Albuquerque Black Business Fund

The Affordable Commercial Tenanting (ACT) Grant provides Portland property owners and small business owners with reimbursement grants of up to $300,000 to fund tenant improvements, space related soft costs, and permitting support needed to ready a commercial space for opening. Administered by Prosper Portland, the city's economic development agency, the program is designed to facilitate access to affordable commercial space and support inclusive small business growth by helping local entrepreneurs move into ground floor storefronts at a lower cost. The grant is currently available for properties located within the Interstate Corridor and Gateway Regional Center Tax Increment Finance (TIF) Districts, though the program may expand to other areas of the city in the future. To qualify, the property owner must agree to provide the small business with a minimum three year lease that includes at least one of the following: a lease rate 10 to 25 percent below market, a period of rent abatement, or capped rent escalations during the affordable rate period. The property must be ground floor and zoned for commercial or mixed use. Eligible business owners must demonstrate at least two years of business experience and meet criteria related to displacement, limited access to capital, first generation business ownership, or location within a low income census tract. Funds may be used for hard costs to ready the space (such as standard finishes, signage, landscaping, lighting, and security upgrades), up to $25,000 for soft costs like design and permitting fees, and up to $25,000 for predevelopment work. Operating expenses, inventory, and non permanent fixtures are not eligible. Property management companies, mobile businesses, e-commerce businesses, and cannabis businesses are not eligible to apply.

The Cook County Department of Environment and Sustainability’s (DES) free Businesses Reducing Impact on the Environment (BRITE) program helps businesses reduce their environmental impact while creating a healthier environment for their employees, customers and community by offering on-site assessments to reduce pollution. Once an assessment has been completed, eligible businesses will have the opportunity to apply for grant funding. This funding will go towards solutions that save money, reduce impact on the environment and modernize operations.

The City of Oxford has created a new funding opportunity for businesses in Oxford that provides capital for up to $2,500 or 50% of costs for projects that improve sustainability and/or building facades.

The ComEd Small-Medium Business Customer Relief Fund provides eligible small and medium-sized business customers in Illinois with one-time matching grants of up to $500 to help reduce past-due electric bill balances. Administered by ComEd, an Exelon company, the program is designed to support business customers facing financial hardship and help them remain connected to electric service while improving their long-term financial stability. The grant operates as a matching credit: customers first make a payment toward their past-due balance, and ComEd then matches the approved payment amount up to $500, applied directly to the customer's ComEd account. Applicants may request up to 50 percent of their past-due balance, capped at $500, with any application exceeding that amount rejected. If the past-due balance exceeds $500, the customer remains responsible for the remaining amount. To qualify, applicants must be an independently owned and operated business with its principal office in Illinois, have 50 or fewer full-time employees, hold a commercial meter account with active service at the time of application, have a past-due bill balance, and have no unpaid tampering fees or pending bankruptcy. Home-based businesses and nonprofit organizations are not eligible (nonprofits typically qualify for separate relief funds offered by ComEd in alternating years). In addition to the bill credit, approved participants also gain access to a free facility assessment that identifies opportunities to lower energy costs through upgrades to lighting, HVAC, refrigeration, and other systems, along with available incentives to help cover the cost of those improvements.

The City of Taylor Downtown Business Grants provide small businesses in Downtown Taylor, Texas with a suite of grant programs designed to support existing storefronts, activate outdoor spaces, drive collaborative events, and attract new businesses to the district. Administered by the City of Taylor's Downtown Department and Main Street Program, the grants are part of a broader $500,000 investment in downtown Taylor that also includes streetscape improvements to Heritage Square Park, new bike racks and trash cans, street resurfacing, and restoration of the city's historic wood brick roadway. Eligibility is limited to businesses located within the downtown Taylor district. The program is offered through four distinct grant tracks tailored to different types of investment. -The Front Porch Package Grant helps existing downtown businesses pay for storefront-facing items and improvements such as rocking chairs, floral displays, signs, and other exterior investments that enhance the character and inviting appearance of downtown Taylor. -The Stay-A-While Grant funds the installation of outdoor seating and gathering spaces at downtown businesses, encouraging visitors to linger, socialize, and spend more time in the district. -The Multi-Business Event Grant supports collaborative events involving multiple downtown businesses, funding joint activations and shared promotions that draw visitors to the district and drive foot traffic across participating storefronts. -The Economic Development Recruitment Grant provides matching reimbursements of up to $50,000 to help attract new retail, restaurant, and entertainment businesses to downtown Taylor. Grant funds are designed to offset build-out costs such as HVAC, plumbing, and permitting, with a total program pool of $100,000 available.