We are sorry to inform you that grant awards are no longer available and this Program is closed.

Due to this program’s popularity, the number of applicants that met the eligibility requirements exceeded the available funds. Although we received your application, we cannot award you a grant due to limited funding, which has now all been disbursed based on the Program’s priorities.

To learn more about other programs and incentives for your business from the New York State Empire State Development (ESD), please visit https://esd.ny.gov/ssbci.

PLEASE NOTE: Lendistry is the sole entity designated as the Administrator of the New York State Seed Funding Grant Program (the “Program”). This site (nyseedgrant.com) and other websites available on or through this site (the “Designated Sites”) are the only approved websites designated for the administration of the Program. Any other website purporting to administer or otherwise act as an Administrator in connection with the Program may be fraudulent. As such, you should exercise caution and avoid providing any information (personal or otherwise) in connection with the Program on or through any website other than the Designated Sites. Further, neither Lendistry nor any of its partners will charge any fees to apply for a grant under the Program and we recommend that you avoid any third-parties purporting to charge fees for you to apply.

Important Information for 2023 Tax Returns

1099 Tax Forms Now Available for Download

If you received a grant for this program in 2023, you are required to report it on your upcoming 2023 tax returns. In order to do so, you will need to retrieve a copy of you 1099 tax form.

How can you retrieve your 1099 tax form?
Your 1099 tax form is available at https://tax1099.com/edelivery/login. CLICK HERE for a guide on how to retrieve your 1099 tax form with step-by-step instructions.

This guide also provides information on your username and password that is needed to sign in. Once signed in, you may elect to opt-in to download your 1099 tax form electronically or opt-out to receive it by mail.

For assistance with accessing your 2023 tax form please contact Lendistry’s dedicated Customer Experience Team at (888) 870-2203 (Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. PST) or [email protected].

Important Note: Lendistry and its affiliates do not provide tax, legal or accounting advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for, tax, legal or accounting advice. Readers should consult their own tax, legal and accounting advisors before completing their tax filings.

THERE ARE NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, AS TO ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS, OR RESULTS OBTAINED FROM ANY INFORMATION POSTED IN THIS PRESENTATION OR ANY LINKED WEBSITE.

NOTE: This website can be translated into various languages using Google Translate; however, Lendistry cannot verify the accuracy. Please review the Program and Application Guides below for the most accurate translation of this Program.

New York State Seed Funding Grant Program

Overview

The New York State Seed Funding Grant Program (the “Program”) was created to provide assistance to early-stage small businesses to succeed in a recovering New York State economy.

Eligible Applicants must provide evidence, acceptable to New York State that the Eligible Applicant is operational and meets the Program requirements. As part of the application each micro-business, small business, or for-profit arts and cultural organization including independent arts contractors shall provide sufficient documentation in a manner prescribed by Empire State Development ("ESD") to demonstrate Program qualification. Only one grant per business EIN or SSN is allowed. Due to a limited amount of funding and the high volume of requests expected, business type, geography and industry may factor into ability to receive a grant.

Grant Amounts

For firms that have already filed a Federal Tax Return for operations:

Grant awards will be calculated based upon the annual amount of gross receipts as shown on their provided 2020 or 2021 business tax return.
- Businesses with $5,000 and up to $49,999.99 in gross receipts: Award is $5,000/business.
- Businesses with $50,000 – $99,999.99 in gross receipts: Award is $10,000/business.
- Businesses with $100,000 – $1,000,000 in gross receipts: Award is 10% of gross receipts with a maximum grant amount of $25,000/business.

For firms that have NOT filed a Federal Tax Return for operations thus far:

Award is $5,000/business.

Eligibility

Eligible Business Qualifications

Small businesses, Micro-businesses and For-profit independent arts and cultural organizations, including independent arts contractors submitting an application for a grant award to the Program (collectively, “Eligible Applicants”) must:

Be incorporated in New York State or licensed or registered to do business in New York State and must be resident in the State of New York;
Be a currently viable Micro-business, Small business, or For-profit arts and cultural organization including independent arts contractors that started business on September 1, 2018 or later and has been operational for at least six months before an application is submitted;
Have between five thousand dollars ($5,000) and one million dollars ($1,000,000) in gross receipts per annum as reflected on their most recent Federal Business Tax Return (line 1a, IRS Form 1120 or 1065; line 1 IRS Form 1040 Schedule C) or be able to demonstrate five thousand dollars ($5,000) in business expenses for businesses that have not yet filed a Federal Business Tax Return;
Be in substantial compliance with applicable federal, state and local laws, regulations, codes and requirements;
Not owe any federal, state or local taxes, or have an approved repayment, deferral plan, or agreement with appropriate federal, state, and local taxing authorities;
Not qualify for business assistance grant programs under the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 or any other available federal COVID-19 economic recovery or business assistance grant programs, including loans forgiven under the federal Paycheck Protection Program, or are unable to obtain sufficient business assistance from such federal programs.*
* Eligible Applicants may have received or been awarded the following federal assistance:
- Paycheck Protection Program loans totaling $250,000 or less.
- Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) for COVID-19 of any size.
- COVID-19 EIDL Advance Grant of any size.
- COVID-19 EIDL Supplemental Targeted Advance Grant of any size.
- SBA Shuttered Venue Operators Grant of any size.
- Restaurant Revitalization Fund Grant of any size.
Did not qualify for business assistance under the New York State COVID-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program.

Ineligible Business

All non-profits, churches and other religious institutions;
Government-owned entities or elected official offices;
Businesses primarily engaged in political or lobbying activities;
Landlords and passive real estate businesses.

Eligible Costs

The following costs incurred between September 1, 2018 and January 1, 2022 shall be considered eligible for the program. These include:

Payroll costs; or
Commercial rent or mortgage payments for NYS-based property; or
Payment of local property or school taxes associated with a small business location in NYS; or
Insurance costs; or
Utility costs; or
Costs of personal protection equipment (PPE) necessary to protect worker and consumer health and safety; or
Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) costs; or
Other machinery or equipment costs; or
Supplies and materials necessary for compliance with COVID-19 health and safety protocols; or
Other documented COVID-19 costs as approved by ESD.

Ineligible Uses of Funds

Grants awarded under the Program shall not be used to re-pay or pay down any portion of a loan obtained through a federal coronavirus relief package for business assistance or any New York State business assistance programs.

Additional Information

Eligible Applicants must provide evidence, acceptable to New York State that the Eligible Applicant is operational and meets the Program requirements.
As part of the application each micro-business, small business, or for-profit arts and cultural organization including independent arts contractors shall provide sufficient documentation in a manner prescribed by Empire State Development (“ESD”) to demonstrate Program qualification, and mitigate fraud, waste, and abuse. Only one grant per business EIN or SSN is allowed.
Due to a limited amount of funding and the high volume of requests expected, business type, geography and industry may factor into ability to receive a grant.

Definitions

“Small business” shall mean a business which is resident in New York State, independently owned and operated, not dominant in its field, and employs one hundred or less persons, was started on September 1, 2018 or later and has been operational for a minimum of six months prior to application with gross receipts that do not exceed $1,000,000 per annum.
“Micro-business” shall mean a small business which is resident in New York State, independently owned and operated, not dominant in its field, and employs ten or less persons.
“For-profit independent arts and cultural organization” shall mean a small or medium sized private for-profit, independently operated live-performance venue, promoter, production company, or other performance related small business, including independent arts contractors, located in New York State negatively impacted by COVID-19 health and safety protocols, and having one hundred or less full-time employees, excluding seasonal employees.
“COVID-19 health and safety protocols” means any restrictions imposed on the operation of businesses by executive order 202 of 2020 issued by the governor, or any extension or subsequent executive order issued in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, or any other statute, rule, or regulation imposing restrictions on the operation of businesses in response to COVID-19.

Documentation Requirements

Application Certification (CLICK HERE to download)
For Proof of Gross Receipts and date of formation:
- Most recently filed 2020 or 2021 Federal Business tax return (if business has filed a return since beginning operation).
Proof of Business Organization (and date of formation if tax document is not available) – provide one (1) of the following:
- Current Business License; or
- Articles of Organization; or
- Certificate of Assumed Name (DBA); or
- NYS Certificate of Authority; or
- Certificate of Incorporation; or
- Proof of assignment of EIN by Internal Revenue (IRS Form CP-575); or
- NYS municipality issued document showing authorization to operate in NYS.
*For independent arts contractors only, proof of business organization and past operations may also be satisfied through the submission of the following:
- List of performance activities for the six months prior to application; and
- Proof of these arts performances taking place by providing one of the following:
  - Copy of the executed legal contract that describes the performances with proof of payment; or
  - A 1099 for the payment of the performances, and a third-party affidavit describing the engagement, naming the arts contractor, and providing information on the payment of the performance; and
- Any other documentation ESD and the grant administrator may request to verify that the contractor is operating as an independent arts contractor.

*All other requirements set forth in these Guidelines remain applicable to and for Independent Arts Contractors.

Proof of business location in NYS – one (1) of the following documents:
- Current lease; or
- Current utility bill; or
- Current business mortgage statement; or
- Business credit card statement; or
- Professional insurance declarations page; or
- Payment processing statement; or
- NYS ST-809 or ST-100 sales tax collection documentation.
Schedule of ownership: listing of names, addresses, Social Security Numbers or Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers, phone numbers, e-mails, percentage ownership, and photo ID for any owners with more than 20% ownership of the business. (CLICK HERE to download)
Prior three months of bank statements for business bank account showing current activity (statements should reflect sufficient flows to demonstrate required expenses for businesses that have yet to file a tax return).
Additional documentation regarding proof of expenses may be requested as determined by the grant processing agent.
For funds distribution: W-9 and business bank account information. A business bank account is required for funds distribution.