East Trenton Small Business Improvement Program

The Illinois New Stores in Food Deserts Program provides Illinois-based grocery operators and local government entities with reimbursement grants of $500,000 to $5.2 million to establish new grocery stores in Illinois census tracts that qualify as food deserts. Administered by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) as part of the broader Illinois Grocery Initiative (authorized by Public Act 103-0561), the program has approximately $20.8 million in total funding available in the current round and anticipates 4 to 8 awards. The goal is to combat food insecurity by supporting the creation of grocery stores in areas that meet specific criteria related to poverty, population density, and limited fresh food accessibility. Eligibility is limited to units of local government and to independent grocers or cooperatives with fewer than 500 employees and no more than four grocery locations (both for-profit and nonprofit organizations qualify). To be eligible, the proposed grocery location must be within a census tract that meets both a low income threshold and a low food access threshold. Low income thresholds include a poverty rate of at least 15 percent, or a median family income below the statewide median (for non-metropolitan tracts) or below the greater of the statewide or metropolitan area median (for tracts within a metropolitan statistical area). Low food access thresholds require that at least 33 percent of the tract's population (or 500 residents) live more than 10 miles from the nearest grocery store in rural tracts, or more than half a mile in urban tracts. The store must be classified under NAICS code 445110 (supermarket or grocery retailer) or as a meat, fruit and vegetable, or seafood retailer, cannot derive more than 30 percent of its revenue from alcohol and tobacco sales, must sell unprocessed fresh foods such as meats, fruits, and vegetables, and must prepare to accept both SNAP and WIC benefits. Prior recipients of New Stores in Food Deserts grants are not eligible to receive additional grants at the same location. Grant funds may be used for real estate and related expenses, site development, construction of a new facility or renovation of an existing facility, furniture, fixtures, and equipment, and working capital for the first 24 months of store operations (including employee wages, utility costs, initial inventory of food, and other operating expenses that support the retail sale of food). This round of the program also introduces the option to incorporate pharmacy operations into the new grocery store to help address the lack of access to prescription medications and pharmacist consultations in some communities. Applicants incorporating a pharmacy may also fund initial inventory of prescription medications and pharmacy-related capital expenditures through the grant. Inclusion of a pharmacy is not required, and applicants are not penalized for excluding one. Grant funds cannot be used to purchase equipment, supplies, or inventory unrelated to the provision of food (such as lottery equipment or non-food inventory), and expenditures associated with delivery services (such as vehicles and driver wages) are not eligible for reimbursement. Applicants who do not incorporate a pharmacy are required to provide a 25 percent match of total project costs (representing a 1:3 match), while applicants incorporating a pharmacy have a reduced match requirement of 15 percent. Matching funds may come from any non-state sources such as local municipal funds, federal funds, or private investment, and in-kind contributions and expenditures incurred prior to receipt of the Notice of State Award cannot count toward the match. Grants are issued on a reimbursement basis, with grantees submitting paid invoices for approved expenditures. Applicants may request an advance of up to two months' worth of expenditures at DCEO's discretion. Applications are scored competitively across three main categories (Need, Capacity, and Quality), and each application must include at least two Letters of Support (with at least one coming from an elected official serving the project area).

The purpose of the DTO Facade Program is to encourage building owners, businesses, and owners of certain residential properties to invest in properties by financially assisting with renovations to rehabilitate their buildings and residences. Commercial Buildings located within the "Focus Areas" shall be eligible for funding for facade improvements, roof repairs and/or roof replacements of up to $200,000 or 80% of the total facade improvements, whichever is less.

Small businesses in Springfield, MA are elligible for up to $25,000 of grant funding from the city. The CDBG Small Business Assistance Program is intended for small businesses in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)-eligible areas in the City of Springfield. The program aims to provide financial support, increase economic activity, and retain and create jobs for small businesses. Applications that avoid basic operating costs as proposed uses and that demon

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 KC Small Business Grant provides established small businesses in Kansas City, Kansas with a one-time grant of up to $10,000 to help offset expenses that support expanded daily operations and business growth. Administered by the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City's Department of Economic Development, the program is designed to stimulate economic growth, attract new investment, and strengthen neighborhood vitality by supporting existing businesses that are primed for expansion. To be eligible, a business must be located in Kansas City, KS, have fewer than 25 employees, and have been operating for at least one year. Grant funds may be used for renovation costs (such as sheetrock, flooring, and painting), façade improvements, inventory, equipment, and marketing (including webpages and signage). Certain business types are ineligible, including home-based businesses, liquor stores, payday loan businesses, hookah and vape shops, and new businesses operating less than one year.