Vacant to Vibrant is a city-funded program that aims to revive San Francisco’s Economic Core (aka “Downtown”) by helping small businesses, entrepreneurs, artists, and cultural organizations activate vacant storefronts to revitalize the area and promote economic recovery.

As part of the greater vision of Mayor Breed’s Roadmap to Downtown San Francisco, Vacant to Vibrant will provide a window into what the future of Downtown can look like with public participation — innovative, creative, vibrant, and multifaceted.

For all pop-up applicants, please apply here. If you are a property owner interested in hosting a pop-up, please fill out our property application.

SF New Deal will provide activators with grants ranging from $2,000 - $10,000, as well as technical assistance in navigating pop-up ideation, marketing, permitting, compliance and operations.

SF New Deal will provide participating property owners with resources to cover tenant improvements and utility expenses valued at up to $5,000.

Vacant to Vibrant will be activating pop-ups in downtown San Francisco.

We will be accepting Vacant to Vibrant pop-up applications starting on October 21st, 2024. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing, rolling basis throughout 2025. We anticipate our first round of pop-ups will launch in early 2025.

If accepted, participants will be offered a space for three months, with leases signed by SF New Deal. SF New Deal, in partnership with the San Francisco Office of Small Business, will support activators interested in extending leases in navigating conversations with property owners and brokers, but cannot guarantee a long-term placement.

Not necessarily but it is encouraged! Vacant to Vibrant will provide technical assistance support in a variety of areas to help ensure success, but we are looking for applicants with a certain degree of pop-up readiness and previous experience operating retail, food, or arts spaces/events in the San Francisco community.

SF New Deal (SFND): SF New Deal is a nonprofit that strengthens neighborhoods by making it easier for under-resourced small business owners to succeed. To learn more about SF New Deal’s activities and impact, please visit sfnewdeal.org

Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD): The Office of Economic and Workforce Development advances equitable and shared prosperity for San Franciscans by growing sustainable jobs, supporting businesses of all sizes, creating great places to live and work, and helping everyone achieve economic self-sufficiency. For more information, please visit www.oewd.org

All applications will go through a review process in which they are scored by an advisory committee made up small business owners, artists and representatives from arts institutions, community based organizations with a presence downtown, and property owners. High-scoring applications will be chosen to advance to the next round where the potential pop-ups will be pitched to various property owners and managers. Those selected by participating property owners will be awarded grants and provided with technical assistance to bring their proposals to life.

If selected, SF New Deal will provide you with a dedicated project manager to oversee the pop-up permitting process and liaise with the property owner/manager. SF New Deal will be a resource to help streamline the process from your approval to the eventual pop-up opening.

If you know someone who would be excited to operate a pop-up or host a pop-up, please direct them to our general interest form. If they have any questions or need assistance in applying, we can be reached at vibrantsf@sfnewdeal.org.

We are accepting and reviewing applications from property owners with spaces of all sizes, but are prioritizing spaces that are under 5,000 square feet. We do anticipate that there will be a need for larger spaces on a case by case basis.

Our team is working hard to support the small businesses and vibrancy efforts along Powell Street in Union Square. If you're a property owner or community partner interested in connecting, you can complete our interest form here. If you're interested in opening a storefront, you can complete our general application. If you have questions, or are interested in sponsorship opportunities, you can always send us a note at vibrantsf@sfnewdeal.org.

If you are a property owner interested in hosting a pop-up, please fill out our property application.

We’re happy to answer any questions you might have about Vacant to Vibrant. You can send us an email at vibrantsf@sfnewdeal.org, or give us a call at 415-480-1185.