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Grants and Loans for Sacramento Small Businesses

Where a Sacramento business actually applies for a city grant, a fee credit, or a loan through a lender. Checked October 20, 2026.

Last reviewed October 20, 2026 · 4 min read

On this page
  1. 1. See who you apply to
  2. 2. City of Sacramento
  3. 3. Loans through a lender
  4. Common mistakes

What you'll need

  • The City page open, if you want a city program

  • Time for five hours of the City's consultation before those applications

  • A lender, if you want a loan

1. See who you apply to

Three doors: the City of Sacramento on its own page, SBA or IBank through a lender, and CalOSBA with no direct grant open.

Three doors: the City of Sacramento on its own page, SBA or IBank through a lender, and CalOSBA with no direct grant open.

2. City of Sacramento

On October 20, 2026, the City's Business Solutions Center listed two programs. Both ask for five hours of the City's business consultation first. You add the business to a 311 account and send a Business Resources request.

A microgrant is money you do not pay back, for a specific purchase. A fee credit lowers a City bill. SBA and IBank offers are loans.

A microgrant is money you do not pay back, for a specific purchase. A fee credit lowers a City bill. SBA and IBank offers are loans.

The services page says the microgrant is up to $5,000. The guidelines say a request is $2,500 to $5,000, there is no match, and applications stay open until the money is gone. One grant per business address. The City pays costs you incurred. Staffing, restocking the same inventory, and general working capital are not eligible.

The fee credit is up to $2,500 toward City fees, such as a permit or the business operations tax certificate. The guidelines say it is a credit on the bill, not cash, and you apply before you start that permit. The City will not do it after you have already paid. The guidelines say the City set aside $50,000 for the fee credit and $250,000 for the microgrant. Those totals can run out. Read both PDFs before you apply.

CORE loans and grants are a different program, for legal cannabis businesses in CORE. The page is CORE loans and grants.

3. Loans through a lender

The SBA loans page describes loans from lenders. It does not list one interest rate or a dollar cap for 7(a) or 504 loans, so we are not inventing one. COVID-era SBA funding on that page is no longer available. 504 loans go through a certified development company.

IBank's guarantee program is also through a participating lender or a Financial Development Corporation. IBank lists a Sacramento office at 1325 J Street, Suite 1300. Use the live page for the current guarantee terms.

CalOSBA's funding page says it has no active direct-to-business grant. Sacramento County's financing page points to federal and state programs. We did not find a County grant a typical new business applies for on its own.

A short plan helps you talk to a lender. Draft one with a one-page business plan, then use the lender's form.

Common mistakes

  • Paying a company that promises free government money for a fee.

  • Asking for the fee credit after the fee is already paid.

  • Treating an SBA loan as money you keep.

Questions people ask

Can a nonprofit apply for the City microgrant?

The City's microgrant guidelines say nonprofits are not eligible. The business also has to be a for-profit inside the city. Cannabis dispensaries, liquor stores, adult entertainment, and casinos are not eligible.

Is the microgrant cash up front?

The guidelines say the City pays costs you have already paid, or costs you are obligated to pay. It is not a blank check, and it is not for payroll or for restocking the same inventory.

Do I mail a loan form to the SBA?

No. The SBA loans page says you apply through a lender. Microloans are $50,000 or less through an intermediary lender. Lender Match helps you find a lender. IBank's guarantee works the same way: you apply through a participating lender.

We can look at the idea with you and point out the next step.

Check your idea
Words to know

  • Grant: Money you do not pay back, if you follow the rules.

  • Loan: Money you pay back. The lender sets the interest.

  • Guarantee: A promise that can help a lender say yes. You still apply through the lender.

  • Fee credit: A reduction of a City bill. It is not cash.

Sources

  1. Business Solutions Center services - City of Sacramento · cityofsacramento.gov
  2. Small Business Microgrant Program guidelines - City of Sacramento · cityofsacramento.gov
  3. Small Business Fee Credit Program guidelines - City of Sacramento · cityofsacramento.gov
  4. Loans - U.S. Small Business Administration · sba.gov
  5. Small Business Loan Guarantee Program - California IBank · ibank.ca.gov
  6. Funding opportunities - California Office of the Small Business Advocate · calosba.ca.gov
  7. Financing your business - Sacramento County Economic Development · economic.saccounty.gov

This is general information for Sacramento and Northern California businesses. We are not attorneys or tax advisors, and this is not legal or tax advice. Check the official sources, and a local pro, before you act.

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