Grants Available For Downtown St. Cloud Businesses to Help Revitalize Storefronts

(KNSI) – Downtown St. Cloud businesses can get help improving the look of their stores thanks to two grant opportunities.

Mayor Dave Kleis says it’s an excellent opportunity for local stores to upgrade their buildings.

“This is something that the downtown business community has wanted to see and has asked for. Especially some of these businesses that just can’t make that repair. That might be an awning that needs to be replaced and they just don’t have that ability.”

He says a good-looking downtown is essential to a strong community.

“Esthetics is an important part of a downtown. So it is important that some of these repairs are done and it’s been a challenge to really do some transformation revitalization, especially as we come out of COVID, to really strengthen that downtown core for the city.”

The Main Street Economic Revitalization Grant is a Minnesota-funded program meant for capital improvement projects in commercial corridors hurt by the state’s COVID-19 shutdowns, which began in March 2020.

Grant funds can be used to cover up to 30% of the project. The maximum amount of aid is $750,000 or a $2.5 million project. The minimum grant is for $3,000 or a $10,000 project. The application deadline is September 23rd.

The other grant is the St. Cloud Downtown Exterior Improvement Grant Program is run by the city’s economic development authority. Officials say it provides help to property and business owners who need to make upgrades while keeping a building’s aesthetic, environmental, cultural, and historical elements. The program offers up to a 50% match for design and construction costs of up to $10,000 per property.

For more information on the grants or to apply, click here.