The program will award funding up to $25,000 to projects that support business growth, revitalize under-maintained properties, create new jobs, and leverage private investment, according to Morlan. To be eligible for a $25,000 grant, the new projects must cost at least $50,000 for a 50% cost match.
Projects valued at less than $50,000 will be eligible for 50% of the cost, she said.
With these priorities, city officials hope to prioritize projects that are “catalytic for the community and enhance Middletown’s overall quality of life,” she said.
Applicants can apply for funding for one of the two eligible uses: building improvements and equipment purchases. The program is broken into more specific cost areas, such as equipment procurement, building improvements and façade improvements.
Eligible applicants include small business owners or building owners of a small business commercial/retail space who have not received a city grant in the past 24 months.
Some examples of the costs that can be covered by the program include shipping and freight costs for new equipment, electrical improvements, and storefront improvements such as the installation of new windows or doors, she said.
“We have many small businesses across the city that are looking to start up or expand, and we want to support that in any way possible,” Morlan said.
Business expansions happen in multiple ways, and Morlan said the city is hearing a lot about adding outside seating capacity for hospitality, leisure, and remote working.
“While that tended to be a necessary focus during the pandemic with the social distancing for health and safety, it’s now become a part of the new balance of live/work/play,” she said. “Renovations ensure that patrons and residents can enjoy the amenities of the city in multiple ways.”
Mayor Nicole Condrey, who frequently has pushed at city council meetings for more applicants for city grants, said it’s important for the city to create an “open, transparent and flexible” plan to assist small businesses.
Small businesses are important because they “create the culture and fabric of the community,” Condrey said.
Applications will be reviewed and scored by an internal committee consisting of representatives from various departments heads outside of the Economic Development Department, according to Morlan.
To ensure the projects are productive for the community, the committee will use a scoring system that closely examines the level of private investment, jobs and new payroll created, alignment with targeted redevelopment areas, aesthetic quality of design, timeline for completion for new or expanded business operations, and general community benefit, she said.
By doing so, members of the committee hope to support businesses that “bolster and broaden the economic landscape” of the city, she said.
Application deadline is 11:59 a.m. July 7. Once all applications have been received, there will be a two-week window when the applications are reviewed and scored. Award notices will be sent July 23, she said.
For more information, contact business@cityofmiddletown.org or visit choosemiddletownoh.org.
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