Dallas County Small Business Grant Fund

The Small Business Improvement Fund (SBIF) provides reimbursement grant funding for permanent building improvements and repairs across the city. Offered by the Department of Planning and Development (DPD) to tenants and owners of industrial and commercial properties, SBIF grants are funded by Tax Increment Financing (TIF) revenues in designated TIF districts citywide. Program participants can receive grants to cover between 30 percent and 90 percent of the cost of remodeling work, with a maximum grant of $150,000 for commercial properties and $250,000 for industrial properties. The grant, which is administered by SomerCor on the City’s behalf, does not have to be repaid.

The Virginia AFID Infrastructure Grant Program provides Virginia political subdivisions with competitive reimbursement grants of up to $50,000 per project to fund community infrastructure development projects that support local food production and sustainable agriculture. Administered by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) through the Governor's Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Fund (AFID), the program is designed to build community-level infrastructure that primarily benefits smaller, newer, or limited-resource farmers, ranchers, food entrepreneurs, and startup food enterprises. Grants are awarded through semi-annual funding rounds (a fall round with awards typically announced by December 31 and a spring round with awards typically announced by June 30). Grantees have two years from the award announcement to complete their project, with a possible one-year extension. Priority project types include locally owned processing facilities such as commercial kitchens, packaging and labeling facilities, and animal slaughtering facilities, along with farmers markets, food hubs, and other agricultural aggregation facilities. Additional consideration is given to projects that benefit multiple small-scale agricultural producers and to projects located in economically distressed communities. Eligible costs include building construction and renovation, contractual services and installation costs, special-purpose equipment (such as canners, hulling processors, packing and labeling equipment, and delivery vehicles), and salaries and wages proportional to the project. Purchases of land or new buildings, marketing costs, general-purpose equipment, and educational expenses are not eligible. Applications must be made by a Virginia political subdivision (counties, cities, towns, Industrial and Economic Development Authorities, or Planning District Commissions), and applications may be submitted on behalf of more than one locality, provided each applicant contributes matching funds and a single political subdivision serves as the lead applicant and grant administrator. The program generally requires a dollar-for-dollar (1:1) match, though Economically Distressed Localities and projects benefiting multiple small-scale agricultural producers qualify for a reduced 2:1 match. Up to 50 percent of the required match may be provided in-kind or through other matching funds, including federal grants, nonprofit contributions, and funds from the Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission. Applicants may hold multiple active AFID Infrastructure Program grants but are eligible for only one grant award per grant round and must be in good standing with any prior AFID awards.

Virginia Enterprise Zone Job Creation Grants incentivize businesses that bring jobs to areas falling within defined Enterprise Zones. Eligible companies may claim grants for up to 350 jobs per year and must create over four full-time jobs to qualify for a five-year grant period. Awards are per-employee and range-based on the salary offered, benchmarked against the federal minimum wage or the Virginia minimum wage, whichever is higher. For jobs providing 150% of the minimum wage, companies receive up to $500 per worker. Those offering 175% of the minimum wage get up to $800 annually per worker. In areas with high unemployment, companies can receive a defined grant of $500 for jobs paying 125% of minimum wage and $800 for jobs paying 175%.

The Southeastern Connecticut Enterprise Region has a $25,000 grant program for small businesses in southeastern Connecticut that need help with professional business services and equipment purchases. Eligible businesses must have been in business for at least four years, have an annual revenue between $1.5 million and $5 million, have at least five full-time employees, and be in good standing with the CT Department of Revenue Services.

The Joe DeCecco Memorial Foundation Small Business Improvement Grant is designed to support small businesses in the Village of Kenmore by helping offset the cost of physical improvements that strengthen business operations, enhance commercial corridors, and contribute to the overall vitality of the community. Grants are intended to encourage reinvestment in local businesses and promote long-term economic sustainability. The program will award up to $10,000 to one eligible small business during the 2026 grant cycle, helping offset the cost of physical improvements that enhance operations, improve storefronts, and contribute to long-term economic sustainability.