Supervisor Preston, Community Leaders, and OEWD Announce Small Business Pitch Program to Support Fillmore Entrepreneurs and Help Revitalize the Neighborhood

SAN FRANCISCO — Supervisor Dean Preston, Fillmore Community leaders, and the Office of Economic Workforce Development (OEWD) announced a new grant program today to support Fillmore entrepreneurs. The Fillmore Pitch Program will allow entrepreneurs to pitch their business concept, product, or service before a panel of small business peers, community leaders, and business advisors. Winners will receive $4,500 grants. The program is expected to fund over 32 entrepreneurs in the Fillmore.

“We met with black entrepreneurs in the Fillmore who identified initial start-up costs – buying an oven, renting equipment, early advertising, etc – as a major barrier to opening new businesses in the community, and we developed this program at their request,” said District 5 Supervisor, Dean Preston. “We appreciate the partnership with OEWD and community leaders, and are excited to announce this brand new program to support investment in the Fillmore community, and directly support those with the vision and a plan for their own small business.”

The Fillmore went through decades of drastic changes driven by the federally-funded redevelopment of the neighborhood, also known as “urban renewal,” where Black-owned businesses were forced to shut down, and many homes in the Black community were bulldozed and residents were displaced. The Fillmore Pitch Program will be dedicated to supporting entrepreneurs that are either a former or current resident of the Fillmore, a business located in the Filmore, or own a business that serves the Fillmore community.

“We want to create an ecosystem of Black businesses so that entrepreneurs can thrive and contribute back to the neighborhood's legacy,” said Majeid Crawford, Founder and Executive Director at the New Community Leaders Foundation. “The Fillmore pitch program will help entrepreneurs develop their public speaking skills and help grow their network while also providing a critical grant to help them grow or support opening their first business.”

“When the Fillmore was a thriving Black business district, there was an internal eco-system that the business owners depended on to maintain and grow their businesses. Rebuilding that eco-system is imperative for Black entrepreneurs to thrive in today's business marketplace, said Ericka Scott, Owner of Honey Art Studio in the Fillmore. “The Business Pitch Program is a significant component towards rebuilding that eco-system; a network of training programs, consultants, mentors, government agencies, resources, etc. that all work together as a consistent evolving entity that helps the growth of businesses individually and collectively. Being included in business ecosystems is imperative for entrepreneurs to sustain and thrive in today's marketplace.”

The Fillmore Pitch Program is part of a number of recent community-led efforts and investments in the Fillmore aimed at promoting community-based economic development and revitalizing the neighborhood coming out of the pandemic. With funding set aside by Supervisor Preston, a community-led survey is underway to preferred business types, ways to improve communication and engagement with and between merchants, and ideas for activating the Fillmore small business corridor. At the same time, the City has renewed efforts to re-open the Fillmore Heritage Center, a crucial community space in the heart of the Fillmore, and proposals have been submitted to the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development as part of an RFP process for reactivation of the space.

Last year also saw the opening of ‘In the Black,’ funded by the Dream Keeper Initiative and launched in partnership with the San Francisco Housing Development Corp (SFHDC), a shared retail space for Black-owned businesses on Fillmore Street near the Geary Boulevard intersection, consisting of 20 businesses in a space that was once Money Mart, a check cashing and payday lender.

“No single effort will solve the myriad issues facing the community after years of disinvestment, racist policies, and displacement. But we believe that direct investment in emerging entrepreneurs, coupled with technical assistance, is an important part of finding a path for many who are trying to get started with their own businesses,” said Sup. Peston. “That’s what this pitch program offers, and we’re proud that it’s launching and will assist many Fillmore entrepreneurs.”

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