ROI Jamestown Grant

Aitkin County has two grant opportunities designed to support local businesses. The first opportunity is the Aitkin County Business Development & Recreation Grant Program, which supports projects that enhance tourism, recreation and small business development. Grants range from $100 to $2,000, with a required 1:1 local match and are available to businesses and nonprofit organizations located in or serving Aitkin County. Eligible projects include tourism and recreation events, business attraction efforts and initiatives that promote sustained visitor growth. The second opportunity, the Aitkin County Business Revitalization Grant Program, focuses on supporting for-profit businesses to improve the exterior appearance of their properties. Revitalization grants range from $1,000 to $5,000, also requiring a 1:1 match. Eligible improvements include exterior building upgrades, new or replacement signage and awnings and outdoor aesthetic enhancements. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until funds are depleted, with projects evaluated on creativity, visual impact and community benefit.

The Scranton Small Business Façade Improvement Grant Program provides Scranton commercial property owners and tenants with reimbursement grants of up to $10,000 (or 50 percent of total project cost, whichever is lower) to fund permanent exterior improvements to commercial buildings. Administered by the City of Scranton and funded through federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) dollars, the program is designed to create a more aesthetically pleasing environment along Scranton's commercial corridors and support the revitalization of the city's business districts. Grants are geographically targeted, with eligible properties limited to commercial buildings located within the federally designated low-to-moderate income areas of Scranton. To qualify, applicants must be either the owner of a commercial property or a business owner or manager operating from a commercial property within the eligible area, with tenants required to submit an Owner Consent Form as part of their application. Businesses must be in compliance with all current City of Scranton codes and regulations, current on taxes, fines, and fees, and properly registered in the city. Eligible buildings are limited to existing commercial structures with facades visible from the street. New construction, mobile businesses, structural repairs, and interior projects of any kind are not eligible. Funded improvements must be permanent, exterior alterations that enhance the appearance of the commercial property, and may include the repair, preservation, improvement, replacement, or installation of windows and doors, signage, lighting, awnings, canopies, and sunshades, decking and stairs, gutters and downspouts, cornices or decorative trim, historically significant architectural details, masonry, pointing, or carpentry work, painting or surface treatment, entranceways to buildings or parking lots, greenery, and sidewalks, patios, walkways, benches, planters, and other permanent exterior features.

The Halstead Grant is an annual award for emerging silver jewelry artists. Applicants submit answers to 15 business questions in addition to their design portfolios. The experience is designed to help jewelry entrepreneurs create a strategy to kick-start their careers. The grand prize is a $7,500 cash grant plus other benefits.

The Verizon Small Business Digital Ready Grant provides small businesses across the United States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands with $10,000 grants distributed monthly, with 10 businesses selected each month. Administered by LISC (Local Initiatives Support Corporation), a national nonprofit that serves as the program's independent grant administrator, the grant is part of Verizon's broader commitment to equip one million small businesses with the tools and resources they need to thrive in today's digital economy. Since 2021, the program has funded more than 1,500 unique small businesses. What makes this grant distinctive is its education-first structure: applicants must first register on the Verizon Small Business Digital Ready platform (a free resource hub offering business courses, virtual events, and in-person workshops on topics such as marketing, AI, intellectual property, and social media) and complete any combination of two eligible courses or events to unlock the grant application. Once submitted, a single application remains under consideration for every monthly selection cycle throughout the year, meaning applicants only need to apply once to be considered across all remaining rounds. To be eligible, applicants must operate a for-profit small business (nonprofits are not eligible) based in the U.S., Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands, be at least 18 years of age, and be able to provide business and financial verification documentation if selected as a finalist. LISC uses a multi-step selection process that combines an anonymous drawing (to ensure every applicant has an equal chance), an algorithm that balances awards across industries and geographies, an in-depth review of community impact and proposed use of funds, and financial and legal verification of finalists. Priority is given to first-time applicants and to businesses located in under-resourced, low-to-moderate income communities that may not have access to flexible, affordable capital. The application is available in both English and Spanish, and grant funds do not need to be repaid.

The Women’s Business Development Council is offering grants of up to $2,500 to qualified start-up businesses The WBDC Launch Pad Grant Program offers newly established businesses the opportunity to receive a $2,500 grant to put toward start-up costs. The grant funds cannot be used towards payroll/to pay yourself, real estate improvements (e.g. construction costs), reimbursement for past purchases or debt repayment.