In the U.S., Main Street programs have served as the innovation centers for downtown and neighborhood commercial district revitalization efforts for more than 40 years.
And now, given the impacts of COVID-19, that same innovative thinking will be needed to guide Main Street programs through this crisis. In times like this, creativity, experimentation and entrepreneurial thinking are imperative to addressing both immediate needs and positioning Main Street programs to have a successful recovery.
With this in mind, The Grills Fund for Main Street Revitalization is being offered. This new grant fund will provide five (5) Accredited Main Street America Programs $10,000 each to help fund innovative revitalization efforts to address the current and/or legacy impacts of COVID-19.
The Grills Fund for Main Street Revitalization celebrates the innovative thinking that has always been vital to the revitalization of America’s Main Streets by honoring and supporting programs that demonstrate new approaches and creative techniques to managing their downtown/district through the impacts caused by the pandemic. The recipients will not only actively position their communities and programs for success, but will offer model programs, activities, and solutions for Main Streets across the country.
This new grant fund is made possible through the generosity of Joe and Marge Grills of Rapidan, Virginia. The Grills have been long-time leaders in supporting Main Street at both the national and local level. Joe has served as a founding member of the National Main Street Center Board since 2013 and they are dedicated supporters of Main Street America programs in Orange and Culpeper, Virginia.
Program Details
The Grills Fund for Main Street Revitalization will provide five (5) $10,000 grants to support Main Street organizations’ innovative, experimental, creative and/or entrepreneurial approaches to addressing revitalization efforts impacted by COVID-19.
Criteria
Innovation: Proposed idea represents innovative, experimental, creative and/or entrepreneurial approaches to addressing Main Street revitalization efforts impacted by COVID-19.
Feasibility: Proposed idea is feasible given grant amount.
Replicability: Proposed idea is something that could be modeled and/or scaled for other Main Street programs to adopt and implement.
Project must be able to be completed by December 31, 2020.
Eligibility
Applicant must be a 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(6) organization or a government entity.
Applicant must be an Accredited Main Street America community.
Timeline
Application period: April 8 – April 24, 2020
Project award: May 18, 2020
Project implementation period: May 2020 – December 2020
To be eligible, entrants must complete the entire application and review the program terms and conditions.
Program Terms and Conditions
Grantee will be required to:
- Report periodically to MSA on the implementation of the projects and their local impact. Note: report format and further instructions will be provided after Winning Community selection.
- Monthly, Grantee will report program progress status.
- Annually, Grantee will report:
- Local dollars raised or leveraged as a result of the Grills Fund grant.
- New partnerships created as a result of the Grills Fund grant.
- Other metrics specific to the project type, to be decided upon grant award.
Non-performance
- Grantees will have until December 2020 to complete their respective projects.
- The Grills Fund Grant will be paid to Grantees up front and in full upon award.
- If a Grantee does not complete its project by December 2020, the completion date may be extended at the sole discretion of Main Street America, or Main Street America may request that the Grantee return funds.
Questions? Contact Lindsey Wallace at LWallace@savingplaces.org.
Photo of downtown Buckhannon, West Virginia via PixaBay.