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New Lease Rent Relief Grant

The New Lease Rent Relief Grant offers funds to assist with Cambridge businesses with commercial rent. The goal of this program is to help fund small businesses in revitalizing commercial districts left with vacant storefronts due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects. This grant is funded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Visit the ARPA Business Dashboard to see more information about past grants.

The grant will provide financial assistance up to $25,000 to subsidize the costs of ground floor commercial rent incurred since January 1, 2023. The New Lease Rent Relief Grant will provide relief to local, for profit, non-franchise/chain businesses with 50 or fewer full-time employees. Businesses that have executed a new street level lease in a commercial district in Cambridge, Massachusetts on or after January 1, 2023 are eligible to apply. This grant is for new businesses with a new ground floor lease only.

Grants will be available in two rounds:

Round One applications are now closed.
Round Two applications were available from October 7-28 at 8 p.m. EST.

Please note this grant is taxable, and you will receive a 1099-G form from the City. Once a business receives an award notification, it can take up to 4-6 weeks for a grantee to receive funds. Funds will be delayed if program staff do not receive the correct contract documentation from the business owner.

There is no guarantee that you will secure a grant or that you will receive the maximum amount of funds. The Rent Relief Grant for New Small Businesses will be awarded based on criteria points prioritizing location, industry, and businesses owners disproportionately impacted by the COVID –19 pandemic. This grant is first come, first served. It is possible that grant funds will no longer be available before the final deadline.

Businesses participating in the grant program will be required to fill out a City-conducted exit survey after using the grant funds and provide program staff proof of correct use of the grant funds. If a business does not provide proof of grant use, they may be required to return the funds to the City.

Eligibility

To be eligible, business must be:

A new, non-franchise local for-profit business with a ground floor location within the City of Cambridge that has executed a new lease for commercial space. A commercial space is a building that is zoned or defined as a commercial building by the City.
Compliant with all federal, state and local laws and regulations pertaining to zoning, licensing, and permits.
Compliant with all previous grant requirements such as proof that the grant(s) were used correctly (if the business received a previous City COVID-19 grant).
A retail enterprise including restaurants and personal services (excluding professional services)

If you can respond yes to the questions below you could be eligible for this grant:

Is your current business located in Cambridge, MA?
Do you have 50 or fewer full-time employees including yourself?
Did you sign a multi-year lease on a commercial property in Cambridge on or after January 1, 2023?
Is your business currently in operation?
Can you provide a new, fully executed multi-year lease signed on or after January 1, 2023?
Can you provide rent receipt payments for the immediate six months prior to your application?
- Round One: March/April 2024
- Round Two: September/October 2024

Ineligible Businesses:

Businesses in a co-working space.
An existing business renewing a lease in an existing commercial space in Cambridge.
Businesses located outside of Cambridge.
Businesses violating any federal, state, or local laws, zoning, licensing, or permits.
Cannabis businesses (due to federal funding restrictions).
Businesses that received other COVID-19 grants but haven't provided the City with proof of how those funds were used.
Businesses seeking funding for rent already covered by another APRA funded or other grant source.
Businesses that have lease terms of one year or less.
Nonprofit Organizations

Grant Criteria

Meeting eligibility criteria doesn't guarantee funding. Priority will be given to:

Businesses 51% or more owned by a person of color (one point)
Businesses 51% or more owned a woman, a veteran, entrepreneurs with disabilities, and/or LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs. (one point)
Cambridge resident-owned business enterprises. (one point)
Businesses in hard-hit industries (e.g. food services, retail, personal services, and entertainment). (one point)

How to Apply

Required Documents for Application

Round One is Now Closed

Round Two:

Current Cambridge lease (executed)
2023 Taxes (2024 financial statements accepted for businesses opened in 2024)
Receipts for rent paid

Before you start this application, here is what you need to have available:

A list of all other COVID-19 grants/loans you received.
A copy of your lease and copies of recent rent payments.
A copy of the business 2023 business taxes, profit and loss statements or other business sales/revenue loss documentation, actual or projected.

Inability to provide the above documentation with your grant application will delay reviewing your application or receiving a grant.
If you need assistance completing this application or have questions about this program, please contact smallbizgrants@cambridgema.gov or 617/349-9122 and someone will assist you.

Need Help Applying?

Staff are happy to answer questions and assist business owners with filling out the application. Interpretation services are available upon request.

Phone: 617/349-9122 (Interpretation services are available upon request.)
Email: smallbizgrants@cambridgema.gov
In person: Monday-Friday, Cambridge City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway. Appointments can be made by phone at 617/349-9122 or by email at smallbizgrants@cambridgema.gov.

Tips and FAQs

My business opened in Cambridge before 2023, but I renewed by lease in 2023. Am I eligible?

No. This grant is for business signing a new lease on a commercial space in Cambridge.

Is this grant taxable?

Yes. You will receive a 1099-G Form from the city.

I tried to apply online but the application didn't go through or it showed an error even though I answered all the questions.

If you are applying online via your Apple phone, please use a different web browser than Safari. It doesn’t work well with our application form.

If the web browser is not the issue, please make sure you have attached invoices and put an answer down for every required question, including the drop-down menu questions, like number of employees.

If you continue to have issues, please call us at 617/349-9122 to schedule a time for staff to call you and help fill out the application with you. We can also provide you with a paper/PDF version of the application.

My business was not open before the pandemic started. Am I eligible?

Yes, this grant is to support new businesses in commercial districts left with vacant storefronts. As long as the new business signed a lease on or after January 1, 2023 and your business is in operation, the business is eligible.

When will I get my funds?

Grant funds will be awarded and distributed on a rolling basis. Once a business receives an award notification, it can take up to 4-6 weeks for a grantee to receive funds. Funds will be delayed if program staff do not receive the correct contract documentation from the business owner.

I haven't received notice that you got my grant application. Can someone tell me?

Business owners can email smallbizgrants@cambridgema.gov for any questions regarding their grant or grant application. Business owners may receive an email before the grant deadline if we are missing anything we need to review their application.

I forgot to attach documents to my application. How do I get them for you?

You can provide us this documentation in three ways:

Send items back via email to smallbizgrants@cambridgema.gov
You may provide photos of your rent receipts and lease. Please make sure that the the photo(s) is clear and your Cambridge business address can be seen.
If you would like to drop off these items to the office, you can do so two ways:

You can either drop off copies to the white mailbox outside Cambridge City Hall Annex (344 Broadway) in an envelope addressed to Allyson Allen, OR

Send copies of the documents to:

Cambridge Community Development Department

Attention: Economic Opportunity and Development –New Lease Rent Relief Grant

344 Broadway, Floor 3

Cambridge, MA 02139

Please make sure to send us or drop off your documents by the deadline of Monday, October 28, 2024 at 8 p.m.

I received a Restaurant-Nightlife or the Small Business Relief Grant. Can I still apply to this one?

No. Businesses that received a 2022 Restaurant/Nightlife Relief Grant or Small Business Relief Grant are not eligible for this grant.

I received a Small Business Operations Grant and/or a Small Business E-Commerce Grant. Can I still apply to this one?

Maybe. You must have a new executed lease for a commercial space in Cambridge on or after January 1, 2023. Contact us at smallbizgrants@cambridgema.gov to confirm eligibility.

Can this grant be used for future expenses?

No, this grant is an award equal to 50% of commercial rent payments paid for one year up to $25,000. The grant reimburses previously paid rent

I am a Cambridge resident, but my business is in another city. Can I apply?

No, you must have a business located in Cambridge, MA to be eligible.

I am a Cambridge based non-profit. Can I apply?

No.

Can this grant be used for personal expenses?

No, this grant is only for commercial rent expenses.

Who cannot apply to this program?

Cambridge residents with businesses located outside the City of Cambridge.
Cambridge businesses that have outstanding invoices/fees/taxes to the City of Cambridge or the federal government.
Cambridge businesses who cannot provide an executed multi-year lease signed on or after January 1, 2023.
Applicants who are not in compliance with any federal, state or local laws or regulations, including those pertaining to zoning and licensing.
Cannabis businesses. Although cannabis businesses are permitted in the City of Cambridge, the use and possession of cannabis is illegal under federal law for any purpose. As this is a federally-funded program, cannabis businesses are not eligible for the program.
Non-profit organizations.

Will an application be reviewed if it is missing documents or information?

No. All documents must be provided before review and a grant award.

What can a business use the grant for?

To reimburse or offset commercial rent costs incurred by a Cambridge small business after January 1, 2023 that was not covered in a previous grant.

I need help applying. Can someone help me?

Yes. Please contact staff at smallbizgrants@cambridgema.gov or leave a message at 617/349-9122 and someone will get back to you about scheduling an appointment. Interpretation and translation services can be made available.