Building a Safety Net
Join us in raising $250,000 in 2026 to launch the Small Business Stabilization Grant—a rapid-response fund providing emergency capital to Manhattan businesses facing unexpected crises.
Small Business Stabilization Grant
"A bridge over unexpected gaps"
We're raising $250,000 in 2026 to launch this program in 2027. These grants don't exist yet—but with your help, they will. Once funded, we'll provide rapid-response capital to Manhattan small businesses facing sudden crises.
What these grants will fund: Emergency equipment repairs, critical upgrades for growth, and regulatory compliance costs that threaten business survival.
What Your Donation Will Make Possible
The Emergency Fix
Future Impact: Resilience. When a restaurant's walk-in fridge dies or a retail shop's window shatters, we'll prevent a $5,000 repair from becoming a business-ending event with immediate emergency grants.
The Critical Upgrade
Future Impact: Capacity. When a bakery needs a second oven for wholesale orders or a bookstore needs a modern POS system, we'll fund the tools that allow businesses to grow and serve more customers.
The Compliance Retrofit
Future Impact: Adaptation. When new city rules require hard-sided trash bins or outdoor dining structures need rebuilding to code, we'll help businesses adapt without draining their payroll funds.
This Program Doesn't Exist Yet
We're currently fundraising to make it a reality. Your 2026 donation will help us reach our $250,000 goal and launch these life-saving grants in 2027. No grants are available for application at this time.
100% tax-deductible • Every dollar helps us reach $250,000
Help Us Launch This Program
Join us for Rock the Holidays: The Big Bash for Small Biz at Hard Rock Cafe on December 15, 2026. All proceeds go directly toward funding the Small Business Stabilization Grant.
Event Details & RegisterThree Decades of Community Impact
Our Foundation
The Manhattan Chamber Fund was established with a simple premise: commerce should uplift community. We began channeling revenue from Manhattan's bustling street fairs back into the neighborhoods that host them.
Supporting the Neighborhood Fabric
For three decades, the Fund served as a philanthropic engine, proudly donating over $2 million to a diverse ecosystem of local nonprofits, supporting arts education, youth programming, and neighborhood beautification. We ensured that the success of business translated into a better quality of life for all Manhattanites.
Our Evolution: Direct Business Support
As NYC's economic landscape shifted, so did our mission. We updated our bylaws and expanded our mandate to provide direct financial grants to small businesses. This strategic pivot allows us to place capital directly into the hands of entrepreneurs who define our streetscapes, helping them weather hardship and fuel growth.
Rapid-Response for Crisis
In an era of unpredictability, we're positioned as a trusted, rapid-response conduit for emergency relief. We possess the infrastructure to accept large-scale donations and immediately deploy them to ground level—cutting through red tape to funnel resources directly to businesses and communities in immediate need.
Small Business Stabilization Grant Campaign
2026: Fundraising Phase. We're actively raising $250,000 to create this permanent safety net. Your donation now will make these grants possible. 2027: Launch & Deployment. Once funded, we'll begin accepting applications and providing rapid-response grants to Manhattan small businesses facing sudden infrastructure failures, critical equipment needs, and regulatory compliance costs—ensuring that a $5,000 repair doesn't become a business-ending event.
How the Fund Operates
We're a rapid-response vehicle for crisis relief and community support. With your help, we'll expand to include direct small business grants.
Direct Small Business Grants Coming 2027
Once we reach our $250,000 fundraising goal, we'll provide cash grants to entrepreneurs for disaster recovery, facade improvements, and operational survival. Capital will flow directly to those who need it most.
Rapid Crisis Deployment Active Now
Acting as a streamlined fiscal vehicle for corporate and private donors to disseminate emergency aid quickly and transparently during disasters and economic emergencies.
Community & Non-Profit Support Active Now
Continuing our 30-year legacy of funding local charitable organizations that enrich the cultural and social life of our city through arts, education, and beautification.
Every Dollar Brings Us Closer
Help us reach $250,000 in 2026 and launch the Small Business Stabilization Grant in 2027. Your tax-deductible donation builds a permanent safety net for Manhattan's small businesses.
Make Your Donation