The City of Soldotna is now accepting grant applications for its Storefront Improvement Program to revitalize Soldotna’s commercial areas by stimulating additional private investment in the local economy.
Donor Name: City of Soldotna
State: Alaska
City: Soldotna
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 06/30/2023
Size of the Grant: $7,500
Details:
The City of Soldotna’s Storefront Improvement Program provides a 50% matching grant, up to $7,500, for exterior business remodels in their commercial districts. This program was created in 2012, and seeks to encourage private investment in their downtown and to beautify the Sterling and Kenai Spur Highway corridors.
By partnering with local business owners and lessees to share the cost of beautifying the exterior of a business, the program aims to boost traffic, increase property values, and improve the overall look and vitality of their city’s commercial districts.
The program was established in 2012 to meet several goals of Envision Soldotna 2030, the City’s long-range plan, including:
- Promoting development of their “downtown area” to attract both visitors and residents;
- Encouraging redevelopment of key areas, particularly along the river and major highways;
- Ensuring a healthy economy by supporting a diversity of local businesses; and
- Improving the streetscape along the Sterling and Kenai Spur Highways.
Eligible work
Rehabilitation of building facades that are visible to the street, including the following elements: storefronts; signs and graphics; windows; exterior lighting; canopies and awnings; painting and masonry work; permanent landscaping; and accessibility improvements. The emphasis of the grant program is to encourage the transformation of building facades through improvements to one or more of the elements listed above. Greater weight is awarded to projects that incorporate multiple elements. The grant program is not intended to provide financial assistance for routine upkeep and maintenance (e.g., painting) or to satisfy required updates (e.g., franchise requirements to change paint scheme, signage, etc.). Applications are competitive and the highest ranking proposals will be funded first.
Eligibility Criteria
Eligible participants include property owners and business lessees (with written authorization of the property owner), located in the Commercial or Limited Commercial zoning districts.
Ineligible participants
Properties primarily in residential use (ex. apartments or condominiums); – Structures not facing or visible from the right-of-way; – Government offices and agencies (non-governmental tenants are eligible); – New construction, less than 5 years old.
The following general conditions apply to all projects:
- Improvements funded by the grant shall be maintained in good order for a period of at least five (5) years; graffiti and vandalism will be dutifully repaired by the applicant during this time period.
- Borough property and sales tax must be current, and participants shall have no debts in arrears to the City when the Commitment Letter is issued.
- The applicant must complete, sign and submit a W-9 in order for disbursement of funds.
For more information, visit City of Soldotna.
