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Grant County Economic Development Director Bob Dale announced the 2025 Business Revitalization Program during the weekly Grant County Chamber of Commerce’s Coffee March 21, in the basement of Pioneer Communications.
The program was implemented in 2015 – minus Covid in 2020 – designed to grant money to help local businesses with issues and concerns they have.
“We have done something every year since then,” Dale said, adding the address signs in front of businesses was one of the projects. “Just to kind of be different one year we brought in some restaurant consultants, some professionals who help people with their restaurants and some of our area restaurants took part in that.”
But mostly, Economic Development has done beautification, which is the most popular.
“So, we’re doing that again this year for 2025,” Dale said. “It’s our exterior beautification program.”
It’s a 50-50 match up to $5,000.
“So, if you spend $10,000 on beautification of your business, we’ll give you $5,000. If you spend $7,000, we’ll match it 50-50 up to $3,500.
“This is for businesses only, commercial for-profit businesses.”
The idea is beautification of the community.
“It really does help, it really makes a difference,” Dale said, but added, “We can’t force people to participate. If they don’t want to spend the money, they don’t want to participate, we can’t force them.”
Applications will be available April 1, and rules and regulations are available now.
“We’re pretty excited about this, and just keep in mind, we’re doing this one first come first served,” Dale said. “If it’s an approved project, soon as I get, you’re approved to go, which means that we put $50,000 into it (and) as soon as that $50,000 is allotted, or spoken for, it stops. So the earlier the better if you’re thinking about putting in an application. I would suggest you come in and pick up a set of rules prior to that and then go from there, because you’ll be able to see exactly what it is.”
The projects are anything visible from the street, exterior beautification, excluding roofs and parking lots. Signage is included.
Chamber Director Marieta Hauser provided a list of upcoming events, starting with the final Legislative Coffee, which was originally set for April 19, then moved to April 12, because of Easter, but will likely be moved until after Easter at the direction of Representative Marty Long and Senator Bill Clifford due to legislative action April 11, that will not finish until late into the night in Topeka.
Spring Fling is scheduled for April 25-26 at the Grant County Civic Center. Hauser requested food trucks and said booth space is available inside for any for-profit business. The early bird deadline is April 4.
The Ulysses High School Junior Leadership class will again hold the Senior Citizen Prom is April 5 at the Grant County Senior Center.
Grow Well Community Gardens has plots for rent at Barb Dye Park for $10 per plot, water is included. Pre-planted plots are available. Community Garden 101 sessions are planned for 5:30 p.m., March 27 and April 4, at the gardens, RSVP to the Extension Office.
Compass Behavioral Health will have a Community Seeds Assessment meeting at 10 a.m., April 10 in the basement of Pioneer communications.
The next Chamber Coffee will be at 10 a.m., March 28 at Dynatest Physical Therapy.
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