The City of Santa Rosa is seeking applications for the Small Business Support Program to encourage economic development and destination awareness of historically under-invested areas by enhancing the exterior appearance and commercial viability of storefront businesses.
Donor Name: City of Santa Rosa
State: California
City: Santa Rosa
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 06/30/2023
Details:
General Façade Improvements Include
- Paint
- Signage
- Landscaping
- Exterior lighting
- Security systems
- Awnings/canopies
- Windows, doors, and safety grilles
- Restoration of historical façade features
- Parklet buildouts
- Compliance with the Americans with Disability Act (ADA)
Placemaking Improvements
- Murals or other public art on building or parklet exterior. Participating businesses will be paired with a public art project manager who will work with you to design public art on-site, such as an exterior mural or mosaic, at no cost to you.
Grant Award and Criteria
- A typical award will grant 70% of the project costs, depending on funding availability and evaluation criteria.
- 20% of the award is available up front for start-up costs; the remaining award will be issued though reimbursement.
- If applying to have public art installed at your site, you would be paired with a public art project manager who will work with your business to design public art on-site, such as an exterior mural or mosaic, paid for by the City.
- Proposed improvements that meet the below evaluation criteria will be most competitive for grant funding:
- Enhancing the exterior appearance and commercial viability of storefront businesses or parklet
- Restoring the exterior physical condition of a business
- Contributing to placemaking of a historically under-invested area
- Viability of proposed improvements
- Impact of proposed or completed improvements
Eligibility
- Phase 1: Business must be located in one of the following areas:
- Roseland commercial areas
- Santa Rosa Avenue/Petaluma Hill Road commercial areas
- Downtown
- Phase 2: Pending fund availability, remaining Santa Rosa commercial areas become eligible
- Applicant must meet the definition of an Impacted Small Business
- <500 employees
- Experienced decreased revenue or gross receipts during pandemic
- Experienced financial insecurity due to pandemic
- Faced increased costs
- Lack capacity to weather financial hardship due to pandemic
- Challenged with covering payroll, rent or mortgage, and other operating costs during pandemic
- If an applicant is a tenant the building/site owner must provide approval, too.
For more information, visit Small Business Support Program.