Main Street Entrepreneur Grant

Overview

Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development encourages entrepreneurship development and adaptive reuse of commercial buildings in accredited Tennessee Main Street communities with a Main Street Entrepreneur Incubator grant program to assist in funding activities that put vacant and/or underutilized buildings into productive service and serve as economic drivers for downtowns. Matching funds are not required but the scoring system rewards projects that include other partners or agencies or additional funding commitments.

 

Grant Parameters

• Maximum Grant: $50,000

 

Eligibility

• Applicant must be an accredited Tennessee Main Street Community as of Dec. 30, 2016.

 

Allowable Activities

• This grant opportunity funds innovative business development strategies that increase micro and small business start-up and expansion and job creation in Tennessee Main Streets, and can include:
• Program implementation
• Building purchase or rent
• Building rehabilitation
• Training
• Marketing            
• Equipment and improvements to create shared co-working and retail work/retail spaces
• Main Street Entrepreneur Grant Annual and Closeout Report