Small Business Grant Program
Since 2022, the Foundation has awarded $10,000 in no-repayment grants to help local small businesses grow. Nominations open annually, and grants are awarded each fall.
The Program
In 2022, the Foundation created its Small Business Grant Program to give Davis businesses the means to elevate, improve, and thrive. To date, the program has awarded $10,000 to locally owned businesses.
Grants do not have to be repaid and can be used however a business needs, for improvements, staff training, new technology, or whatever helps them grow. Businesses can be nominated by others or submit their own nomination.
Locally owned businesses are the heart of the Chamber
Eligibility
Nonprofits that meet the same criteria are also welcome to apply.
How It Works
Nominations open annually, and grants are awarded each fall. Businesses may self-nominate or be nominated by their clients and customers, and we encourage customers to submit a nomination on a business's behalf. The application is short and submitted online, and a business may submit once per day.
An appointed selection committee, made up of the individuals and businesses that contribute to the grant program, reviews nominations and decides which businesses receive awards. Awards are announced in the fall.
Nominations open each August. Watch this page or reach out to the Chamber office when the window opens.
Recent Recipients
A few of the locally owned Davis businesses supported by the Small Business Grant Program.
2025 Grant Recipient
Kumon's mission is to nurture the next generation of leaders by fostering self-belief, problem-solving skills, and the ability to pursue their dreams, developing each child's full potential through individualized guidance and the Kumon Method.
Barbara Fan Lam Leung, Owner
Visit Kumon of Davis →
2025 Grant Recipient
“My goal is to bring moments of happiness to communities through our shaved ice and experiences. I'm committed to giving back to the communities I serve by supporting local schools, charities, and non-profit organizations.”
Nancy Saechao, Owner
Visit Kona Ice of Davis →
2025 Grant Recipient
A local and online pregnancy and motherhood support, thoughtfully designed to help mamas thrive through Davis Women's Circles, motherhood-focused life coaching, wellness consulting, mother blessings, and the pregnancy book To Carry Wonder.
Emese Parker, Owner & Author
Visit To Carry Wonder →
2025 Grant Recipient
An inclusive play space offering play for all in a safe, friendly environment. A specially designed sensory gym with spinning chairs, trampolines, swings, climbing walls, and sensory bins that support the sensory, motor, and emotional development of children of all ages.
Rachel De La Torre, Owner & Pediatric Occupational Therapist
Visit Sunshine Sensory Gym →Sponsor the grant program or make a tax-deductible gift, and help a local business take its next step.
