The Main Street Matters (MSM) program is designed to support the downtown cores and surrounding neighborhoods with tools to create healthy, vibrant, and welcoming communities.
Donor Name: Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED)
State: Pennsylvania
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 11/15/2024
Size of the Grant: $500,000 to $1 million
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
Funding is available to support revitalization efforts in planning, business support, aesthetic improvements, and the increase of safety and security.
Communities may wish to consider designation through the MSM program as a Main Street or Elm Street. Designation is an opportunity for targeted investment and development including the identification of specific needs for investment and/or development and the design and implementation of a strategy to address those needs.
Types of Grants
- Planning Grants
- Façade Grants
- Business Improvement Grants
- District Development Grants
- Accessible Housing Grants
- Implementation Grants
Funding Information
- Planning grants may not exceed $50,000.
- Façade grants may not exceed $100,000.
- Business Improvement Grants may not exceed $100,000.
- District development grants require a minimum 50% match of the total project cost and may not exceed $1,000,000.
- Accessible housing grants may not exceed $300,000.
- Implementation grants may not exceed $100,000.
Eligible Uses of funds
- Planning Grants
- Planning grants are available to address a particular need or circumstance within a community, undertake a study relevant to an identified need, or study the results of implementing a specific activity. Planning activities may include, but are not limited to:
- Planning toward designation under the MSM Program,
- Implementing a business development survey in preparation of a business development strategy and/or preparation of the business development strategy,
- Planning for the establishment of a Neighborhood Improvement District, Business Improvement District, or a Downtown Improvement District, and
- Architectural, engineering, legal, consulting, and other soft costs and fees required to implement a construction project designed to improve and/or revitalize a neighborhood or community such as streetscape, anchor building, or development projects. Priority consideration will be given to projects that can demonstrate secured funding for the construction project.
- Planning grants are available to address a particular need or circumstance within a community, undertake a study relevant to an identified need, or study the results of implementing a specific activity. Planning activities may include, but are not limited to:
- Façade Grants
- Façade grants are available to stimulate private investment in properties, foster an attractive environment, and preserve the architectural heritage of properties and communities. The grant funds may be used for primary street-facing exterior building improvements in a defined target area of a downtown or neighborhood such as storefront signs, exterior façade painting, design assistance, etc.
- Business Improvement Grants
- Business Improvement Grants are available to stimulate private business investment and better enable business attraction, retention, and expansion in the defined target area of a downtown or neighborhood. Grants funds will be awarded to an eligible applicant to support a local program providing microgrants and/or forgivable microloans.
- Microgrants may be used by established businesses for capital purchases; structural or interior improvements; hardware, software, and connectivity upgrades; and professional marketing and promotions activities
- Microloans may be used by established or new small businesses for capital purchases; structural or interior improvements; hardware, software, and connectivity upgrades; professional marketing and promotions activities; and operating expenses. Microloans may also be used by businesses for employee salaries and benefits, operations costs including rent or mortgage assistance, utility bills, inventory, consumable supplies, or fees to secure other financing.
- District Development Grants
- District development grants are available for large public and private development projects which improve the buildings, housing units, and infrastructure associated with Main Street and Elm Street districts, as well as for public safety and permanent aesthetic improvements for these districts. District development activities may include, but are not limited to:
- Acquisition, rehabilitation or restoration of older or under-utilized buildings for immediate reuse supporting other community development goals, including those which qualify for listing in the National Register of Historic Places or are an anchor building in a community.
- Demolition of blighted structures with a plan for committed private or public development and/or site maintenance.
- Site improvements to support the construction of new housing units or commercial structures.
- Acquisition, rehabilitation, and/or new construction of:
- Housing resulting in homeownership or rental opportunities.
- Mixed-use buildings which contain a combination of distinct and separate commercial and residential uses.
- Commercial buildings which support opportunities for the location of new businesses and commercial enterprises.
- Rehabilitation of owner-occupied residential properties.
- Public infrastructure improvements such as:
- Road rehabilitation or construction, streetscape improvements, and water and sewer improvements.
- Extension of service through public rights-of-way, including widening of roadways and upgrades to water, sanitary, or storm sewers.
- Purchase and installation of police cameras, street lighting, and other infrastructure which contributes to improved public safety outcomes.
- District development grants may also be available to help a Main Street or Elm Street district recover from a disaster event, such as flooding or fire.
- District development grants are available for large public and private development projects which improve the buildings, housing units, and infrastructure associated with Main Street and Elm Street districts, as well as for public safety and permanent aesthetic improvements for these districts. District development activities may include, but are not limited to:
- Accessible Housing Grants
- Accessible housing grants are available to undertake accessibility improvements to housing units for people with permanent physical disabilities in order to allow the individuals to reside in their current home rather than an institution or to return to the community from an institution. Eligible activities include:
- Construction, renovation, and/or installation of adaptations, including the cost to evaluate the beneficiary’s need with regard to the installation of the proposed modification(s).
- Adaptive modifications, such as ramps, lifts, door-widening, visual doorbells, audio phones, visual phone signalers, etc., that will improve the ability of a person with permanent, physical disabilities to enter and exit the home.
- Adaptive modifications, such as widening hallways, lowering kitchen counters, enlarging bathrooms, adding grab bars, etc., that will increase the ability of a person with permanent, physical disabilities to perform activities of daily living.
- Adaptive modifications that do not extend beyond the original footprint of the housing unit that will enable a person with a permanent, physical disability to remain in the home and prevent institutionalization.
- Other items not included above but clearly demonstrated as integral to the person with the disability remaining in the home.
- Accessible housing grants are available to undertake accessibility improvements to housing units for people with permanent physical disabilities in order to allow the individuals to reside in their current home rather than an institution or to return to the community from an institution. Eligible activities include:
- Implementation Grants
- Implementation grants are available to assist designated MSM program communities in implementing critical components of their approved Five-Year Strategy. Implementation grant activities may include, but are not limited to:
- Signage,
- Program promotion and advertising, and
- Implementation of a business retention program.
- Implementation grants are available to assist designated MSM program communities in implementing critical components of their approved Five-Year Strategy. Implementation grant activities may include, but are not limited to:
Eligibility Criteria
- Units of local government (counties, cities, boroughs, townships, towns, and home rule municipalities)
- Redevelopment and/or housing authorities
- Nonprofit organizations to include economic development organizations, housing corporations, etc.
- Community development corporations
- Business improvement districts, neighborhood improvement districts, downtown improvement districts, and similar organizations incorporated as authorities.
For more information, visit DCED.
