Qualification Process

This competitive $10,000 grant is available for Power Agency members in NCEMPA and NCMPA1. This grant has no match, but is only available to a member city or town once every three years.

In any calendar year that a member receives the $10,000 grant, the member community is not eligible for the $5,000 Smart Communities Grant. The member is eligible for the $5,000 Smart Communities Grant in years two and three following receipt of the Downtown Revitalization Grant.

Proceeds from the Downtown Revitalization Grant may be used for a wide range of purposes so long as that purpose advances the downtown revitalization goals of the member community and has the approval of the city/town manager . Some examples of grant funding priorities are listed below, however, other grant purposes will be considered at the time of grant review. The ElectriCities Economic Development team will review all grants submitted and will typically notify the member community regarding the status of their grant application within 45 days of submission.

Grant examples:

  • Downtown redevelopment studies/action plans
  • Streetscape plans
  • Building reuse studies
  • Attraction or retention programs

The grant will be available two times during the year (Spring and Fall of each year). One grant for each power agency will be awarded in the spring and the fall, for a total of four grants each year. Notification will be sent to the members when the grant cycle opens.

The grant submission cycle for 2022 has closed. Please check back in the spring of 2023, when we anticipate re-opening for new submissions. If you have any questions about the Downtown Revitalization Grant process, please email econdev@electricities.org.