GRANT PROGRAMS & BUSINESS RESOURCES
Made possible with support from the City of Albany, City of Albany Capital Resource Corporation and the Albany Community Development Agency, programming in 2023 is poised to assist new businesses, strengthen existing businesses, support ongoing post-COVID-19 recovery efforts, boost the City of Albany’s commercial districts and commercial corridors throughout its neighborhoods. Please explore the available programs below.
- City of Albany Small Business Facade Improvement Program
- Amplify Albany Grant Program
- Downtown Albany Retail Grant Program
- Neighborhood Retail Grant Program
- Small Business Building Improvement Grant (BIG) Program (No longer accepting applications)
Contact Our Programming Staff To Apply Or Learn More
E: Development@CapitalizeAlbany.com | P: (518) 434-2532
City Of Albany Small Business Facade Improvement Program
Full Program Details Available Here.
A recent application funding window opened November 9th, 2023 as part of the sixth-round Program.
The program is a matching grant program designed to assist small businesses throughout the City of Albany, providing business owners the opportunity to reinvest in their properties. The program can provide matching grants to small businesses for exterior renovations.
Amplify Albany Grant Program
Full Program Details, Application Available Here
The Amplify Albany Grant Program was designed to provide resources for the implementation of exciting activities and events that leverage the City of Albany’s most unique and strongest assets. The program is enhancing the City of Albany’s commercial districts and businesses by providing grant funding to non-profits, businesses and other organizations that will create and execute short and medium term authentic, unique and buzz-worthy promotional projects, events and programming.
Downtown Albany Retail Grant Program
Full Program Details, Application Information Available Here
The Downtown Albany Retail Grant Program assists businesses new to Albany to establish a downtown retail location as well as existing City businesses that want to expand by adding a downtown location. Existing retail locations in core areas of downtown Albany may also be enhanced under this program. Grant funding can assist with new location renovation and fit-up costs or with exterior improvements to properties.
Neighborhood Retail Grant Program
Full Program Details, Application Information Available Here
The Neighborhood Retail Grant Program is attracting businesses interested in establishing a new Albany storefront location, and will enhance existing retail businesses in strategically identified neighborhood commercial corridors located throughout the City of Albany. Grant funding can assist with new location renovation and fit-up costs or with exterior improvements to properties. Eligible projects must be in one of the identified commercial corridors within the West Hill, Arbor Hill, North Albany, and South End neighborhoods, four of the Albany Community Development Agency’s Neighborhood Strategy Areas.
Small Business Building Improvement Grant Program
Full Program Details, Application Information Available Here
Applications Are No Longer Being Accepted For This Program
The Small Business Building Improvement Grant (BIG) Program provides access to critical funding necessary for aspiring entrepreneurs and new businesses to get off the ground in the City of Albany and for existing Albany businesses to grow.
Made possible by the City of Albany, the BIG Program will make available flexible, recoverable, reimbursable grants to eligible applicants with qualified projects to assist with costs associated with capital investments. Projects may include but are not limited to interior and exterior renovations preparing a commercial space for an eligible use, and/or machinery and equipment purchases.
Applicants making major capital investments in their businesses and seeking grants from $5,000 up to $25,000 will benefit from a streamlined application process and assistance from grant administration staff in completion of their applications. In an effort to provide small businesses with the most efficient process possible, applicants seeking smaller “microgrants” from $1,500 to $4,999 will have even more limited application and monitoring requirements. Grant awards will be issued as a reimbursement upon a project’s completion.
- Step 1: Intake and Eligibility Forms will be accepted from January 11, 2023 until 11:59PM on February 10, 2023.
- Upon determination of eligibility, applicants will receive a hyperlink to Step 2.
- Step 2: Project Questionnaires and Required Documents will be accepted from January 17, 2023 until 11:59PM on February 17, 2023.
Program Details and Application Materials Available Here
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