City of Toledo White Box Planning Grant Program

The City of Toledo’s Department of Economic Development administers the White Box Planning Grant Program, a component of the broader Vibrancy Initiative designed to promote community revitalization and job creation. This program specifically targets property owners with vacant first-floor commercial spaces, offering them full funding to conduct a comprehensive feasibility study that transforms these properties into white box spaces. These are code-compliant, customizable spaces that are ready for business occupancy, thereby supporting economic development and reducing commercial blight in priority neighborhoods. The White Box Planning Grant is intended to provide early-stage technical assistance for property owners who may later pursue the more capital-intensive White Box Grant. The feasibility studies funded through this planning grant include analyses of existing conditions, building code requirements, architectural planning, and preliminary cost estimates for rehabilitation. The program’s goal is to cultivate a robust pipeline of revitalization projects, particularly in historically underinvested areas. Eligible buildings must be located in either a Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy Area (NRSA) such as the Englewood, Old South End, or Junction neighborhoods, or in a Low- to Moderate-Income (LMI) census tract within Toledo. Furthermore, buildings must include a vacant first-floor commercial space and have no outstanding code violation citations. Commercial, industrial, and mixed-use properties may qualify, while residential-only or ineligible business types such as payday loan operations, pawn shops, adult entertainment, and self-storage facilities are excluded. Applicants must own the property in question and be in good standing with multiple government entities, including the Division of Taxation, Public Utilities, and Code Enforcement. Additionally, all property taxes must be current across all holdings. Interested applicants are encouraged to consult with city staff to confirm eligibility and can access direct support through business development organizations at no cost. Office hours are also offered to provide assistance with the application process. The most recent application window ran from January 29 to March 5, 2025. Proposals were evaluated by the Incentive Advisory Committee (IAC), an eight-member independent review board. The committee scored applications based on criteria outlined in the program guidelines and forwarded recommendations to the Mayor, who retained final approval authority. Although this window has closed, the City of Toledo is collecting expressions of interest for future rounds of the program and encourages property owners to register to receive updates. Questions regarding the White Box Planning Grant Program may be directed to Cody Brown via email at [email protected]. Additional assistance is available by contacting the Department of Economic Development at 419-245-1452 or via email at [email protected].