Digital Sandbox KC

The primary goal of the PACE Grant Program is to promote economic development by encouraging proper exterior historic rehabilitation and preservation to both residential and commercial properties located within the City of Madison. This program provides eligible private-property owners with funds to aid in their rehabilitation or preservation projects.

The Start Small Campbell Grant is a $5,000 competitive grant that supports new businesses in Campbell County, Virginia during their initial start-up period. Administered by the Campbell County Department of Economic Development, the program awards up to four grants per year through two semi-annual application cycles, with the goal of cultivating new successful businesses in the county by pairing grant funding with an emphasis on entrepreneurial training and business planning. To qualify, applicants must be a business that is less than three years old or opening their first Campbell County location, hold a valid Campbell County, Town of Altavista, or Town of Brookneal business license, and be current on all local taxes. Eligibility is limited to businesses with a permanent Campbell County location that are anticipated to produce recurring local tax revenue. Mobile, itinerant, temporary, or primarily online/remote businesses are ineligible unless they can demonstrate a fixed local facility and a meaningful county tax contribution. Businesses that have not yet opened at the time of application must have a signed lease and a committed opening date before a grant award will be issued. Applicants must attend at least two qualifying workshops through the Small Business Development Center within the 12 months before the cycle end date. The application also requires completion of the SSCG Business Plan Template, one year of financial documentation (with instructions varying depending on the age or stage of the business), a projection statement covering years two and three, and a business plan review with an approved SSCG Mentor (which must be scheduled at least three weeks before the application due date to allow time for revisions). All application documents are uploaded through the online submission form, and staff review each submission for completeness before it is presented to the Review Committee. Applicants awarded a grant do not need to repay it.

The Chicago Neighborhood Opportunity Fund (NOF) provides small business and cultural projects located along commercial corridors on Chicago's West, Southwest, and South Sides with capital development grants of up to $250,000 to fund permanent capital improvements. Administered by the City of Chicago's Department of Planning and Development (DPD), the program reimburses up to 75 percent of eligible project expenses. The fund is uniquely resourced through fees paid by downtown construction projects via the DPD's Neighborhood Opportunity Bonus program, effectively channeling downtown development activity into direct reinvestment in historically under-invested neighborhoods. Applicants may also qualify for additional funding for Technical Assistance to support project design and delivery. Eligible project types include commercial projects (such as office and retail uses), cultural projects (museums, theaters, and performance venues), nonprofit projects with an on-site commercial component, and commercial components of industrial uses. Eligible expenses include new construction, storefront buildouts, facade repair and window or door replacement, plumbing, electrical, and HVAC work, roof repairs, acquisition costs (as part of a larger construction or renovation project), and soft costs such as design and technical assistance. NOF does not award grants for the construction or rehabilitation of residential uses, manufacturing uses, industrial uses, or places of worship that do not identify commercial as the primary use of a project. To qualify, projects must be located on an eligible or priority corridor within Chicago's West, Southwest, or South Side commercial areas. Applicants can confirm whether their property qualifies by contacting the NOF program directly. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis through the City of Chicago's Submittable online portal and are evaluated quarterly. Prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to attend a grant information session before submitting materials to better understand eligibility, application requirements, and the review process. Grants exceeding $250,000 are available through DPD's separate Community Development Grant (CDG) program, which offers Medium ($300,001 to $5,000,000) and Large ($5,000,000 and above) grant tiers for more significant commercial, cultural, and mixed-use development projects.

The Merchants Fund Emergency Grant provides Philadelphia small businesses with up to $20,000 in grant funding to help recover from hardship caused by qualifying events such as fire, natural disaster, extreme acts of physical vandalism, utility failure, or highly disruptive public works projects. Administered by The Merchants Fund, the program prioritizes small and micro business owners that have been historically undercapitalized and cannot withstand a prolonged loss of revenue, with a preference for businesses earning less than $500,000 in annual revenue. To be eligible, businesses must be located in Philadelphia, generate annual revenue of $1.5 million or less, and demonstrate financial need for the grant. Ineligible business types include professional services such as medical, legal, insurance, graphic design, architecture, real estate, child and elder care, and nonprofit organizations. Applicants whose emergency does not clearly fall into one of the qualifying categories are encouraged to contact The Merchants Fund directly to confirm eligibility before applying.

The Mini-Grant is designed to support business and nonprofit programs that serve the Erie County BIPOC community and are experiencing a need for an influx of capital to enable them to continue to serve the BIPOC community. Successful applicants will be able to show that either they or their project, is not eligible for traditional bank financing. The minimum grant offered is $5,000, and the maximum grant is $25,000. Applicants must be for-profit businesses located in Erie County, NY and at least 51% of the ownership is Black, Indigenous, or Person of Color (BIPOC).