The City of Council Bluffs is excited to offer financial assistance to eligible applicants and properties to help fund planning projects and physical improvements within the downtown area through the Downtown Improvement Grant (DIG) Program.
Donor Name: City of Council Bluffs
State: Iowa
City: Council Bluffs
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 02/28/2023
Size of the Grant: $5,000-$25,000
Details:
The Downtown Improvement Grant (DIG) is a competitive, financial incentive program offered by the City of Council Bluffs Community Development Department for a limited amount of time that is designed to help eligible property and/or business owners make high quality, lasting improvements to the Downtown area.
Goals
- Preserve downtown’s historic fabric by enhancing existing historic resources and designating and identifying potential historic districts and/or properties
- Encourage private investment towards physical improvements to the public realm that create a safe and interesting user experience
- Utilize DIG funding efficiently while leveraging private investment to the fullest extent possible to prioritize projects with the most significant impact on improving the downtown
Available Opportunities
The program is comprised of the following reimbursable matching grant opportunities:
- Building Façade Improvement Grant
- 50% reimbursable matching grant for funding of exterior façade improvements of up to $5,000 for minor projects and $25,000 for major projects
- Eligible minor expenses include: signage, canopies, awnings, and/or exterior lighting
- Eligible major expenses include: exterior building repairs, exterior painting, tuck-pointing and masonry repair, window and door repair/replacement, and/or storefront repair/replacement
- Placemaking Grant
- 50% reimbursable matching grant of up to $5,000 for projects that provide a sense of place and activate the public realm
- Eligible expenses include, but are not limited to: outdoor furniture and/or wayfinding signage
- Planning Grant
- 50% reimbursable matching grant of up to $5,000 for pre-development or planning costs
- Eligible expenses include: planning or market studies; professional design work, including architecture and engineering; surveys, nominations, and listings for the National Register of Historic Places; and/or development of historic district design standards
- Other projects within the DIG program boundary that are not included in the above categories, but meet the objectives and priorities of the program shall be subject to review by Community Development Department staff to determine eligibility and available funding.
Eligible Properties
Downtown property and/or business owners located within the DIG program boundary are eligible to apply. One and two-family uses are not eligible for the DIG program.
For more information, visit City of Council Bluffs.
