The Facade Improvement Planning Grant

The City of Toledo, through its Department of Economic Development, has announced the opening of the Facade Improvement Planning Grant Program. This initiative is part of the City’s Vibrancy Initiative, which aims to revitalize commercial, industrial, and mixed-use properties within designated neighborhoods. The program specifically targets building owners in Toledo who wish to enhance their building facades by providing financial assistance for a facade condition assessment and conceptual design services. The grant covers 100% of the costs for these services, which will help property owners determine the feasibility and cost of a facade renovation. The Facade Improvement Planning Grant Program is available for properties located in the City of Toledo's Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy Areas (NRSA) or low to moderate income (LMI) census tracts. The focus is on buildings that contain commercial or industrial businesses on the first floor and have no active code violations. Among the areas prioritized for funding are the Englewood, Old South End, and Junction NRSA neighborhoods. To qualify, applicants must be the property owners, in good standing with government entities, and the business occupying the building must be registered with the City of Toledo. The program will prioritize properties within the NRSA. The application process opens on January 29, 2025, and will close on March 5, 2025, at 11:59 PM EST. All applications must be submitted online via ZoomGrants; no paper or email submissions will be accepted. The City will also host an informative Zoom webinar on February 3, 2025, at 4:00 PM EST, to guide potential applicants through the process. Additionally, in-person office hours will be available on February 5, 2025, from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM at the Main Library. This is an opportunity for applicants to get direct assistance with their application or project. The City’s Incentive Advisory Committee (IAC) will review and score all eligible applications based on predefined criteria. Projects located within the NRSA will be given priority during the evaluation process. The Mayor will have the final discretion to award the funds to the highest-scoring projects. Applicants will be notified of the funding decision by April 18, 2025. Once awarded, the grant recipients must enter into a grant agreement by May 2, 2025, or forfeit the award. The next step will involve the release of a Request for Proposals (RFP) for professional services to conduct the facade condition assessment and design services. The program’s goals are aligned with the City's broader revitalization efforts, which seek to reduce blight, preserve historic structures, and stimulate economic growth by supporting businesses. The selected professional firms will provide a detailed facade condition assessment, create conceptual renderings of the proposed improvements, and prepare a construction cost estimate. These deliverables will help the property owners understand the scope of the renovation and plan for the necessary steps to proceed with the physical improvements.