Prudential Community Grants

The City of Houston Economic Development Grants program provides flexible grant funding to qualifying organizations whose projects help stimulate business and commercial activity within Houston. Administered by the Mayor's Office of Economic Development, the program is intentionally adaptable. Rather than a standardized application with fixed award amounts and deadlines, each grant is individually negotiated and structured to align with the city's broader economic priorities and initiatives. This flexibility allows funding to be tailored to a project's unique scope and impact, but it also means there is no single application form or set timeline. Instead, applicants move through a multi-stage process: an initial outreach to the Economic Development Division, a project presentation and scoring against the city's priorities, cross-departmental discussions about layering the project with other city plans, a formal application including a financial pro-forma, and ultimately approval by City Council.

ReStore Boston helps eligible businesses and commercial property owners improve their storefronts by providing financial and design assistance for signage and/or facade renovations. Having well maintained facades and signage can increase foot traffic and revenue for local businesses; increasing the vitality of our neighborhood commercial corridors and Main Streets Districts. ReStore Boston grants cover 50 to 90% of project costs up to $8,000 for signage and up to $200,000 for facades. Business owners will pay the contractor upfront and the business owner will be reimbursed by the City.

The South Carolina Research Authority (SCRA) Member Companies may apply for a variety of non-dilutive grants, each with its own eligibility and review criteria. The objective of a Small Business Demonstration Grant is to provide a valuable solution to a corporate partner and a significant growth opportunity for a small business by developing a new product, distribution channel, customer, market, etc. The grant is intended to offer a bridge for the small business to its next inflection point in development, while also supporting a monetary and/or in-kind match by a corporate partner into a project with the small business. Demonstration Grants are limited typically to $50,000 with rare exceptions.

North Carolina’s Customized Training Program is the state’s premier workforce development initiative, helping businesses build and sustain a highly skilled, competitive workforce. The program, now branded as NCEdge, offers businesses workforce development strategies that align with a company’s unique needs and goals. NCEdge supports new, expanding, and existing businesses, providing flexible, up-to-date training solutions valid for up to three years. The cost of the training is covered by the state of North Carolina through the North Carolina Community College System. With 58 community colleges across North Carolina, NCEdge ensures businesses in all 100 counties have access to high-quality training resources.

The NORA Façade RENEW Plus Program provides commercial property owners and business tenants located along priority commercial corridors in New Orleans with matching reimbursement grants to fund high-quality exterior façade improvements that reduce visible blight and align properties with current design standards. Administered by the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority (NORA) and funded through the federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, the grant covers 85 percent of total eligible project costs, with the applicant responsible for the remaining 15 percent. Grant amounts scale with the size of the property: NORA funds up to $50,000 per 50 linear feet of eligible ground-floor commercial frontage, meaning larger properties can qualify for substantially higher reimbursements (for example, a property with 74 linear feet of frontage may qualify for up to $100,000 in reimbursable improvements). Eligible applicants include commercial property owners and business tenants with property owner consent, all of whom must be in good standing with the City of New Orleans and the Louisiana Secretary of State, have no outstanding taxes, liens, or municipal debts, and must not be debarred from receiving federal assistance. The program is geographically targeted to specific corridors in the Lower Ninth Ward (St. Claude Avenue from the Industrial Canal to the Parish Line) and New Orleans East (designated stretches of Bullard Avenue, Crowder Boulevard, Downman Road, Lake Forest Boulevard, and Read Boulevard). Funded improvements must be exterior façade work that follows HDLC Commercial Design Guidelines, and selected applicants are required to work with a NORA-designated architect to develop the project design, obtain two detailed construction estimates from licensed contractors, and provide proof of funds for the required match before construction begins. The grant is reimbursement-based, with NORA verifying completed work through inspection before disbursing approved costs. All projects carry a minimum five-year compliance period, during which funded improvements must be maintained in good condition and the project location must remain in active commercial use.