer to the guidelines of www.mountainview.gov/OutdoorGuidelines.

SMALL BUSINESS OUTDOOR FURNISHINGS GRANT ELIGIBILITY

GENERAL Eligibility Requirements

• Eligible businesses include restaurants and retail including one franchise store individual owned and operated. Other chains stores are not eligible.

• One business franchise store individually owned and operated in the City is eligible. Other chains stores are not eligible.

• Applicants who own more than one business in the City are only eligible for a grant for one business located in the City.

• Applicants must be a small business with at least one and no more than 25 full-time employees.

• Applicants must operate out of a physical commercial storefront within the city limits of Mountain View.

• Applicants must have an active City of Mountain View Business License.

• Applicants must be in good standing with the City (i.e., no code violations, outstanding building permits issues, current on payment of City taxes and fees).

• Applicants or the business must not have any outstanding judgments, bankruptcies, tax liens, or pending lawsuits against them.

• Applicant must have a business bank account.

• Applicants must submit a current copy of its W-9 form.

• Applicants must have been in operation in the City of Mountain View for at least one year as of March 1, 2023.

See grant application for other requirements, terms, and conditions.

Non-Eligible

• Religious institutions or non-profits are not eligible, nor are businesses, organizations, or individuals whose primary products or purpose are firearms, tobacco, liquor, adult content, or promotes practices or work that violate Federal, State, or local law and/or any of the like.

USE OF GRANT FUNDS

Allowed expenses made after grant approval are outdoor rated chairs, tables, outdoor umbrellas and heaters. If patio equipment was already purchased after May 9, 2023 and is consistent with the approved patio guidelines, the equipment can be subject to grant reimbursement.

Businesses will be asked to submit an itemized list of expenses and corresponding proof of payment as documentation for eligible expenses 45 days after receiving the grant. If a business fails to submit the documentation requested within 45 days will forfeit its eligibility for future city grant funds.

ONLINE APPLICATION: Interested Businesses should contact Econ.Dev@MountainView.gov