The Breakthrough Program

The KeyBank Foundation is investing $300,000 to support small businesses and commercial property owners located in the city of Rochester’s EMMA and Beechwood neighborhoods. The program will provide grants ranging from $2,500 to $10,000 for capital improvements such as façade upgrades, lighting, signage, interior repairs, accessibility enhancements and safety improvements—projects designed to immediately improve the appearance, functionality and walkability of neighborhood business corridors.

The Business Energy Retrofit (BER) Grant provides small business owners, Tribal governments, and nonprofits with reimbursement grants of $2,500 to $25,000 to fund energy-efficiency improvements at their commercial properties. Funded by Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation (IRRR), Minnesota's economic development agency for the Iron Range region, and administered through a partnership with the Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency (AEOA), the program is available to businesses with 100 or fewer employees located within IRRR's northeastern Minnesota service area. Grant awards may cover up to $25,000 in eligible energy retrofit expenses (or one-third of total project cost, capped at $75,000, whichever is lower). Eligible projects include lighting and fixtures, building envelope air sealing, appliances, motors, and equipment, insulation and ventilation, heating and cooling systems, windows and door replacements, large generators for business use, new construction for remodeling in the event of fire or natural disaster, and renewable energy installations. Electric vehicle installations are also eligible, contingent upon proof that all other funding sources (state, federal, and power company programs) have been exhausted. Applications are accepted year-round and reviewed twice per year. A $500 AEOA application fee is required at the initial inspection and processed at project closing. Work cannot begin prior to approval and site inspection, and grant payments are made directly to the awarded contractor or vendor upon completion and final inspection. Applicants are limited to one project per year (additional projects considered case-by-case) and must have property taxes paid and up to date, along with verification from the Minnesota Secretary of State that the organization and any contractors are active and in good standing. Prevailing wage must be paid and certified payroll collected.

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.

The Restaurants Care Resilience Fund provides California independent restaurants and commercial caterers with $5,000 grants to build operational resilience and weather the financial pressures facing small restaurant operators. Administered by Restaurants Care, a program of the California Restaurant Foundation (a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that has been supporting California's restaurant community since 1981), the Resilience Fund was launched in 2021 and has since awarded over $11 million in grants to more than 2,000 independent restaurants across the state, supporting burger joints, taquerias, bakeries, and other independently owned operators that serve as the heart of their communities. The fund is supported by corporate partners including PG&E, SoCalGas, Sysco, FreshPoint, J. Lohr Vineyards, EcoLab, Employers, and others. Applications are offered once per year, with multiple grant recipients selected annually (in 2026, the program awarded $5,000 grants to 256 independent restaurants and commercial caterers). Separately, Restaurants Care also operates a parallel emergency assistance program that provides up to $2,500 directly to individual food and beverage workers facing illness, injury, natural disaster, or death in the immediate family.

The Athens Downtown Development Authority (ADDA) Business Marketing Grant Program is intended to incentivize economic development by encouraging investment in brand development and online marketing. This grant supports funding for branding strategies; logo design; web design and development; e-commerce; and online/social media marketing optimization. The program will offer a 50% matching grant up to $5,000 for reimbursement. Improvements must contribute to the overall value of downtown business and investments.