Climate gentrification is increasingly affecting communities and small businesses. Public and private climate-related investments—both preventative measures and post-disaster efforts—can significantly change neighborhoods, displacing small businesses and the residents whom they serve. BIPOC- and immigrant-owned small businesses in under-resourced neighborhoods are particularly vulnerable to both climate disasters and climate-related gentrification.

SBAN is seeking proposals for case studies of efforts to combat climate gentrification and prevent small business displacement. Proposals are due June 2, 2025. We hosted a pre-proposal information session on April 17: view slides.

Awardees will receive $15,000 to conduct and write a year-long case study that SBAN will publish in 2026. Grantees will also have the opportunity to learn from fellow awardees and receive support from SBAN experts. Two awardees will receive an additional $10,000 to host site visits.

Case studies should examine strategies and practical tools that directly address climate-related threats to small businesses in gentrifying neighborhoods. We are particularly interested in examples of strategies that have worked for BIPOC and immigrant businesses and communities that are impacted by climate disasters, long-term effects of climate change, climate migration, or climate resilience investments that kickstart or compound gentrification.

As climate events become more frequent and mitigation investment more common in cities across the country, more needs to be done to center equitable approaches to climate resilience and protect small businesses.