Facade Grants

If you have questions about the boundaries, please contact CharlotteRising.

11/14/24

CharlotteRising is pleased to announce that we will be applying for a competitive grant through the Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP). Funding is contingent upon our application’s approval with notification expected by January 31, 2025. We will be scored on our projects’ potential economic impact and financial feasibility.

If approved, we will be awarded up to $50K to fund 50% of eligible Facade Improvement costs to private businesses in the downtown area up to $10K maximum per building.

If you are interested in receiving some of this grant funding, you will need to act quickly to be considered. Applications are due November 25th to CharlotteRising. The CharlotteRising Board of Directors will be reviewing projects and selecting those that are competitive to include with our application before our application deadline, as required. Please note that some selected projects may be approved for amounts less than requested.

Projects will be limited to centrally located businesses within the highlighted area in the map below. Only new projects are eligible for funding. Projects already in progress are not eligible.

Conditions of Eligibility:

• Applicant must be the property owner or provide a signed approval letter from property owner

• Applicant must be current on property taxes

Eligible Expenses:

Improvements must be to public/street facing facades only and must meet all relevant municipal zoning, building, and safety codes. Projects must be permanent and fixed in type or nature and can include:

• Doors, windows

• Attached signage, lighting and/or awnings

• Exterior work/masonry

Next Steps:

• Fill out an application and return to CharlotteRising by November 25th.

• Applications will be reviewed by the Board of Directors.

• Selections will be made and applicants will be notified no later than December 2nd.

All approved projects must prove their “shovel readiness” and are required to submit the following documentation to CharlotteRising no later than December 16th:

1. Contractor estimates and timeline for completion

2. Proof and source details for funding to pay for matching 50% of costs

3. Documentation of ownership or a signed letter of permission from the property owner

Due to the tight time frame, we encourage you to work on collecting this documentation immediately at your own risk and expense.

If you have questions, please reach out to:

Annie Williams Executive Director, CharlotteRising awilliams@charlotterising.com ph: 517-983-9310