The Kansas Department of Commerce has launched the Downtown Revive & Thrive: Rehabilitation for Innovation and Incubator Spaces program.
Donor Name: Kansas Department of Commerce
State: Kansas
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 03/10/2026
Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
Commerce seeks proposals to revitalize underutilized or historic buildings by transforming them into accessible, modern and sustainable workspaces.
Funding Information
- Total Funding Available: $500,000
- Max Award Amount: $100,000
Eligible Uses
- Buildings must be in the downtown or primary corridor of a rural community.
- Properties must be in cities with a population of less than 5,000.
- Renovates interior space to create a functional incubator or a facility that is designed for temporary retail, workspaces, innovation centers, or restaurant operations.
- Create a space that would increase downtown foot traffic.
- Building must be currently under-utilized or vacant to be eligible.
- Buildings should be older than approximately 30 years. Buildings do not need to be on the historic registry. Buildings made of plain cinder block, metal or another modern building material lacking any significant architectural details will not be strong candidates for this grant.
- Projects must show potential for reuse and revitalization as economic drivers in the community.
- The awarded project can include funding from any local, state or federal source, as long as there is no duplication of benefit. Examples include Community Development Block Grant, Community Service Tax Credit Program, USDA Rural Development, State Historic Preservation Office programs or Network Kansas programs.
- Projects must incorporate Main Street Design Guidelines and follow local ordinances and code for rehab/construction/façade improvements.
- The supporting organization and building owners are required to sign a contract agreeing to the conditions of the program.
- Construction must be complete in 24 months with a tenant in place in 30 Months. Building must be occupied and pass any local occupancy permit or local permitting inspection requirements.
- A maximum of $100,000 per city per year
Eligibility Criteria
- A private building owner must have an eligible local partnering support organization collaborate on the grant to complete the administration of the grant award. This organization will commit to supporting the project through the fiscal administration of the grant funds (distributing the payments to the building owner), tracking the quarterly financial reports, and ensuring that the building owner is on track with program deadlines. The applicant will also designate a primary point of contact that Commerce will be working with throughout the grant award, who will be responsible for managing communications between the building owners and Commerce as needed. A signed letter from the supporting organization must be included as a required attachment in order to be eligible.
- Eligible supporting and fiscal organizations include designated Kansas Main Street programs, economic development corporations or chambers of commerce, cities, counties, schools, 501(c)3 or 501(c)6 organizations, local community foundations, or tribal nations.
For more information, visit Kansas Department of Commerce.
