The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) is soliciting grant applications from qualified small business owners who wish to improve their place of business.
Donor Name: Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED)
State: District of Columbia
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 02/24/2023
Size of the Grant: up to $80,000
Details:
The Great Streets Retail Small Business Grant provides existing and new businesses the opportunity to help transform 13 emerging commercial corridors into thriving and inviting livable, walkable, and shoppable neighborhood centers. This opportunity is geared towards brick-and-mortar businesses located in a Great Streets Corridor.
The purpose of the Great Streets Retail Small Business Grant is to support existing small businesses, attract new businesses, increase the District’s tax base, create new job opportunities for District residents, and transform designated emerging commercial corridors into thriving and inviting neighborhood centers
Priorities
- This grant encourages existing and new neighborhood-based retail-oriented businesses which seek access to capital to improve their place of business, re-imaging their service approach by expanding services, and/or to fill a need in an underserved retail priority area.
- The Great Streets program grows the District’s local small business economy and bolster neighborhoods with inadequate access to retail opportunities. The Administration seeks to invest in 13 retail priority areas, “Great Streets Corridors,” with the goal of creating livable, walkable, shoppable, community-serving retail experiences across all eight wards.
- DMPED seeks to invest in small businesses which:
- Activate or stabilize the commercial corridor through its physical presence.
- Maintain and/or create new jobs, especially for District residents.
- Visually impact the corridor via façade improvements; and d. Improve the customer experience via interior remodeling.
Funding Information
Awards will range up to $80,000.
Eligible Funding Uses
The following are eligible funding uses:
Up to 100% of the grant can be applied towards the following hard costs:
- Build-out of new or vacant space
- Interior and exterior renovations, including façade improvements and/or improvements; and,
- Purchase and installation of heavy equipment that is permanently attached to a wall, floor, or ceiling.
Up to 35% of the grant can be applied towards the following soft costs:
- Point-of-sale and inventory management hardware and software
- Marketing materials and services
- Purchase and installation of movable equipment and furniture
- E-commerce sales systems to support existing operations, including B2C5 and B2B6 retail and wholesale activities.
The following are NOT eligible uses of funds:
- Debts
- Expenses associated with preparing this application
- Inventory
- Legal fees
- Payroll
- Rent
- All expenses not listed above as eligible uses of funds. NOTE: For new businesses, the following items are not allowable use of grant funds. For existing businesses, the removal of the following items, if applicable is required.
- Excessive papering on front facing windows (Windows must be clear of debris.)
- Corner stores and businesses holding a Tavern License are required to enter the Private Security Camera Rebate Program, administered by the Office of Victim Services and Justice Grants (OVSJG).
Basic Requirements:
- Have a business that is located within or along the border of a Great Street corridor
- Be in Good Standing with the DC Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA), the DC Office of Tax and Revenue (OTR), the DC Department of Employment Services (DOES), and the federal Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
- Have an active Basic Business License
- Evidence of site control
- Possess proof of property and liability insurance
- Understand the scope of the proposed project (including timeline, costs, project management, and potential impact to the business, corridor, and community
- Have financial records readily available
- Must have a project budget and financial projections
Eligibility Criteria
Eligible applicants include the following:
- For-profit entities (including, but not limited to partnerships, limited liability companies, and corporations), and art- and humanities-based, 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations duly organized in the District of Columbia;
- Retail and service-oriented business owners whose location is situated in or within a Great Street Corridor boundary;
- Business owners who have not previously received Great Streets funding for the applicant business property.
- Business owners sharing space1 (Award amount for multiple businesses co-located within same physical address location shall not exceed the $80,000 threshold.);
- Owners of retail and service-oriented business types not included in the Ineligible Applicant list below (Example: Company B is an apparel shop. Company B is eligible to apply since business is not listed as an ineligible business);
- Business owners who previously were awarded Great Streets funding for their original location but are opening a second or third location
- Example #1: In 2019, Company C was awarded a Great Streets grant and would like to apply again for second location. Company C is eligible to apply.
- Example #2: In 2015, Company D was awarded a Great Street grant and wishes to expand its operation by leasing the neighboring vacant space to increase the business’ square footage. Company D is eligible to apply.
- Example #3: In 2020, Company E was awarded a Great Streets grant and wants to expand by moving/relocating the business to larger building to gain more square footage. Company E is not eligible to apply;
- Businesses that hold a Tavern license and permits issued by Alcohol Beverage Regulation Administration (ABRA) with the ability to prove via tax returns that primary revenue is not from alcohol sales; and
- Owners of retail or service franchises which are based in the District, but which have fewer than three existing locations.
For more information, visit Great Streets Retail Grants.
