As of November 2, 2026, most Washington, DC small business grants are between rounds: the FY2027 versions of Great Streets, Robust Retail and similar programs have not been posted yet. The one grant we found open on DSLBD's current funding page is a single $175,000 H Street events award, so the useful move right now is to get your paperwork ready for the rounds that opened last December.
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What is open right now
Photo via Magnific
We checked the DSLBD current funding page and the DMPED grant opportunities page this morning. Here is what they show.
- FY27 H Street Northeast Corridor Events Activation Grant. One grant of $175,000 to create and market at least three new events on H Street NE between 3rd and 15th Streets by September 30, 2027. It is open to DC-incorporated and DC-headquartered for-profits and nonprofits, except nonprofits already funded through DSLBD's Main Streets Program. Applications close November 25, 2026 at 5:00 PM ET, and the last day for questions is November 20 at noon. You apply through the District Enterprise System.
- Commercial Property Acquisition Fund. Down payment help of up to $500,000 or 25% of the sale price, whichever is less, for DC businesses buying a building to own and occupy for at least seven years. DMPED's grant list shows it as open, but the program page says closed. Email the administrator, City First Enterprises, at cpaf@cfenterprises.org before you count on it.
Most other programs listed on those pages are closed FY26 rounds. That does not mean the money is gone for good. Many of these programs have come back year after year, but no FY27 notice is confirmed until the agency posts one.
The rounds to prepare for
This table shows the most recent round we could verify for each program. Treat the amounts and dates as last year's terms, not a promise for FY27.
| Program | Who it is for | Last award size | Last window |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great Streets Retail | Retail and service storefronts in a Great Streets corridor, average revenue up to $3M | Up to $90,000 | Dec 12, 2025 to Jan 2026 |
| Robust Retail Citywide | Independent DC retail locations with fewer than 25 full-time staff | Up to $10,000, by lottery | Dec 1, 2025 to Jan 20, 2026 |
| Emerging Retail Initiative | Businesses in pop-ups, food halls, incubators and short-term retail, revenue under $500,000 | Up to $20,000 | Dec 2025 to Jan 2026 |
| Locally Made Manufacturing | Local light manufacturers with an on-site retail component in or next to a Great Streets corridor | $1.5M total pool | Dec 12, 2025 to Jan 23, 2026 |
| Dream Accelerator | Microbusinesses in Wards 7 and 8 | $2,500 to $7,500 pitch awards | Mar 23 to Apr 23, 2026 |
| Ward 8 Community Investment Fund | Ward 8 businesses that finished a required DSLBD training | Up to $8,000 or $10,000 by track | Aug 7 to Aug 21, 2026 (Round 2) |
| Restaurant and Retail Stabilization | Brick-and-mortar restaurants and retailers with 2025 revenue losses | Up to $50,000 | May 5 to Jun 5, 2026 |
The timing matters. Last year the Mayor previewed the Great Streets, Emerging Retail and manufacturing rounds on November 24, 2025, just ahead of Small Business Saturday, and applications opened that December. If FY27 follows the same pattern, you could have only weeks to apply. That is our reading of last year's calendar, not an announced date.
Which grant fits your business
You have a storefront
Start with Great Streets if your address is on a corridor. Check it on the corridor map first. The FY26 one-pager excluded freelancers without a storefront, online-only retailers, and anyone with an expired license or Clean Hands certificate. Then look at Robust Retail, which the FY26 notice ran as a lottery of up to 50 grants, so a perfect pitch does not help but a complete application does.
You are testing retail or running a very small business
Emerging Retail suits pop-ups and food hall stalls that are not ready for a long lease. If you are in Ward 7 or 8, watch the Dream Accelerator and Ward 8 fund. Both pair money with training, and the Ward 8 fund requires the training before you can apply. Do not wait for the application window to find that out.
You are building a tech startup
Be realistic here. Most DC grants are built for storefronts and neighborhood corridors, not software companies. The Technology Ecosystem Fund funds accelerators, event organizers and universities rather than individual startups. Founders doing research and development should look at federal SBIR and STTR awards, which were reauthorized through 2031 in April 2026 after a lapse. For equity capital, see our guide to venture capital firms in DC.
You are in a neighborhood with a Main Street program
Small local groups run their own grants. Their rules vary a lot. Tenleytown Main Street's 2026 grant covered storefront work, security upgrades and websites, with applications due in April. District Bridges' facade program says funding is not currently available, so sign up for updates. Ask your local Main Street or business improvement district what it runs.
What to get ready now
DC grant rules are strict: the Great Streets one-pager says late, incomplete or unreadable submissions are not accepted. Do these this month.
- Get your Certificate of Clean Hands. Request it through the Office of Tax and Revenue. The H Street RFA requires one issued within the last 90 days, so check the window for each grant.
- Confirm your Basic Business License is active and matches your address. Our DC business license guide walks through it. Still forming your company? Start with how to start an LLC in DC.
- Gather financials. The H Street RFA asks for a budget, income statement, balance sheet and most recent signed tax filing. Great Streets asks for a project description and budget.
- Keep receipts from October 1. Robust Retail's FY26 eligible expense period started October 1, 2025, the first day of the fiscal year. If FY27 works the same way, spending you do now may count.
- Sign up for notices. DSLBD lists a mailing list on its funding page and posts information sessions at its Eventbrite page. DMPED points to its grant list.
If a grant is not coming soon
Grants are competitive and slow, so have a second option. DC BizCAP is not a grant, but its loan participation program can cover up to 50% of a lender's financing, up to $1,000,000, on qualifying loans through participating lenders. Food businesses can ask about Nourish DC, which offers loans and technical assistance, with grants in past rounds.
For help with an application or a loan package, talk to the DC Small Business Development Center, WACIF or the Latino Economic Development Center. Expanding across the region? See our guides to grants in Maryland and Virginia.
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