[Durham INC] Durham Seeks Grant Applicants for Downtown Retail & Professional Services

[Blalock, Amy]

CITY OF DURHAM

Office of Public Affairs

101 City Hall Plaza

Durham, NC 27701

 

 

News Release

 

For Details, Contact:

Amy Blalock

Sr. Public Affairs Specialist

(919) 560-4123 x 11253

(919) 475-7735 (cell)

Amy.Blalock at DurhamNC.gov

 

 

 

 

For Immediate Release: March 5, 2012

 

 

 

Durham Seeks Grant Applicants for Downtown Retail & Professional
Services 

April 2nd Deadline to Submit Applications, Public Information Session
Set for March 14th 

 

DURHAM, N.C. - Downtown Durham business owners interested in making
building improvements should take note of a grant opportunity available
through the City of Durham.

 

The City's Office of Economic and Workforce Development is now accepting
applications for projects inside the Downtown Development Tier for the
Retail and Professional Services Grant, formerly known as the
Merchandise-Based Incentive Grant Program.

 

In order to be eligible for the Retail and Professional Services Grant,
the project property must be a street level, retail business, restaurant
or a certain professional or personal services business such as a
childcare center or beauty salon. The applicant must be the owner of the
property or have a fully signed lease and a letter of approval from the
property owner supporting the proposed improvements. The business must
be open at least five days a week, eight hours a day. Organizations that
are not eligible to apply are religious organizations; government
agencies or offices; businesses or private clubs that exclude minors as
patrons; and residential projects.

 

Retail and Professional Services Grant recipients are eligible to
receive up to $15,000 in matching funds from the City for a project that
meets eligibility criteria and scores high enough in the competitive
evaluation process. Only funds spent on work performed after City
approval of the grant are eligible for reimbursement. Eligible expenses
include but are not limited to security systems, telephone systems,
point of sale equipment, kitchen equipment, millwork, built-in display
furnishings and shelving, HVAC, coolers, plumbing, demolition, flooring,
grease traps, sprinkler systems, electrical, installation of walls,
package and labeling equipment and similar items.

 

The deadline to apply for a Retail and Professional Services Grant is
Monday, April 2, 2012, by noon. All efforts will be made to evaluate and
determine funding requests within 45 days of the submission deadline.
The City anticipates notifying applicants of their award status by
Monday, May 7, 2012. 

 

To assist applicants with identifying whether proposed projects are
located within this eligible geographic area, a state-of-the-art mapping
application has been developed by the City's Geographic Information
Systems' Division. The application is available on the City's website at
http://gisweb.durhamnc.gov/durhammaps/oewd/viewer/index.html. 

 

Projects would need to be completed within one-year of City approval.
For a complete description of the grant application guidelines,
application process, and mapping application visit the City's website at
www.DurhamEconomicDevelopment.org. 

 

Potential applicants interested in learning more about this grant
opportunity may also attend a public information session on Wednesday,
March 14, 2012, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the City Council Committee
Room, located on the second floor of City Hall at 101 City Hall Plaza,
Durham.  

 

Interested applicants may also contact Joy Mickle-Walker, economic
development coordinator with the City's Office of Economic and Workforce
Development, by email at Joy.Mickle-Walker at DurhamNC.gov or by phone at
(919) 560-4965, ext. 15208.

 

About the Office of Economic and Workforce Development

The City of Durham's Office of Economic and Workforce Development seeks
to increase the city's tax base through several revitalization
initiatives, including new development efforts in the central city area.
The department also plans and promotes cultural awareness and events,
identifies and recruits target industries as well as assesses and trains
Durham residents to fill new jobs. For more information, visit 
www.DurhamEconomicDevelopment.org. 

 

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