Last verified: October 14, 2026.
Boston will reimburse up to $200,000 for a storefront facade, and its next review deadline is November 1, 2026. Massachusetts grant money for small businesses is split: city programs for storefronts, and state programs for specific industries like life sciences.
Grants are only one option. See every way to fund your business.
New to grants? Start with the small business grants hub and how to apply for a small business grant.
Local and state sources in Massachusetts
| Source | What it offers | Status on October 14, 2026 | Official link |
|---|---|---|---|
| City of Boston Office of Small Business | ReStore storefront and signage grants | Open; see program below | https://www.boston.gov/departments/small-business-development/storefront-improvements |
| Massachusetts Life Sciences Center | Grants for life science companies and research | Open; see program below | https://www.masslifesciences.com/funding-programs/ |
Other Massachusetts cities run their own storefront programs. Check your city's small business office.
In Boston, the lease length can decide the grant.
Programs open now, verified today
ReStore Boston (signage and storefronts)
- Amount: reimbursement of 50% to 90% of project costs, up to $8,000 for signage and up to $200,000 for facades. You pay first.
- Who qualifies: for-profit Boston storefronts with at least 3 years left on the lease and landlord permission. Priority goes to businesses in, or serving customers from, low- and moderate-income areas.
- Deadline: next review deadline is Sunday, November 1, 2026. Later deadlines are February 1, April 1, May 15 and September 1.
- Official page: https://www.boston.gov/departments/small-business-development/storefront-improvements
Massachusetts Life Sciences Center Access and Accelerate Grant
- Amount: non-dilutive grants of up to $150,000.
- Who qualifies: early-stage Massachusetts life science companies facing commercialization barriers. See MLSC's program page for full rules.
- Deadline: application deadline Friday, November 6, 2026.
- Official page: https://www.masslifesciences.com/funding-programs/
Verizon Small Business Digital Ready Grant (nationwide)
- Amount: $10,000 grants. Verizon says 10 businesses are picked each month from June to December 2026.
- Who qualifies: owners 18 or older of a for-profit business in the U.S., Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands. Finish two free courses or events on Digital Ready to unlock the application.
- Deadline: courses and events must be done by Monday, December 7, 2026.
- Official page: https://digitalready.verizonwireless.com/funding/details
Tips: free help in Massachusetts
The Massachusetts SBDC Network helps with plans and applications. Find an SBDC, SCORE mentor or Women's Business Center with the SBA local assistance locator.
How to apply without missing a step
- Confirm your address is inside the program area before anything else.
- Read who qualifies: employee counts, years open and revenue limits knock out most applicants.
- Gather your business license, recent tax return, quotes or photos the page asks for.
- Note the time zone and hour on every deadline, then submit a day early.
Example
Here's a hypothetical. Rosa owns Harbor Thimble Yarn (a made-up business) in Dorchester, with four years left on her lease. Her sign is faded and her awning is torn. She gets her landlord's written permission, reads the ReStore user guide, and applies before the November 1 review.
Scam red flags
- Grants.gov says applying for a federal grant is completely free.
- Nobody legitimate asks for a fee to release a grant you won.
- The SBA only emails from addresses ending in @SBA.gov.
- Report it to the FTC at reportfraud.FTC.gov. See Grants.gov on grant fraud and our grant fee scams guide.
Next steps if no grant fits
See small business grants open now, or use the full funding guide linked near the top of this page.
Related: grants by business type: women-owned, minority-owned, startups, veteran-owned, sole proprietors and rural businesses.
Sources
All checked October 14, 2026.
- ReStore Boston: https://www.boston.gov/departments/small-business-development/storefront-improvements
- Massachusetts Life Sciences Center: https://www.masslifesciences.com/funding-programs/
- Verizon Digital Ready: https://digitalready.verizonwireless.com/funding/details
- SBA, Grants: https://www.sba.gov/loans/additional-funding-opportunities/grants/
- Grants.gov, Grant fraud: https://www.grants.gov/learn-grants/grant-fraud
- FTC: https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/