Diego had a packed first location near Calle Ocho and a signed lease for a second site he couldn't afford to build out. SBA loan timeline was 90+ days; the lease started in 60.
GrantsForYou matched him to a Florida small-business recovery grant specifically for hospitality businesses expanding capacity. The AI drafted his use-of-funds and job-creation sections; he supplied the buildout quotes.
Submitted in week 2. Funded in week 7 — three weeks before lease start. The $22K covered build-out essentials. His second location hit profitability in month 4.
"I opened a second café on grant money alone. Zero debt, zero equity given up."
Why hospitality grants are still abundant post-COVID
Many state and county recovery programs originally launched for COVID continue to fund hospitality expansions, jobs creation, and main-street revitalization. "They never went away. People just stopped looking for them after 2022."
How to win on speed
Florida's recovery grants typically award on a rolling basis until funds run out. Diego applied within 14 days of finding the program. "Three weeks later I would've missed the cycle entirely."
Stacking against equipment financing
He paired the grant with equipment-leasing for the espresso machines (already cash-flowing) — keeping the grant for fixed buildout costs that wouldn't qualify for equipment financing.