The City of Toledo Department of Economic Development is offering $500,000 to renovate vacant, first-floor commercial spaces in the city as part of the America Rescue Plan Act. The program will allow business owners to implement new accessibility standards in their buildings, ensure all operations are within Toledo Fire and Safety Codes and return the buildings to productive use.
Grants amounts ranging from $25,000 to $75,000 will be awarded to eligible projects located in Qualified Census Tracts. Projects must meet applicant eligibility criteria, building eligibility criteria, and comply with federal compliance and reporting requirements. Applicants must be in good standing with applicable governmental entities and own the building that they are applying with. Eligible buildings must be located in a low-to-moderate income census tract within the city of Toledo, have no code violation citations and contain a first-floor commercial vacant space.
The program is part of the Toledo Vibrancy Initiative, an initiative by Mayor Kapszukiewicz and the Economic Development Team to enhance the city’s vitality by supporting revitalization efforts, creating jobs, reducing blight, and preserving and improving structures in our commercial corridors.
“Returning vacant space to productive use revitalizes commercial corridors and is a critical component of the Toledo Recovery Plan,” Kapszukiewicz says. “I strongly encourage applicants to apply for this innovative, new program and continue to strengthen economic activity in our neighborhoods.”
The White Box Grant program is funded with American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars. Therefore, grant funds are subject to federal requirements. The program is subject to a three-year period of compliance, reporting, and annual inspection by the City of Toledo.
Applications must be submitted via the Zoom Grants platform. No paper or emailed applications will be accepted. Deadline to submit applications is September 1, 2022. The complete Notice of Funding Availability provides additional information including qualified census tracts, application process and timeline, and eligibility criteria.
For more information on the program or the grant application, visit toledo.oh.gov/white-box.
