Grants to Oregon Business Owners to Enhance Commercial Properties in Eligible Areas

Storefront Matching Grant

Agency

GrantWatch ID#

167371

Funding Source

St. Johns Center for Opportunity (SJCO)

Geographic Focus

USA: Oregon: St. Johns Urban Renewal area

Important Dates

Deadline: 03/31/23 5:00 PM

Grant Description

Grants of up to $5,000 to Oregon commercial property and business owners for building improvement projects in eligible locations. Funding is intended to improve the appearance of commercial areas and to support local businesses. Eligible applicants are those with property located in the St. Johns Urban Renewal area.

Examples of possible projects include but are not limited to:

Exterior and interior lighting
Street trees
Stationary garbage receptacles
Bike racks
Benches
Awning removal or improvement
Landscaping, including permanent planters, stormwater gardens, and pavement removal
Exterior or interior paint
Flooring
Façade improvements
Door/window replacement and weatherization
Permanent signage
Permanent security measures (security gates, mounted security cameras, roll-down security doors, etc.)

Priority projects:

Support people of color, immigrants, women, and low-income individuals
Include a plan for ongoing maintenance
Promote sustainability
Utilize local vendors
Are compatible with SJCO goals
Have a high impact on the district
Are highly feasible

Projects must conform to Portland Zoning Code and be approved by SJCO. Work must be performed by a licensed contractor.

Recipient

Eligibility

Others (see text field entitled "Additional Eligibility Criteria" for clarification)

Additional Eligibility Criteria

Building owners and/or tenant with lease authority and authorization from the property owner may apply. Tenants must have a minimum of two years remaining on their lease or an option to renew.

The project site must be located in the Neighborhood Prosperity Initiative Investment Area.

While this grant is called the “storefront” improvement grant, the business does not need to be located on the ground level in a traditional storefront space to be eligible.

Additional Geographic Information:

To determine whether your business or property is eligible, type the address into https://www.portlandmaps.com/. Click the button that says “Zoning & Districts.” On the resulting page, scroll down to the “Development Areas ” section. If the property is located within the eligible area, it will say “Neighborhood Prosperity Initiative Investment Area: Yes” in this section.

Grant Eligibility Area
This map is for visual reference only. The area shaded in Pink (https://arcg.is/1Gafbz) is eligible for the “Storefront Improvement Grant”. It is still recommended that businesses use the Portland Maps link above to verify eligibility.

Ineligible

The following types of projects are not eligible:
- Extensive deferred maintenance, such as power washing, major redesign, or structural work
- Movable items, such as landscaping pots, interior seating, display cases, and A-boards; the grant is for permanent improvements to the district
- DIY projects and any work not completed by licensed contractors
- Work completed prior to submission or approval of application.

Pre-Application Information

Applications will open in January 2023 and be reviewed on a rolling basis through March 31, 2023, at 5:00 pm.

Applicants notified through April 30, 2023.

If you are not the property owner, you must have your landlord sign your application giving their permission for the work.

This is a matching grant program, which means the applicant pays a portion of the improvement and SJCO pays a portion. Typically, the amount of the match is at least 1:1 — for every $2 of project cost, the applicant pays $1 and SJCO pays $1. Matches below 50% will be considered if there is a high need.

Grant funds are disbursed on a reimbursement basis and are issued after the project has been completed.

Additional Funding Information

Estimated Total Program Funding:

$50,000

Estimated Size of Grant

Applicants may apply for a grant of $250 - $5,000 for their project.

Term of Contract

If your application is approved, work must be completed by June 30, 2023.

Contact Information

Submit the completed application by mail or dropped in the mail slot at:
St. Johns Center for Opportunity
8160 N Jersey St.
Portland, OR 97203

Or by email to exec@stjohnsopportunity.org.

If you need help determining whether your property is eligible, please contact outreach@stjohnsopportunity.org or call (503) 841-5522.

Grants to Oregon Business Owners to Enhance Commercial Properties in Eligible Areas

Storefront Matching Grant

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