SC Relentless Challenge Grant

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.

The LiftFund Disaster Relief Program provides small businesses recovering from natural disasters with a combination of grants, 0% interest loans, and hands-on technical assistance to help them rebuild and reopen quickly. Administered by LiftFund — a San Antonio-based nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that has supported disaster recovery efforts since Hurricane Katrina — the program operates through individual sub-programs created in response to specific disasters, each developed in partnership with local foundations, donors, and community organizations. Because each sub-program is uniquely designed around the conditions and needs of an affected region, the specific grant amounts, loan terms, eligibility criteria, and funding pathways vary by disaster, but each program is typically built around the same core components: direct grant funding to help cover rebuilding expenses, replacement costs for damaged equipment, and general operating expenses; 0% interest loans with flexible terms, waived origination fees, and flexible collateral requirements to bridge gaps that grants alone cannot cover; and technical assistance such as one-on-one coaching, workshops, and help navigating the application process. Applicants are generally evaluated on both physical damage and economic injury caused by the disaster, and businesses that did not sustain direct property damage may still qualify if they experienced a measurable decline in revenue. Recent active sub-programs have served businesses in Kerr County and San Angelo, Texas, as well as the broader Hill Country region. Interested business owners should check LiftFund's Special Programs page for the disaster relief programs currently accepting applications.

HTDC’s Manufacturing Assistance Program (MAP) offers Hawaiʻi-based manufacturers up to a 20% reimbursement (up to $100,000) on qualified expenses to help Hawaiʻi manufacturers enhance productivity, competitiveness, and growth in Hawai‘i’s manufacturing sector.

This grant program provides assistance to small businesses (100 or fewer employees) to undertake energy efficiency, pollution prevention, or natural resource protection projects designed to enhance a small business’s competitiveness while simultaneously improving the environment for Pennsylvania residents. The program offers small businesses a reimbursement grant ranging from 50% or $7,500 (whichever is less) up to 80% or $12,000 (whichever is less) for eligible project costs. Maximum grant awards vary based on the environmental impact of a project and if it is located in an environmental justice area. Reimbursement after project completion.

The Philadelphia Business Lending Network Equity Incentive Grant provides Philadelphia small business owners with grants of up to $50,000 to offset the cost of a business loan issued through the Philadelphia Business Lending Network (PBLN). Administered by the City of Philadelphia's Department of Commerce, the grant covers up to 50 percent of the total PBLN funding request for eligible small businesses that are approved for a loan through the network, effectively converting half of the loan into non-repayable capital for the qualifying business. The PBLN itself is a free service that helps business owners express interest in loan financing through a single, no-cost interest form that is shared with a group of more than 28 participating nonprofit and for-profit lenders. Participating lenders include The Merchants Fund, Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC), Reinvestment Fund, TD Bank, M&T Bank, Fulton Bank, Citadel Bank, Women's Opportunity Resource Center (WORC), and many others. The interest form is not itself a loan or grant application, and there is no guarantee that any lender will offer a loan. Lenders that see a fit with the applicant's project and financial needs contact the business owner directly (typically within five business days) to discuss potential loan options. To be considered for the Equity Incentive Grant portion of the program, applicants must be Philadelphia residents whose business is located in Philadelphia, earn a maximum annual revenue of $350,000, operate as a micro-enterprise with five or fewer employees (including the business owner), be up-to-date on City taxes (or have an approved tax payment agreement in place), and be registered and licensed with the City of Philadelphia. To be considered for a PBLN loan, applicants must have a small business in Philadelphia or plans to move or expand to the city.