Going to Bat for Small Business

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 MDC is offering a $500 Enhance MHT Grant to Manchester, NH businesses and landlords for improvements to streetscape, outdoor seating, restaurant barriers, façade improvement, window display, signage, or other related beautification efforts.

The IWT program is a matching grant program that offers financial reimbursement to manufacturing companies for providing up-skill training to their employees. The goals are: - To support advanced manufacturing and innovative companies in their efforts to train incumbent workers in the appropriate skills to meet current and emerging market needs. - To bring technological innovation to the market and help manufacturing companies leap ahead in productivity and efficiency by enhancing the skills of their current workforce. - To grow sales revenue and increase profitability. The program will reimburse up to $50,000 of training costs annually. Companies may submit multiple reimbursement applications so long as the aggregate amount does not exceed $50,000 in any given calendar year. There is no minimum grant amount that will be awarded to qualified applicants. The maximum amount of lifetime assistance provided to any one company by this program is limited to $100,000. In order for a company to apply for reimbursement, they must meet all of eligibility criteria for the program. As an example, an applicant who can evidence having spent a total of $30,000 in training costs over the course of one year will be eligible for a potential grant of $15,000 ($15,000 grant + $15,000 company match).

The Cedar Rapids City Manager’s Sustainability Grant provides Cedar Rapids, Iowa nonprofits, businesses, and community groups with grants ranging from $500 to $10,000 per project to implement community-driven sustainability projects that benefit the public. Administered by the City of Cedar Rapids and recently launched in October 2026, the program is designed to support community-led efforts that advance sustainability, economic vitality, health, and environmental resilience, aligning with both the city’s Community Climate Action Plan (adopted in September 2021 with a goal of making Cedar Rapids carbon-free, resilient, and accessible by 2050) and the EnvisionCR comprehensive plan. Eligible projects must take place within Cedar Rapids, provide a public benefit, and support the city’s broader sustainability goals. Example project types include electric vehicle charging stations, nature-based spaces and playgrounds, waste-reduction efforts, active transportation projects, energy conservation initiatives, public art and beautification, mini forest planting, and other projects that enhance outdoor spaces or reduce environmental impact. Grants are intended for one-year projects, though extensions may be approved with appropriate justification. Successful applicants are also expected to prioritize local spending in executing their project. Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations, businesses, and community groups. Applications are evaluated across five criteria: feasibility, innovation, budget, community engagement, and alignment with city priorities. Applications are submitted through the city’s online grant portal, which also hosts the full set of program guidelines, scoring criteria, and application requirements.

The City of Hercules has allocated $200,000 to attract certain types of desired eating and drinking businesses, and general businesses in larger retail spaces, by helping with move-in costs. The program provides grants of $5,000 (minimum) to $25,000 (maximum) for qualified new eating & drinking establishments, and $50,000 to $100,000 for qualified general businesses in larger spaces. The grant amount must be matched by the applicant.