The City of Raleigh’s Facade Rehabilitation Grant program promotes growth and development by supporting small business owners in transforming their commercial buildings into vibrant, attractive spaces.
Donor Name: City of Raleigh
State: North Carolina
City: Raleigh
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 02/01/2026
Size of the Grant: $1000 to $10,000
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
Enhancing the vibrancy, safety, and character of Raleigh’s commercial areas is a priority for the community and its residents. The City of Raleigh’s Facade Rehabilitation Grant supports this goal by helping property owners and small businesses improve and restore building exteriors, addressing economic blight, strengthening the pedestrian experience, and fostering a more inviting and active streetscape. These improvements contribute to community enhancement efforts, increase foot traffic, and enhance the overall appeal and economic vitality of Raleigh’s neighborhoods.
Funding Information
- Grant amounts up to $5,000 outside Priority Areas for Economic Development.
- Grant amounts up to $10,000 inside Priority Areas for Economic Development.
- Grant funds are allocated $50,000 per year.
Qualified improvements include
- Removal of false fronts (such as aluminum panels)
- Repair or replacement of windows, doors and cornices
- Repair or replacement of facade materials
- Exterior painting (when associated with a larger rehabilitation effort)
- Construction costs
- Artist fees for qualified art or murals
- Labor costs and equipment rental for art or mural
- Construction and material costs for art or mural
- Exterior Painting and lighting costs for art or mural
Art & Mural Items:
- Artist fees
- Labor costs and equipment rental
- Construction and material costs
- Exterior painting and lighting costs
Eligibility Criteria
- The property must be located within the City of Raleigh.
- The property must be subject to City of Raleigh ad valorem taxes.
- Funding must support capital investment (expenditures for improvements, renovations and/or additions to the property) and cannot be used for personal property located upon or used in connection with the property.
- The improvements, renovations and/or additions must have been undertaken after appropriate permits from the City of Raleigh have been obtained.
- Improvements made must remain with the property for a minimum of three (3) years following the disbursement of grant funds.
- If the funded improvements are removed from the property or damaged and not repaired within the three-year occupancy period, funds shall be repaid to the city as follows:
- 100 percent of grant paid if within the first year following grant payment.
- 66.6 percent of grant paid if within the second year following grant payment.
- 33.3 percent of grant paid if within the third year following grant payment.
- If the grantee fails to pay taxes owed to the City of Raleigh during the threey ear occupancy period and continues to fail to pay such taxes within 10 business days of receiving notice of tax delinquency from the city, the entire grant amount must be repaid to the city.
- Murals must have an impact on the property’s facade. Mural’s covering facade’s in good condition are ineligible.
- The tenant’s use must be an office, personal service, retailer, eating establishment, or industrial use space (as defined in the Unified Development Ordinance).
- Rehabilitation projects for loading docks are eligible.
- Program excludes bars, night clubs, taverns, and lounges.
- Facade projects must be visible from public street.
- Space or building must currently exist.
For more information, visit City of Raleigh.
