The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (“DMPED”) is soliciting grant applications from qualified small business owners who wish to improve their place of business. The purpose of the Great Streets Retail Small Business Grant (the “Grant”) is to support existing small businesses, attract new businesses, increase the District’s tax base, create new job opportunities for District residents, and transform designated emerging commercial corridors into thriving and inviting neighborhood centers.   The Grant identified the following program funding priorities. 
 

1. The Grant encourages existing and new neighborhood-based retail-oriented businesses which seek access to capital to improve their place of business, re-imaging their service approach by expanding services, and/or to fill a need in an underserved retail priority area. With the COVID-19 pandemic, brick-and-mortar retail spending is expected to experience a double-digit decrease. As the trends in retail have shifted towards a more consumer-centric experience, local businesses must develop innovative approaches to attract new customers while maintaining their existing customer base to remain competitive. 
    

2. The Great Streets program grows the District’s local small business economy and bolster neighborhoods with inadequate access to retail opportunities. DMPED seeks to invest in 13 retail priority areas, “Great Streets Corridors,” with the goal of creating livable, walkable, shoppable, community-serving retail experiences across all eight wards. 
    

3. DMPED seeks to invest in small businesses which:
   a. Activate or stabilize the commercial corridor through its physical presence;
   b. Maintain and/or create new jobs, especially for District residents;
   c. Visually impact the corridor via façade improvements; and
   d. Improve the customer experience via interior remodeling or e-commerce systems. 

 
The application deadline is Monday, September 28, 2020 at 4:00 pm DST. 
 
Purpose: The purpose of the Great Streets Initiative is to transform certain designated emerging commercial corridors into thriving, walkable, shoppable and inviting neighborhood experiences. The Great Streets Initiative does this by supporting existing businesses, attracting new businesses, increasing the District’s tax base, and creating new job opportunities for District residents.  
 
Background Information: Pursuant to the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development Limited Grant-Making Authority Amendment Act 2016, effective October 8, 2016 (D.C. Law 21-160; D.C. Official Code § 1-328.04); and “Great Streets Neighborhood Retail Priority Area Amendment Act of 2013” effective October 1, 2013 (D.C. Code § 2-1217.73b), DMPED invites the submission of applications for the Grant. 
 
Award: Based on the external and internal review panel recommendations, the Mayor’s budget priorities, the resources available, the goal of achieving a balance as to communities served, and the goals of the program, DMPED will make the final funding decision. DMPED will award up $2,500,000.00 total in grants to be disbursed to successful applicants of the Grant. Maximum request per application is $50,000.00.  
 
Eligible businesses:  New or existing small business owner whose business location is either within, and/or plans to move to a Great Street Corridor are eligible (see map at: http://ht.ly/m90F30cM0bz ).  
 
Ineligible businesses: Adult entertainment, Auto body repair, Bank, Bar or Nightclub, as defined by an ABRA license, Construction/general contracting/architecture/design-build, Ecommerce business, Financial services, Home-based, Hotel, Liquor store, Phone store, Professional services, Real estate development/property management/realtor, Seasonal (open only part of the year). 
 
Previously awarded businesses that are expanding existing operations and/or relocating to another location are not eligible. Businesses which have received a total of $150,000.00 or more of funding from the Great Streets or H Street Grants Programs are not eligible. 
 
List of the Great Street Corridors: 
 
7th Street/Georgia Ave NW
Connecticut Avenue NW
Georgia Avenue NW
H Street – Bladensburg Road NE
Minnesota/Benning Road NE
Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE/
South Capitol Street SE/SW
New York Avenue NE 
North Capitol Street NW/NE
Pennsylvania Avenue SE
Wisconsin Avenue NW 
Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue NE
Rhode Island Avenue NE
U Street/14th Street NW (Adams Morgan/Columbia Heights/Mt. Pleasant)
 
For additional eligibility requirements and exclusions, please review the Request for Application (RFA) which will be posted at http://greatstreets.dc.gov by Friday, August 28, 2020. 
 
Period of Performance: October 1, 2020 through September 30, 2021

Grant Information Sessions: DMPED will host multiple virtual information and live web chat sessions on the Great Streets Corridors. Once confirmed, details about the information sessions will be posted on the Great Streets website at www.greatstreets.dc.gov. 
 
Contact Name: DMPED Grants Team  Phone: 202.727-7673  Email:dmped.grants@dc.gov   
 
Deadline for Electronic Submission: Applicants must submit a completed online application to DMPED via the Gifts Online system no later than 4:00 PM DST on Monday, September 28, 2020.