Athens Business Façade Grant

The SBIG program provides a meaningful return on investment from the Commonwealth to encourage individuals or special purpose entities (created for the purpose of investing in small businesses) to make cash investments in Virginia’s small businesses for working capital, growth, and expansion. SBIG grants are awarded to eligible Investors that have invested in eligible small businesses. They are not grants awarded to the small business that received the investment.

The Baton Rouge Commercial Building Improvement Program provides for-profit businesses, nonprofit storefront operators, and property owners in East Baton Rouge Parish with reimbursement grants of $10,000 to $50,000 to fund exterior improvements to commercial buildings within low-to-moderate income (LMI) neighborhoods. Administered by the East Baton Rouge Parish Mayor-President's Office of Community Development and funded through the federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, the program has approximately $300,000 in total awards available per round on a competitive basis. The program is designed to rehabilitate and reactivate blighted or underused commercial buildings in LMI neighborhoods, strengthen commercial corridors through visible high-impact exterior improvements, and support small, locally owned businesses serving LMI communities. Eligible exterior improvements include window and door replacement, exterior painting and finishes, roofing, removal of security bars or grates, storefront transparency improvements, storefront and exterior envelope improvements, permanent code-compliant signage, exterior lighting, sidewalk repair, awnings and canopies, masonry repair and restoration, ADA-compliant exterior improvements, and design costs of up to 10 percent of project total. Ineligible costs include new construction, property acquisition or building expansion, interior renovations of any kind, interior furniture, fixtures, or equipment, temporary signage or banners, routine maintenance without visual improvement, installation of security bars, landscaping beyond the immediate building frontage, permit or legal fees, and any work completed before Notice to Proceed. A financial match is not required, but applicants who provide a minimum 25 percent cash match receive additional scoring points (in-kind contributions are not accepted). Eligible applicants include for-profit businesses, nonprofit organizations operating a commercial storefront, and property owners applying on behalf of an eligible tenant business. Home-based businesses, businesses without a public-facing storefront, financial institutions, adult-oriented businesses, and applicants with unresolved compliance issues on prior CDBG-funded programs are not eligible. Projects must be located in CDBG-eligible LMI census tracts, with preference given to annual Priority Areas mapped in the program guidelines. Tenant applicants must have at least 12 months remaining on their lease (or a renewal option extending 12 months beyond project completion). Because the program is federally funded, funded projects are subject to Davis-Bacon prevailing wage requirements, environmental review, and historic preservation guidelines. All construction work must be completed by contractors from a pre-approved contractor pool selected by the Office of Community Development (applicants cannot independently select or substitute a contractor), and reimbursements are paid directly to the contractor as work progresses. Improvements must remain in place for a minimum of five years, and awards over $25,000 may require a recorded property restriction or covenant to enforce this requirement.

The Downtown Johnson City Micro-Grants provide downtown Johnson City, Tennessee businesses and property owners with annual grants ranging from $500 to $4,000 to help grow, enhance their spaces, and bring new energy to the downtown district. Administered by Connect Downtown Johnson City, Inc., the program awards funding across three categories tailored to different types of downtown investment. -Business Improvement Grants ($1,500 to $4,000) support improvements to the appearance, functionality, accessibility, or customer experience of a downtown business, including exterior lighting, outdoor seating, façade improvements, ADA upgrades, and interior renovations. -Business Development Grants ($750 to $3,000) support business growth through new products, services, branding, technology, or other revenue-generating opportunities, including e-commerce tools, pop-up expenses, product launches, equipment, and seasonal expansions. -Downtown Engagement Grants ($250 to $1,500) support events and experiences that draw people downtown, such as workshops, business-hosted events, customer appreciation events, live music, tastings, and collaborative promotions. To be eligible, applicants must be current downtown business or property owners within the Main Street Program Area, or new businesses with an executed lease agreement, and all funded projects must take place at a downtown Johnson City location. Grant funds cannot be used for staff or employee wages, insurance premiums, or utility bills. Applications must include proof of estimates or expense quotes, and funded projects must be completed within six months with all receipts and documentation submitted. If total project expenses come in below the awarded grant amount, any remaining funds must be returned within six months.

The Front Door Refresh Grant provides small businesses and commercial property owners along Baton Rouge's Plank Road Corridor with grants of up to $10,000 per storefront to fund exterior façade and site improvements that make storefronts more attractive, accessible, and inviting. Administered by Build East Baton Rouge (Build EBR), the East Baton Rouge Parish Redevelopment Authority, the program was launched through the JPMorgan Chase AdvancingCities initiative and advances the vision of the Reimagine Plank Road Master Plan. Grants may cover up to 100 percent of eligible façade improvement costs, subject to program caps, design approval, and funding availability, with award amounts varying based on corridor priority, project impact, and alignment with redevelopment goals. Shopping centers or multi-tenant buildings may receive multiple awards for improvements to distinct storefronts. To qualify, applicants must be either the owner of a commercial building or a small business owner occupying a storefront within an eligible building (with written authorization from the property owner). Small businesses are defined as independently owned with fewer than 100 employees. Properties must be located within designated Target Areas, with the current initial phase focused on properties between North 22nd Street and Clayton Street along Plank Road, and broader eligibility extending to Build EBR's emphasized redevelopment corridors including Plank Road, Scenic Highway, Florida Boulevard, and the Cortana Corridor Economic Development District (CCEDD). Property taxes must be current, applicants must have no past-due debts to the City-Parish, and buildings must meet applicable City-Parish health and safety standards. Eligible expenses include signage (removal, design, fabrication, installation, or renovation), awnings and canopies, building façade improvements (masonry cleaning, painting, woodwork restoration, window and door replacement, and other exterior repairs), walls, screening, fencing, and landscaping (to soften or conceal storage areas, workspaces, or dumpsters), removal of inappropriate façade coverings (vinyl or aluminum cladding, boarded windows), cladding removal and restoration, permanent site and parking area improvements (landscaping, limited paving repairs, restriping), exterior accessibility improvements (ADA entrances, ramps, door modifications), and reasonable architectural or design fees (contracted after the grant award date). Grantees must agree to a five-year maintenance commitment as a condition of funding, and Build EBR may record a lien or restrictive covenant against the property to secure compliance, with a prorated repayment required if improvements are removed, altered, or neglected within the five-year period. Grant funds are typically issued directly to qualified contractors, and applicants must submit three cost estimates from separate qualified construction companies as part of the application process. Labor performed by the business or property owner themselves is not eligible for reimbursement.

The purpose of the GAINS program is to promote the expansion and development of United States Department of Labor (USDOL) approved Registered Apprenticeship programs that drive economic development through skills and educational attainment and create pathways to better-paying careers and advanced credentials. While this NGO describes fourteen (14) sectoral/occupational areas of focus, all occupations that are recognized by US DOL as “apprenticeable” are encouraged to apply. Eligible applicants can request funding up to $12,000 per registered apprentice.