The Ithaca Retail Mini-Grant program seeks to encourage new marketing campaigns and strategies to refresh and enliven small, locally owned, independent businesses or franchises within the City of Ithaca.
Donor Name: Downtown Ithaca Alliance
State: New York
City: Ithaca
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 06/15/2023
Size of the Grant: up to $3,000
Grant Duration: 12 months
Details:
Now in its third year, the Downtown Ithaca Alliance (DIA) is expanding its Collaborative Retail Experience Grant (CREG) program in partnership with the City of Ithaca, to offset the harm caused to retail business traffic due to the effects of COVID-19 in the greater city area by increasing this program funding’s footprint. The program will be referred to as the Ithaca Retail Mini-Grant Program in 2023. Program is made possible by The City of Ithaca’s allocation of state and local relief funding as received by the City of Ithaca’s American Rescue Plan Act.
Program Goals
- To actively engage consumers in rediscovering retail establishments after COVID-19
- To refresh and reestablish place making regular commercial activity
- To create new reasons for shoppers and diners to visit retail establishments in Ithaca
- To help encourage collaborative projects between businesses and increase a sense of community
- To promote activities that take place during especially slower foot traffic periods
- To expand events and promotional options enjoyed in the City of Ithaca by locals and tourists
- Increases foot traffic to areas of commerce that specifically increase entrance into storefronts or their online platforms/marketplaces.
Award Categories
Two different applications will be available for two different thresholds of the funding opportunities:
- Lower Threshold: Marketing Strategy award
- These awards are intended to support marketing actions for an individual business. A clear plan of marketing-related actions (including signage, website upgrades, social media platform, e-commerce improvements, etc.) and goals/outcomes are required including reporting how award funding is spent. The applicant’s location of business must be within the City of Ithaca limits. Businesses are eligible to apply for program funding only once in either this Marketing Strategy threshold area or the Cross-Promotion Collaboration Campaign threshold area in a 12-month period. Businesses are encouraged to partner and collaborate on unlimited projects funded by the program.
- Higher Threshold: Cross-Promotion Collaboration Campaign award
- These awards are intended for developing unique activities among two or more businesses within the City of Ithaca. Business applications for cross-promotion collaboration campaigns must connect at minimum two businesses within the City of Ithaca. Additional businesses, non-profits, and organizations are encouraged to be involved. A single business project leader is required to be identified and must be the applicant and administrator of the funds as presented and outlined in their application. Businesses are eligible to apply for program funding only once in either this Cross-Promotion Collaboration Campaign threshold area or the Marketing Strategy threshold area in a 12-month period. Businesses are encouraged to partner and collaborate on unlimited projects funded by the program.
Funding Information
- The award funding for this program is $500 up to $3,000
- Maximum of one award given to any one business (or project-leading business) in a 12-month period.
Uses of funds
- Funds, as it pertains to marketing strategies, can be used for:
- Improved signage
- Flyers/posters/rack cards
- Advertising (radio, print, digital)
- Window displays
- New fixture displays
- Support for online sales (such as updated POS system)
- Consulting fees for digital/online commerce assistance (website, sales platforms, social media).
- Funds, as it pertains to cross-promotion collaborative campaigns, can be used for:
- Increased promotional material i.e. maps, flyers, signs, raffle tickets
- Increased staff hours at the event used to further the theme or activities offered that would not have been possible otherwise
- Merchandise/materials/supplies directly associated with the event that would not have been purchased otherwise that furthers the specific theme of the event/promotion to sell or to be used as part of a giveaway
- Marketing support/assistance
- Programming costs and/or assistance
- Collateral materials for the specific event/promotion
- Increased print, radio, or digital advertising that would not have been purchased otherwise ie. reaching/getting more people to the event/promotion.
Applicant Guidelines
- Complete the grant application fully
- Provide a clear outline of expected overall expenses as well as the expected use of award funds
- Provide compelling plans and outcomes if applying for a marketing strategy award
- Provide compelling plans to gain attendees or participation if applying for a cross-promotion collaboration campaign
- Cross-promotion applications:
- Must involve at least one other supporting/collaborating business within the City of of Ithaca
- Must involve at least one ground-floor commercial lease retail business as project leader or collaborating business within the City of Ithaca
- Can include additional collaborating businesses and organizations outside of the City of Ithaca but must be led and mainly focused on the project leader’s business within the City of Ithaca
- Can participate in unlimited events/promotions as a supporting/collaborative business
- The project must have some focus on an activity (or aspect of a larger-scale activity) taking place inside a retail space
- The event does not have to be centered on a hard sale. Incorporating free aspects or community-minded giveaways, fundraising campaigns, deep discounts, etc., will be scored favorably if included in project plans in the proposed use for funding
- Each business involved must provide active staff engagement, support for, and knowledge regarding the activity
- Must stipulate if it will be a rain or shine event and/or name and promote a backup date for an event if there is a need for cancellation.
For more information, visit Downtown Ithaca Alliance.
