City of Pittsburg Facade Improvement Grant Program

The City of Pittsburg Façade Improvement Grant Program aims to stimulate investment in the local business community by offering up to $10,000 for façade enhancements to eligible businesses. This initiative aligns with the city's mission to support and foster the growth of its local businesses, recognizing them as essential for community vitality, opportunity creation, and creativity. By focusing on visible improvements to storefronts, the program directly contributes to the beautification of public-facing areas and the overall image of the city. The primary beneficiaries of this program are small, brick-and-mortar businesses with public-facing storefronts located within Pittsburg city limits and holding an active City of Pittsburg Business License. Shopping centers with five or fewer tenants are also eligible. The program explicitly excludes home-based businesses and businesses that sell tobacco, alcohol, cannabis products, or adult materials. The impact goal is to create more inviting storefronts, improve neighborhood characteristics, encourage reinvestment in older buildings, and increase potential foot traffic for businesses, ultimately benefiting the businesses, their customers, and the wider Pittsburg community. The program prioritizes enhancements and beautification of public-facing building façades that will improve the image and characteristics of the building, the business, and the City. Specific focuses include signage, awnings, exterior paint (including anti-graffiti), architectural treatments, stucco, cladding, and/or siding repair, windows, front entrance doors, exterior lighting, planter boxes, and bicycle racks. The City seeks businesses that will provide the maximum return on investment and long-lasting benefits. A property-owner-led application is highly encouraged to ensure uniform projects, though individual tenants can also apply. The expected outcomes include a more aesthetically pleasing urban environment, increased business visibility, and a more inviting experience for customers. Measurable results will include the number of façades improved, the amount of grant funds dispersed (up to $10,000 per applicant from a $30,000 budget), and potentially qualitative feedback on improved neighborhood characteristics and increased foot traffic. The City's strategic priority is to invest in its local businesses to help them thrive, with a theory of change that by improving the physical appearance of business fronts, the city can stimulate economic activity, enhance community pride, and foster a more vibrant local economy.