The city of Indianapolis has a program called Fostering Commercial Urban Strategies (FOCUS) whose goal is to revitalize neighborhood business districts. As an incentive to small businesses located in designated areas of the city, the program offers grants up to $20,000 for facade improvement.The grant money can be used for store front renovations, paint, window replacement, awnings, signage, and any other improvements to the outside of the building that will improve the neighborhood. The goal is to improve the qualify of life for neighborhood residents and improve the growth of small neighborhood businesses.
The program began in 2001 and is supported by the Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce, the City of Indianapolis, Indianapolis Downtown, Inc., and State Farm. The purpose of the program is to create walkable commercial districts in downtown Indianapolis neighborhoods. Business owners are eligible to receive grants for up to half the total cost of the work. They are also eligible for free architectural consultation for store project design and implementation.
Small business owners are encouraged to check the city's web site for more information on funding opportunities and deadlines.
For more information, visit www.focusindy.com/
