Fee Exemptions to Texas Small Businesses for Business Development
City of San Antonio (COSA) Fee Waiver Program: Small Business
Agency
Local
GrantWatch ID#
230937
Funding Source
Geographic Focus
USA: Texas: San Antonio
Important Dates
Deadline: Ongoing
Track in My GrantWatch Calendar
Grant Description
Fee exemptions to Texas small businesses in eligible locations to support business development and economic growth. This program is intended to encourage small businesses to carry out development projects that will create jobs and spur economic growth. All applicants must be located within the city limits of San Antonio.
The Small Business segment of the Business Development Fee Waiver Program will focus on the following goals:
- Foster the development of S/M/W/VBEs in the growth phase to spur both capital investment and job growth;
- Provide direct financial assistance to S/M/W/VBEs to allow business owners to invest savings in their equipment purchase, development upscaling, and new employees.
- Address disparities related to access to capital that small, minority, and women-owned businesses experience, as documented in the City’s 2015 Disparity Study;
- Promote development within a City of San Antonio census tract with an Equity Atlas Combined Score of six (6) or greater (Appendix A); and
- Connect S/M/W/VBEs seeking fee waivers to other City small business programs, such as the Small Business Economic Development Advocacy (SBEDA) program, Mentor-Protégé program in partnership with Alamo Colleges, and Launch SA & Loan Interest Buydown programs in partnership with LiftFund.
Categories
AI Grant Writing Tool
Use AI to write stronger proposals, LOIs, budgets, and narratives for this grant opportunity.
Launch AI Tool
Recipient
Additional Eligibility Criteria
To foster business development, job creation, and economic growth, the City of San Antonio’s Economic Development Department (EDD) established a Business Development Fee Waiver Program to offsetCity development fees and SAWS sewer and water impact fees for the following:
• Localsmall, minority, women, and veteran-owned businesses (S/M/W/VBE)
• Health providers in vulnerable communities
• Industry development projects that align with the priorities in the City’s Tax Abatement Guidelines
For more detailed eligibility, see https://www.sanantonio.gov/Portals/0/Files/CCDO/EDD%20Fee%20Waiver%20Program_Guidelines.pdf?ver=2021-05-24-092252-237#page=6.
• Localsmall, minority, women, and veteran-owned businesses (S/M/W/VBE)
• Health providers in vulnerable communities
• Industry development projects that align with the priorities in the City’s Tax Abatement Guidelines
For more detailed eligibility, see https://www.sanantonio.gov/Portals/0/Files/CCDO/EDD%20Fee%20Waiver%20Program_Guidelines.pdf?ver=2021-05-24-092252-237#page=6.
Pre-Application Information
Applications for the Small Business program are open.
Business development waivers are awarded to qualifying projects on a first-come, first-served basis.
An administrative processing charge is required to activate any fee waivers awarded under this program. For more information, see https://www.sanantonio.gov/Portals/0/Files/NHSD/Programs/COSAFeeWaiver/COSAFeeWaiversGuidelines_2025Update_FINAL.pdf?ver=2025-12-23-134342-680#page=5.
Business development waivers are awarded to qualifying projects on a first-come, first-served basis.
An administrative processing charge is required to activate any fee waivers awarded under this program. For more information, see https://www.sanantonio.gov/Portals/0/Files/NHSD/Programs/COSAFeeWaiver/COSAFeeWaiversGuidelines_2025Update_FINAL.pdf?ver=2025-12-23-134342-680#page=5.
Estimated Size of Grant
For tier-based fee waiver amounts, see https://www.sanantonio.gov/Portals/0/Files/CCDO/EDD%20Fee%20Waiver%20Program_Guidelines.pdf?ver=2021-05-24-092252-237#page=7.
Term of Contract
Fee waivers are valid for one year from approval date, and are limited to one (1) renewal per waiver type.
Contact Information
RFP & Supporting Documents
Before starting your grant application, please review the funding source's website listed below for updates / changes / addendums / conferences / LOIs.
