October 21, 2020 | Main Street America and The Hartford Award More Than $800,000 in Grants to Small Businesses |
From left to right: Suspended Brewing Company in Baltimore, MD. Credit: Steven Norris; Citizen Vine in Folsom, CA. Credit: Lisa Gomez; Griff Goods in Opelika, AL. Credit: Mike Bowen; Timeless Café in Lebanon, PA. Credit: Marshall Kramer; Gallup Coffee Company in Gallup, NM. Credit: Justin Benson; Cozy Corner in Franklin, KY. Credit: Michelle Harding
Main Street America and The Hartford are pleased to announce the first-round recipients of the HartBeat of Main Street Grant Program. Grants of $5,000 - $15,000 have been awarded to 67 brick-and-mortar small businesses across the country. Funds will help these businesses respond and adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic and help to revitalize and strengthen older and historic downtown commercial districts.
“As COVID-19 continues to have a devastating impact on the small businesses that make our downtowns thrive, these locally-owned businesses need our support now more than ever,” said the National Main Street Center’s President and CEO Patrice Frey. “We are thrilled to assist these small businesses owners as they work to not only address challenges related to the pandemic, but also support the resilience of older and historic Main Street and commercial districts.”
Grant projects range from physical improvements to meet reopening guidelines, like building walk-up windows to allow for socially-distanced takeout and expanding outdoor dining, to equipment to comply with public health and safety guidelines, like installing touchless hand sanitizer stations and plexiglass barriers. Other funds went to businesses looking to expand e-commerce sales, improve online marketing efforts, or grow other parts of their business model. Some grantees also received funds for rent, payroll, and operating expenses.
“The Hartford is proud to have worked with Main Street America to provide these exceptional businesses with grant funds,” said Stephanie Bush, head of Small Commercial and Personal Lines at The Hartford. “Small business owners are at the heart of every American community and in 2020 I have been even more inspired than usual by their resilience, innovation and hard work.”
Of the 67 grants awarded, 53 benefited diverse-owned businesses, as defined by the Small Business Administration as minority, woman, veteran, disabled, and/or LGBTQ-owned. Grants benefitted a range of industry types – from restaurants and breweries to boutiques selling locally-made goods. 45 out of 67 grantee businesses are located within designated Main Street America districts.
Grant proposals were judged based on: feasibility; the extent to which the grant will help address an acute business need or help a business owner implement innovative solutions to address COVID-19-related challenges; opportunity for other businesses to learn from work; how the grant would help improve the viability of business; ability to leverage funds; and strength of letters of recommendation and supporting documents.
Here is the full list of grantees:
- Art Uncorked LLC: Lewiston, Idaho
- Batavia Creamery: Batavia, Illinois
- Big Cuppa: Morrilton, Arkansas
- Brick House: Fond du Lac, Wisconsin
- Butter and Cream: Decatur, Georgia
- Buzz Bomb Brewing Co: Springfield, Illinois
- Center of the Yarniverse: Ashland, Virginia
- Charlee Rose: Harrisonburg, Virginia
- Chi Em Eats: Emporia, Kansas
- Covered Bridge Cafe: Stayton, Oregon
- Cozy Corner: Franklin, Kentucky
- Crossroads Arts Center, Inc: Baker City, Oregon
- Enid Family Martial Arts LLC: Enid, Oklahoma
- Fancy Limited Liability Corporation: Seattle, Washington
- Fieldhouse 219 LLC: Monticello, Illinois
- FOODE: Fredericsksburg, Virginia
- Gallup Coffee Company: Gallup, New Mexico
- Gene's Photography: Mineola, Texas
- Good Cakes and Bakes: Detroit, Michigan
- Gorge Academy of Cosmetology: The Dalles, Oregon
- Griff Goods: Opelika, Alabama
- Heritage Spinning & Weaving, Inc.: Lake Orion, Michigan
- Hickory Community Theatre: Hickory, North Carolina
- House Mountain Yarn Co.: Lexington, Virginia
- IVY Kitchen Cocktails: Detroit, Michigan
- La Vie En Rose Cafe LLC: New Orleans, Louisiana
- Leonardo's Children's Museum: Enid, Oklahoma
- Lila's Hair Salon: Norwalk, Connecticut
- Lineage Goods: Harrisonburg, Virginia
- Local Roots Market and Cafe: Wooster, Ohio
- M. C. Union Restaurants: Cleveland, Tennessee
- Maggie's Place Learning Center: Pocatello, Idaho
- Mesquite Creek Outfitters Del Rio: Del Rio, Texas
- Mockingbird Bar & Tacos: Little Rock, Arkansas
- Model City Taphouse LLC: Kingsport, Tennessee
- Moxieberry Inc.: Stayton, Oregon
- Nightshade Noodle Bar: Lynn, Massachusetts
- Olde Square Inn: Mount Joy, Pennsylvania
- Oshun Organics, LLC: Lynchburg, Virginia
- Pinup Parlor Boutique: DeLand, Florida
- Poppy Popcorn Company: Rice Lake, Wisconsin
- Renaissance: Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Rohs Opera House and Theater LLC: Cynthiana, Kentucky
- Salon Cliche: Detroit, Michigan
- Salon Nuo-Vo: Hammond, Louisiana
- Simplicity and Co. Tea House: Stillwater, Oklahoma
- Spearman Artisanry: Lynchburg, Virginia
- Spot At The Ave: Vineland, New Jersey
- Suspended Brewing Company: Baltimore, Maryland
- Sweet Beet Bakery: New Richmond, Wisconsin
- Sweet Melissa's Decatur: Decatur, Georgia
- The Bankery: Skowhegan, Maine
- The Frame Factory & Gallery: Harrisonburg, Virginia
- The Olive Fruit: Enterprise, Alabama
- The Owl Wine Bar & Home Goods Store: Elgin, Texas
- The Red Hook: Ferndale, Michigan
- The Seasoned Olive: Baltimore, Maryland
- The Shakedown: Bellingham, Washington
- The Timeless Café: Lebanon, Pennsylvania
- The Vine: Folsom, California
- The Yellowstone Restaurant: Pocatello, Idaho
- Tina's Timeless Threads: Dover, Delaware
- Town Square Market: Carbondale, Illinois
- Trinosophes: Detroit, Michigan
- Vevay Vintage Prop & Shop: Vevay, Indiana
- Volume One: Eau Claire, Wisconsin
- Walkabout Outfitter: Lexington, Virginia
The second round of the HartBeat of Main Street Grant Program will open on Thursday, October 22. Learn more here.
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