San Antonio for Growth on the Eastside (SAGE) has secured an $800,000 federal grant to support small businesses. The funding will enable SAGE to provide affordable capital and tailored assistance to locally owned businesses that form the foundation of neighborhood life. A portion of the grant will be used to provide low-interest loans to a group of Eastside entrepreneurs whose work reflects the area’s priorities, creating jobs, expanding access to essential services, and contributing to a sense of community stability.
“Community-grounded capital can change how opportunity reaches people, especially for communities and business owners who may not have access to traditional capital,” says James Nortey, CEO of SAGE. “This grant gives us a chance to align financial support with the guidance and mentorship that business owners often need most. For our team, it’s all about listening carefully and walking alongside our entrepreneurs as they grow.”
For nearly three decades, SAGE has been dedicated to advancing inclusive, community-centered development on San Antonio’s Eastside. Founded to help revitalize a deeply rooted, culturally vibrant part of the city, the organization focuses on connecting resources to locally defined needs. Its mission is to promote economic development and cultural vitality while preserving the community's character and heritage. “SAGE’s goal is to nurture an Eastside where growth is both sustainable and reflective of the people who call it home,” says Nortey.
The organization operates through a range of programs that combine access to capital, technical support, and neighborhood investment. Its Small Business Support Program provides entrepreneurs with educational opportunities and practical resources to strengthen their operations.
Through this program, business owners receive individualized coaching, connections to development experts, assistance in navigating funding sources, and ongoing check-ins to help them adapt to changing conditions. The approach emphasizes accessibility, helping ensure that business owners at every stage can obtain the tools and advice they need to sustain and expand their work.
SAGE also leads a storefront improvement initiative that offers grants to enhance exteriors, signage, and other visual features of neighborhood businesses. These improvements are aimed at contributing to the overall vitality of the Eastside’s commercial landscape. Beyond economic activity, SAGE invests in preserving the area’s cultural fabric through programs that celebrate its heritage, including public markers and murals that highlight local stories and accomplishments.
The newly awarded grant allows SAGE to deepen this integrated approach by expanding its reach to businesses that provide critical neighborhood services. Among the recipients are locally owned restaurants and a childcare provider, each selected for its potential to strengthen the community’s day-to-day life.
One business, a neighborhood eatery built from the ground up by a lifelong resident, illustrates the potential of local ownership to reinvigorate once-vacant spaces. Another business, founded by a returning citizen who has since become an employer and mentor, suggests that entrepreneurship may offer pathways to stability and empowerment. By supporting these enterprises, SAGE is investing in the networks of trust and employment that sustain neighborhoods.
Essentially, SAGE’s work focuses on community economic development that emphasizes collaboration and shared accountability. The organization aims to ensure that local voices shape local outcomes. This means listening to residents, understanding their needs, and channeling resources into initiatives that address those needs directly.
As SAGE continues to grow its impact, it remains focused on fostering a future for San Antonio’s Eastside that honors its history while opening doors to shared prosperity. The organization views this grant as part of a continuing journey to strengthen local entrepreneurship, preserve culture, and promote inclusive economic growth. By linking resources with relationships and investment with insight, SAGE continues to help the Eastside thrive from within.
About San Antonio for Growth on the Eastside (SAGE)
San Antonio for Growth on the Eastside (SAGE) is a nonprofit organization committed to revitalizing San Antonio’s historic Eastside through economic development, cultural preservation, and inclusive community growth. Through programs like storefront grants, small business support, and cultural markers, SAGE empowers residents and entrepreneurs to build a vibrant, resilient future. For more information, visit sagesa.org.
Media Contact
Shamari Leung
communications@sagesa.org
