The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (“DMPED”) invites the submission of applications from qualified organizations for the 2026 Rhode Island Avenue Support Grant Program
Donor Name: Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED)
State: District of Columbia
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 07/06/2026
Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
The purpose of the Program is to provide grants to support businesses that sign long-term leases of at least five (5) years with a minimum of three (3) years remaining on an existing lease in the Rhode Island Avenue Corridor in the District of Columbia and offer retail, educational programs, community connections and attract foot traffic to the corridor.
Funding Information
The total amount of funding available for this Program is $350,000 for 2026, contingent on the availability of an appropriated budget in such amount. DMPED anticipates making multiple awards ranging from $10,000 – $100,000.
Uses of Funds
Grant funds may be used to support the following costs:
- Eligible rent payments.
- Eligible tenant improvements. Grant funds may be used to fund eligible tenant improvement costs incurred from the release date of this RFA until the end of the initial period of performance. Examples of eligible tenant improvements include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Interior façade improvements that do not impact structure (i.e. lighting, open layouts, carpentry, cabinets, countertops, room partitions, flooring, painting/wall coverings, ceiling fans, doors, windows, hardware);
- Plumbing and electrical installations;
- Engineering or architectural design fees;
- Built in fixtures or millwork; or
- Large immovable furniture.
Eligibility Criteria
- Applicants must be an Eligible Business and shall:
- Be registered as an entity in the District of Columbia;
- Be in good standing with the District of Columbia’s Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP), the Office of Tax and Revenue (OTR), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and the Department of Employment Services (DOES);
- Have fewer than 30 full-time employees;
- Sign or intend to sign a long-term lease of a commercial property, defined as a five (5) year lease with a minimum of three (3) years remaining on an existing lease as of the closing date of the application period; and
- Offer retail, educational programs, entertainment, food, or other services or activities that strengthen community connections and attract foot traffic to the Rhode Island Avenue Corridor.
- Applicants must demonstrate that the property where the business is or will be located is an eligible property (“Eligible Property”) located within the Rhode Island Avenue Corridor, as show on the map here: Rhode Island Avenue Grant Program Eligibility Area Priority preference will be given to applicants that operate fresh food retail businesses, i.e., grocery stores.
Ineligibility
The following applicants are not eligible to receive a grant under the Program:
- Adult entertainment
- Auto body repair
- Bank (retail)
- E-commerce business without a brick-and-mortar location
- Home-based businesses
- Insurance office
- Medical office provider (except urgent care center)
- Nightclub (CX/DX license from ABCA)
- Phone store
- Realtor office
- Seasonal business (only open part of the year)
- An electronic equipment facility that is primarily occupied by electronic and computer equipment that provides electronic data switching, transmission, or telecommunication functions between computer, both inside and outside the facility
- Other businesses that do not strengthen community connections and attract foot traffic to the Rhode Island Avenue Corridor
- Businesses otherwise not included in the list of eligible businesses; and
- Any business that has previously received funding from the Great Streets Program in 2026 or in the previous 3 years.
For more information, visit DMPED.
