Hashtag Hayward Grant Program

The Hashtag Hayward Grant Program is an initiative launched by the City of Hayward to assist local businesses in enhancing their visibility and customer engagement through strategic improvements to their physical and digital presence. This effort is led by the city's Economic Development division and was created in response to the significant success of the initial round of the program, which saw measurable gains in online exposure, customer engagement, and business revenues for participating establishments. The program's core objective is to support small businesses in Hayward by providing up to $10,000 in grant funding for enhancements that drive social media sharing and customer interaction. Funding can be used for a variety of aesthetic and branding improvements, including interactive murals and sculptures, window lighting and façade upgrades, signage, district identity visuals on corner buildings, customer-friendly infrastructure like seating and lighting, and improvements to social media presence and websites. These updates are designed not only to beautify spaces but also to make them "Instagrammable," encouraging organic marketing through user-generated content. Participants in the program are also offered connections to local artists and social media influencers, coordinated by the City’s Economic Development team. These collaborations aim to generate engaging content and foster stronger ties between businesses and the community, boosting digital reach and physical foot traffic alike. The city emphasizes the importance of storytelling and social presence as business development tools and provides technical support to ensure grantees are well-positioned to benefit. To be eligible, businesses must be physically located in Hayward, have an active commercial storefront, possess a current business license, be in good standing with the city (free of outstanding fines or code enforcement issues), and maintain active social media accounts. The program is designed exclusively for Hayward-based businesses, reinforcing its hyper-local economic development goals. Applications for the second round were open until January 10, 2025, at 5:00 PM Pacific Time, and were reviewed on a rolling basis, encouraging early submission. All applicants are notified regarding their status—whether selected, not selected, or if funds have been exhausted. Although the application deadline has passed as of December 2, 2025, the program's structure and documented success strongly suggest a potential for recurrence. Interested applicants were directed to submit their materials or ask questions via email to econdev@hayward-ca.gov. The City of Hayward can also be reached through its main line at 510-583-4000 or by mail at 777 B Street, Hayward, CA 94541. While no formal application components such as letters of intent or pre-proposals were required, the rolling nature of approval highlighted the importance of early engagement in the process.