The Small Business Financial Assistance Program (SBFAP) has been extended through March 31, 2025, providing eligible businesses along the South Central Extension/Downtown Hub light rail route to apply for up to $9,000 in grant funding.
New applicants and those who received funding previously are encouraged to apply. Eligible businesses must:
- Be located on the South Central Extension/Downtown Hub light rail extension
- Have 15 or fewer employees and annual revenue less than $750,000
- Have been in operation prior to the start of construction (June 2019)
- Demonstrate loss in revenue as compared to before construction
It is important to note that Tier I grant funding (providing $4,500 per grant) has been fully dispensed to local businesses and is no longer available.
View all eligibility requirements and apply here.
Since launching in 2021, SBFAP has distributed more than $1.58 million in grant funding to over 270 small and micro businesses immediately adjacent to light rail construction in Phoenix. Last year alone, the program granted more than $400,000 to 65 businesses located along the SCE/DH construction corridor.
The SBFAP is a first-of-its-kind program Valley Metro and the City of Phoenix created, with significant community feedback and financial backing from Phoenix Transportation 2050 (T2050) and the Phoenix Community Development & Investment Corporation (PCDIC).
In addition to the SBFAP, Valley Metro offers a number of free business assistance programs including business consulting, hosting community events, marketing assistance and signage. To date, 362 businesses along the SCE/DH corridor have participated in one or more elements of these programs.
About the South Central Extension/Downtown Hub
The South Central Extension/Downtown Hub will extend the existing light rail system from downtown Phoenix south along Central Avenue to Baseline Road, connecting historically and culturally significant neighborhoods. The project includes a new light rail transit hub in downtown Phoenix, featuring new stations and public art throughout the corridor. Now at 95% completion and entering the final phases of construction, the project marks an important milestone for Valley Metro Rail as we prepare to introduce a two-line light rail system with the opening of the SCE/DH. Train and system testing are underway along the northern portion of the alignment as the project progresses toward opening in mid-2025.
