Applications open for small business grants

ALBANY — Main Street America announced recently that the application period for the Backing Small Businesses grant program is now open. Southwest Georgia businesses are eligible to apply for the grants.

In 2021, American Express and Main Street America created the Backing Small Businesses grant program to help economically vulnerable U.S. small business owners recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and grow their businesses. To date, the program has provided $1.65 million in grants to 330 small business owners across the country.

Now in its second year, the program will increase both grants awarded and total funding to further support small business owners in building their economic vitality and fostering a thriving community. Applications are now open for 350 small business grants of $5,000 to eligible businesses in the U.S. and territories.

This program builds on American Express’ ongoing Backing Small initiative to provide economically vulnerable small businesses with financial support and other resources to address their critical needs and challenges.

Backing Small Businesses is one of many grant programs administered by Main Street America that are designed to enhance economic vitality and foster entrepreneurship in historic neighborhoods and commercial districts. For more information about funding opportunities through Main Street America and its partner organizations, visit the program’s Funding Opportunities webpage.

Now in its second year, the Backing Small Businesses grant program will increase the number of grants awarded and total funding to more than $2.3 million to further support small business owners in building their economic vitality and fostering a thriving community.

If you are awarded a $5,000 grant through this program, your business may be eligible to be considered for an additional $25,000 Enhancement Grant. All grant recipients will be required to submit a final grant report using a simple template provided. The report will include questions regarding how the grant money was spent plus additional questions about how the business could use additional funding to either expand on their small business grant project or fund a separate project.

Grant project examples include:

♦ Community educational event to celebrate a historical or cultural moment that is meaningful to the neighborhood;

♦ Partnering with a charity to provide meals in a food security program for the community;

♦ Partnering with local artists for a community event or mural;

♦ Language translation of menus or websites to be more inclusive;

♦ Innovations to reduce food waste or improve sustainability.

♦ Businesses must meet the following criteria to apply:

♦ The applicant must be an owner of the business;

♦ The applicant must be at least age 18 years or older.

The business must be at least 51% owned, operated, and controlled by small business owners who identify as Asian American and/or Pacific Islander; black and/or African American; Hispanic; immigrants, refugees, and/or forcibly displaced; members of the LGBTQ community; Middle Eastern and/or North African; native and/or indigenous people with disabilities; veterans; women.

The business must be in a “brick-and-mortar” location and operate in an older or historic main street, downtown, or commercial district in the United States. (Home-based businesses, even those located in historic neighborhoods, are not eligible. Brick-and-mortar businesses located outside of historic downtowns and commercial corridors, including, but not limited to, office parks and shopping malls are also not eligible.)

Also, the business must:

♦ Be an independent business and not part of a franchise;

♦ Employ less than 20 full-time employees;

♦ Have been in operation since Jan. 1, 2022;

♦ Be a business entity in good standing in the state in which it was formed and the state in which it does business;

♦ Have an active business license in the state where it does business.

Applications are open through April 7 at 11:59 p.m. Central Time.

Program Timeline:

♦ Applications open on March 20;

♦ Applications close on April 7;

♦ $5,000 grant recipients notified in June;

♦ Grant reports due by Sept. 15;

♦ $25,000 enhancement grants announced in October 2023

Main Street America will provide training and resources to support small businesses that apply for the program, including:

♦ Specialized marketing webinars delivered by Main Street America topic experts;

♦ Free admission to upcoming small business training provided by Main Street America;

♦ Dedicated resources like the Main Street Online tool, and more, developed by Main Street America.

Contact [email protected] or call (312) 610-5613 and leave a voicemail with any other questions.

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