The City of Raleigh’s Building Up-fit Grant encourages growth and development by assisting small business owners who want to activate their vacant or underutilized commercial building space in Raleigh to create new business use and new jobs.
Donor Name: City of Raleigh
State: North Carolina
City: Raleigh
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 10/08/2023
Size of the Grant: up to $25,000
Details:
This matching reimbursement program helps small business owners invest in property improvements. The Building Up-fit Grant is a 1:1 match reimbursement by the tenant or property owner. This means that approved applicants must spend an amount on improvements, renovations, and/or additions at least equal to the amount of grant funds provided. For example, to receive the full $15K/$25k of reimbursed grant funding, the tenant/property owner must spend at least $30K/$50k of qualified expenses on such renovation/up-fit work.
Funding Information
Small business owners can receive up to $25,000 for interior property improvements.
Eligible Improvements
Qualified improvements include interior work such as:
- Mechanical, electrical, and/or plumbing for build-out;
- HVAC, fire suppression, and costs of bringing the building up to code;
- Flooring;
- Lighting;
- Attached fixtures and/or installment of permanent fixtures, accessibility compliance, restrooms, utility upgrades, construction of new walls, and demolition of existing walls; and
- Support mechanisms (roofing, foundation, support beams, columns, trusses, etc.)
Eligibility Criteria
The grant is for small business owners with 49 employees or less. The business must be located within the city limits of Raleigh. The grant is for business owners to improve their space in a manner consistent with City policy objectives.
Ineligibility
Projects that do not change the use of the space or add significant value to the property are excluded. Common examples of exclusions would include:
- Routine like-for-like maintenance replacements for old worn-out equipment
- Simple redecorating without new business use or functionality
- Exterior window or door like-for-like replacements
- Custom signs or awnings
- Personal property purchases (portable appliances, furniture, throw rugs, etc.)
- Purchases unrelated to a construction project such as retail items or other merchandise that will be for sale.
For more information, visit City of Raleigh.