West Side Vitality Grants offered in Beloit
20 Feb 2024
News
BELOIT — Small businesses and non-profits will have new grant funding opportunities thanks to the Greater Beloit Economic Development Corporation.
The new West Side Vitality Grants will help small businesses pay for exterior improvements such as improvements to signage, landscaping, lighting, fencing and other work, said Beloit Director of Economic Development Drew Pennington. The grants are not to be used for interior improvements.
The Greater Beloit Economic Development Corp. currently is offering four grants, offering up to $5,000 each. The grants are set up as a 50/50 matching grant with the applicant putting up half of the funds for their planned improvement projects. Non-profits may be exempt from the 50/50 match, Pennington said.
“A child care center that is non-profit may not be required to put up matching funds for example,” Pennington said.
Home-based day care businesses are not eligible for the grants.
Pennington said it is hoped that more West Side Vitality Grants will be offered in the future to assist small businesses on the West Side of Beloit.
The funds for the grant are provided by the Greater Beloit Economic Development Corp.
“The idea is to bring resources to the West Side,” Pennington said.
He said the goal is to improve the appearance of West Side businesses.
The deadline to apply for the grant funds is April 1. A Greater Beloit Economic Development Corp. committee will review all applications and decide who will be awarded grants. Application information can be found at the website at greaterbeloitworks.com.
Fourth Street, Liberty Avenue and Madison Road are the areas of the West Side that will receive the main focus for these grants, Pennington said. Preference will be given to applicants with no more than 20 employees. Preference also will be given to businesses located outside the Business Improvement District in downtown Beloit.
Grant recipients will be asked to keep expenditure records and they will be asked to provide how the funds are to be spent in writing by Sept. 30.
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