Next Up!
Business Growth Program

The City of Cypress has partnered with the OCIE SBDC Network to present a training and grant program designed to help Cypress-based small businesses reach the next level.

Reach new heights with the Next Up! Business Growth Program.

Elevate your business through the City of Cypress Next Up! Business Growth Program. Learn valuable strategies to expand your business and thrive through this program, featuring two in-person sessions, four virtual training sessions, and a personalized one-on-one consultation through the Small Business Development Center (SBDC). Upon successful completion, participants will be awarded a $10,000 grant to accelerate their business growth. Don’t miss this incredible opportunity to take your business to the next level and achieve your goals!

Eligibility

Eligible businesses must:

Be a for-profit business;
Have a physical commercial location within Cypress (no residential addresses, P.O. Boxes, or Home Occupations);
Have between two and 100 full-time employees (two part-time employees shall count as one full-time employee), including the owner;
Hold an active Cypress Business License for at least one year prior to participating in the Program;
Be in good standing with the City and State (current on bills, no liens or judgments, etc.); and
Demonstrate a clear, feasible, and actionable plan for business growth or expansion, which must be detailed in the Business Growth Assessment Form (Note: The City of Cypress reserves the right to review and determine the feasibility of the proposed plan).

The following businesses are not eligible:

Residential or real estate projects, including short-term rentals;
Cannabis-related businesses, gambling facilities, adult entertainment, massage parlors, and largely cash-based businesses; and
City employees, elected, and appointed officials.

Only one participant per business within Cypress is eligible to participate in the Program and receive the $10,000 grant. Participants who own or are affiliated with multiple businesses in Cypress may only apply on behalf of one business.

Application Process and Timeline

Applicants must apply online via the application presented on this webpage and submit a fully completed Business Growth Assessment Form with their application. The application period runs from 8:00 am on April 7, 2025, until 11:59 pm on April 27, 2025. It is the applicant’s sole responsibility to ensure all responses are complete, accurate, and thoughtful before submission. Please download a copy of the Business Growth Assessment form to complete prior to proceeding with the application.

The City of Cypress will not review applications for completeness. Incomplete or insufficient responses will result in automatic disqualification without an opportunity for revision or resubmission. By applying, you acknowledge and accept these terms.

Upon submission, the SBDC and City will review the applications for eligibility. Businesses deemed eligible must then submit the most recent monthly business bank statement, a completed W-9 Form, and a signed City of Cypress Business Grant Agreement by May 16, 2025.

Note: If the number of eligible applications exceeds available funding, participants will be selected through a lottery system.

Curriculum and Consultation

Selected participants must attend two in-person sessions and four virtual training sessions beginning on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Subsequent sessions will occur weekly on the same day and time. All sessions will be conducted in English and will cover the following topics.

PLANNING

Navigate growth challenges with strategies to seize opportunities, avoid pitfalls, and align your vision with actionable goals.

WORKFORCE

Build a high-performing team by leveraging individual strengths and skill sets.

CUSTOMERS

Attract new customers and strengthen relationships with existing ones through targeted marketing and sales strategies.

FINANCIALS

Gain mastery over your financials to ensure sustainable growth.

Each participant must also attend a one-on-one consultation with an assigned SBDC business consultant for customized assistance with business growth.

Attendance Policy: If a participant misses a mandatory training session, they must meet with their SBDC consultant for an additional one-on-one consultation. Participants that miss two more sessions will no longer be eligible for the grant.

Grant

Participants that meet the following requirements will receive a $10,000 grant:

1. Complete all required training sessions.
2. Attend a one-on-one SBDC consulting session.
3. Submit a Business Spending Plan detailing how grant funds will be used for business growth by June 19, 2025.
4. Obtain City approval for the Business Spending Plan.

Grant funds must be used for the business expenses outlined in the approved Business Spending Plan.

Important Note: Grant recipients will receive a Form 1099-NEC for the grant amount issued by the City. Please consult a tax professional regarding any tax implications.

Follow Up

SBDC consultants will provide ongoing support to Program participants upon request. The SBDC will also track and measure the success of each business as they implement growth strategies. Approximately six months after completing the Program, participants must complete a survey and submit a narrative explaining the outcomes achieved to evaluate the Program’s impact.

City Reserved Rights

The City reserves the unqualified right, in its sole and absolute discretion at any time: (1) to amend or terminate this program with no recourse for any proposing applicant; (2) to choose or reject any or all applications received in response to this program; (3) to modify the application deadlines; (4) to request additional information of the applicants as deemed necessary and appropriate by the City; (5) to conduct further due diligence with applicants or any third party; (6) to modify the City’s objectives or the scope of the program; (7) to modify program requirements, general terms and conditions, or eligible activities; and/or (8) to disqualify any proposing applicant on the basis of any real or perceived conflict of interest that is disclosed or revealed by materials submitted or by any data available to the City.

Equal Opportunity Policy

The City of Cypress and the SBDC shall not discriminate upon the basis of sex, age, race, creed, color, religion, national origin, marital status, ancestry or physical handicap in accepting applications and processing program applications.