The Town of Wilmington is accepting applications for Round 2 of 2024 Facade Improvement Grant Program.
Donor Name: Town of Wilmington
State: Massachusetts
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant | Matching Grants
Deadline: 12/15/2023
Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
With this Façade Improvement Grant Program, the Town of Wilmington is providing direct financial assistance in the form of grant funding to Wilmington property owners and businesses that were impacted by COVID-19 to renovate and improve the attractiveness of their public facing storefronts to draw in customers and increase economic activity.
Funding for this program is federal aid from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), an act passed by the federal government in March 2021, which is intended to aid Massachusetts communities in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Funding Information
The Town has allocated a total of $300,000 of ARPA funds for façade improvement grants (Round 1 & 2). Applicants must provide a matching dollar amount of 10% of the total proposed project cost in order to qualify for funding. Grants of up to $25,000 may be awarded with this program, depending on the match amount and project scope.
Eligible Projects
Improvements to public facing storefronts and areas of the site including the following:
- Signs.
- Awnings without text.
- Minor landscaping such as, but not limited to; window boxes, planting beds, small trees, and shrubs (quantity, variety, and location of shrubs and trees must be shown on a plan).
- Storefront improvements such as, but not limited to, windows, doors, and storefront resurfacing.
- Outdoor seating area and hardscaping improvements (there will be no funding for patio furniture).
- Painting of the storefront (including murals).
- ADA/AAB compliance (accessibility).
- Architectural lighting and lighting for pedestrians/walkways.
Eligibility Criteria
The following criteria will apply to all Façade Improvement Program applicants:
- Applicants must be commercial tenants or commercial property owners (associated with the current business/storefront) in the Town of Wilmington who have been impacted by COVID-19 (property owner’s authorization is required for tenants).
- Applicants must be current on all taxes and owe no outstanding property fees, judgements, or liens.
- Commercial businesses and storefronts must be visible from the street and must currently be open to the general public. Preference will be given to projects whose storefronts face either Main Street or Lowell Street, however, all commercial businesses and commercial property owners are eligible to apply.
- Have not already received a façade improvement grant from the Town of Wilmington in the first round of awards for the Façade Improvement Grant Program.
- Applicants have consulted with the Department of Planning & Conservation on the project concept early in the planning stage. Applicants who have not completed this step will not receive funding.
For more information, visit Town of Wilmington.
