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The allocated funding for this fiscal year ran until June 30, 2022 and is currently depleted. We are not accepting any more new applications. Please check back at a later time.
There’s no denying it; first impressions really do count. What your customers and—more important—what your potential customers see when they look at your business from the street can make or break your relationship with them. But, with the expenses associated with growing any type of enterprise in today’s marketplace, who can afford to worry about what the outside of a business looks like? With the help available from the City of Raleigh, you can.
Established in the 1980s to assist businesses and property owners in Raleigh’s Downtown and older commercial districts, the Facade Grant Program has helped more than 100 businesses put a new “face” on the way they market their goods and services. Providing up to $10,000 in grant rebates for each project, this program makes it possible for businesses of any size to refurbish the exterior of existing buildings; restoring them to their former glory or reinventing them for exciting new directions.
Funding and Eligibility
How does the Facade Grant Program work?
Businesses located in the Economic Development Priority Areas of Raleigh may use funds for specified exterior building improvements including lighting, signage or awnings, murals, and art. Businesses must adhere to certain design guidelines and have all the necessary approvals to be eligible.
What types of improvements qualify for funding?
Facade Grant funds are available for the following improvements:
| Façade Items: | Art & Mural Items: |
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Routine maintenance is NOT eligible for funding by the Facade Grant program.
How much funding am I eligible for?
- For businesses located in the University Village District, grant rebates of up to $10,000 or 50 percent of exterior rehabilitation costs (whichever is less) are available.
- For businesses within the Economic Development Priority Areas may be eligible for up to $5,000 or 50 percent of exterior rehabilitation costs (whichever is less).
To check to see if your business is located in the Economic Development Priority Areas and eligible for the grant, enter your address below.
Criteria
How do I qualify for a Facade Grant?
For those inside the University Village Pedestrian Business Overlay District, the following criteria must be met:
- Compliance with the design guidelines of the University Village Streetscape Plan
- For other eligible areas, they must meet the criteria of the applicable streetscape plan for the area in which the business is located.
- For those in areas without a streetscape plan, applications will be reviewed based upon compliance with the Downtown Urban Design and Facade Grant Guidelines (Table DT-1) of the Downtown Element section of the city's 2030 Comprehensive Plan.
What other information do I need before applying for a Facade Grant?
- Application Process & Grant Guidance
- Checklist
- Permit and Development Portal - Submit an Application
- Signature Page
