Our City is dedicated to the enhancement and celebration of our local history, culture, and the opportunities that exist in Fremont. Small independent businesses that make our city and its five business districts unique, are a huge part of the social fabric of our community.  As we all weather this pandemic together, the City of Fremont stands behind our local small businesses and help them overcome the economic challenges imposed by COVID-19.

To do this, the City of Fremont and Fremont Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with eGift Card platform Yiftee, has launched Gift Fremont. This new, online program encourages community members to purchase gift cards in support of participating Fremont-based businesses, with an added incentive from the City. The online marketplace will allow local small businesses, such as mom and pop shops, family-run restaurants, and local boutiques, to market their products and services to the Fremont community and give residents the ability to purchase eGift cards in support of the local businesses they know and love. Participating small businesses will enjoy enhanced marketing and social media presence through this program whether or not their business has a website or social media activity in the past.

This program is unlike any gift card program currently available, as it offers a win-win model for both the businesses and participants buying gift cards. To encourage the community to participate in the program, the City has set aside an initial funding of $5,000 which will be used, in part, to offer a bonus on gift card purchases as stated below:

  • $5 bonus on purchased gift card valued at $20 or more
  • $15 bonus on purchased gift card valued at $40 or more

By infusing the program with an initial investment, the City expects to witness four to five times more money being dispersed within the small business community. And businesses won’t need to wait for this additional revenue; as soon as a gift card is purchased, funds are immediately transferred from the customer to the business.

Independent small businesses based in Fremont can sign up for Gift Fremont on the Yiftee platform in a couple of minutes to create custom-branded eGift Cards, which can be sold on their company website, Facebook pages, and of course on the Gift Fremont eGift Card platform.

There is no cost for participating businesses, as Yiftee is waiving monthly subscription fees through September 30, and the City of Fremont is covering the merchant eDelivery fee until the funding set aside for this runs out. Signing up as a merchant is easy and takes just a few minutes.

Larger Fremont-based businesses that are interested in supporting the Fremont ecosystem can get involved in the Gift Fremont program in several ways. Companies may consider adding funds to continue the bonus program for longer, offer pre-paid eGift Cards to employees as work-related incentives, and promote the program on their own social channels to help spread the message to a broader audience. If you are interested, our Economic Development Team would be happy to work with you to develop a supporting program that works for your business.

For questions about Gift Fremont and to inquire about participation, please email econdev@fremont.gov or call 510-284-4020.

Think. Support. Gift Fremont.