TBP Eligibility

Program Overview

VTA’s Thriving Business Program (TBP) is a FREE program that will support the local small business community and provide targeted resources during construction. The Eat Shop Local campaign will aid small businesses with marketing support during construction, including organizing community events, advertising promotions, and guiding customers to storefronts. Local Resource Network will connect you to Community Based Organizations (CBOs) that regularly host workshops, education programs, webinars, and trainings.

Benefits of Participation 

Marketing Assistance: Eat Shop Local Campaign

  • Marketing and wayfinding support during construction 
  • Enhance small business resiliency
  • Encourage foot traffic to businesses that rely on “walk-in” clientele

Technical Assistance: Local Resource Network

  • Enhance small business resiliency
  • Increase technical support and trainings

Eligibility Criteria

  • Be a business with 35 or fewer full-time employees 
  • Have an active business license in the City of Santa Clara or City of San José 
  • Business is not a non-qualifying category 1 
  • Business operates a physical storefront within 500 feet of a construction staging area 2 
  • Agrees to give VTA the right to use business name while advertising for the TBP 


Eat Shop Local Campaign Participants Only:
Agrees to give VTA the right to use the business logo and name in marketing materials 

Businesses such as liquor stores, adult stores, tobacco/smoke shops, ammunition/gun stores, among other classes of advertising prohibited by VTA’s Advertising Policy. 

Business operates from a physical storefront located approximately 500 feet of defined BSVII construction area (i.e. Santa Clara Station and Newhall Yard Maintenance Facility, Diridon Station, Downtown San José Station, or 28th Street/Little Portugal Station). 

Business Participation Form