The City of New Bedford’s Office of Housing and Community Development is offering funding to qualified businesses and nonprofit organizations for façade improvements utilizing funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
Donor Name: City of New Bedford
State: Massachusetts
City: New Bedford
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: Ongoing
Size of the Grant: Up to $40,000
Details:
A Facade Grant is offered to owners and tenants of commercial properties as an incentive to improve or restore the original character of their buildings. (Applications prepared by tenants must be signed and submitted by the building owner.) Facade grants will assist owners and tenants in restoring the appearance of their buildings. Facade improvement projects must contribute to and not detract from the attractiveness of commercial buildings and the streetscape.
The goals of the Program are to:
- Facilitate commercial revitalization
- Stimulate private investment and customer patronage
- Preserve and beautify New Bedford’s Commercial Districts
- Generate business opportunities and create a pleasant walking environment by improving the visual aesthetics of commercial building facades.
The objective of the program is to assist in restoring, substantially beautifying, and/or enhancing the entire façade or elevation of a commercial building. Additionally, the program is intended to assist projects that promote retail activities, create an attractive environment, encourage neighborhood character and architectural design, use quality materials, and incorporate good design concepts.
Funding Information
- Eligible Commercial Property Owners and tenants can receive a grant up to $40,000 for eligible façade improvements.
- For grant requests over $10,000, applicants are required to provide a 25% match of the amount over $10,000. Grant amounts up to $10,000 do not require a match.
- The maximum grant amount allowed per project is not to exceed the total project cost minus the value of the required match.
- The match may not be met using funds from other ARPA-funded programs.
Eligibility Criteria
- All improvements must comply with City building and zoning standards. All proposed improvements will be subject to a historical review to ensure that the architecture features are preserved to the greatest extent possible.
- The owner of the building must be the applicant to the program. Commercial tenants wishing to participate must do so through the property owner. Building owners may submit separate applications for each tenant, but duplicative costs are not allowed, and matching funds will also be treated separately.
- Most businesses located in Qualified Census Tracts are eligible. Businesses not located in Qualified Census Tracts must be a “disproportionately impacted” business, per the ARPA Final Rule, which in Massachusetts includes businesses in the following industries: Arts, Entertainment, & Recreation; Accommodation & Food Services; and Personal Care Services. Businesses outside of the Qualified Census Tracts and not in a disproportionately impacted industry are not eligible for funding.
- The owner/applicant must have no outstanding city taxes, fees, or other assessments due to the City of New Bedford.
- The building must contain commercial, office, or service-oriented space or vacant space available for commercial use.
- No chain franchises or chain businesses are eligible for this program.
- Eligible improvements are limited to the building façade as defined above.
- Participants must comply with all state and local laws and regulations pertaining to licensing and permits.
- Commercial properties must comply with state and local code requirements.
- For buildings with a ground/first floor used for commercial purposes or return of previous ground/first floor commercial properties back to commercial use.
- The Office of Housing and Community Development reserves the right to make the final determination as to the appropriateness, suitability, and design of the improvements. Further, the OHCD reserves the right to make the final determination as to whether work was carried out according to approved designs and specifications.
For more information, visit City of New Bedford.
