Glazer Family Small Business Fund
The Glazer family, owners of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, are launching the Glazer Family Small Business Fund to assist small businesses in the Tampa Bay and West Central Florida regions impacted by this past hurricane season.
Through this initiative, funds will be donated to participating chambers, which will distribute individual grants of up to $5,000 to small businesses heavily affected by Hurricane Milton.
Applications for the first round of funding will close on February 2.
The North Tampa Bay Chamber, along with other participating chambers, will help administer the program, review applications, and assist in selecting grant recipients. The chambers involved include:
Tampa Bay Chamber
North Tampa Bay Chamber
South Tampa Chamber
St. Petersburg Chamber
Tampa Bay Beaches Chamber
Manatee Chamber
Greater Plant City Chamber
Amplify Clearwater
Grants will be distributed through the chambers’ nonprofit organizations to ensure effective and transparent allocation of funds.
The Glazer family has a long history of supporting local recovery efforts. Following Hurricane Helene, they donated $1 million for relief initiatives. In response to Hurricane Milton, they pledged an additional $1 million on October 17, which now serves as the funding source for this critical small business support program.
North Tampa Bay Chamber Foundation Business Grant Award Process
The North Tampa Bay Chamber Business Grant Awards recognize outstanding businesses within the Chamber’s geographic footprint. The award process follows these steps:
Independent Judging – Applications will be evaluated by an independent panel of judges based on established criteria.
Score Compilation – The Chamber office will compile the judges' scores to determine rankings.
Membership Bonus – Businesses that are members of the North Tampa Bay Chamber or Greater Pasco Chamber will receive one additional point added to their final score.
Award Determination – The Business Grant award committee will review the compiled scores and determine Grant award amounts based on performance.
Final Approval – The list of applicants will be submitted to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers/Glazer Family Foundation for final approval.
Fund Distribution – Once funds are received, the North Tampa Bay Chamber Foundation will distribute Grant awards to the selected businesses.