Main Street Toccoa Offering Assistance to Downtown Business Owners Who Apply For Grant

Main Street Toccoa is offering to assist downtown Toccoa business owners in applying for one of 500 “Backing Small Business” grants being offered by American Express. 

According to grant program information, American Express and Main Street America created the Backing Small Businesses grant program in 2021 to help under-resourced and economically vulnerable small business owners recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and grow their businesses. In its first year, the program awarded $1.65 million in grants to 330 small business owners nationwide, and in its second year the program awarded more than $2.3 million in grants to an additional 350 businesses. 

This year, the funding pool for this grant has doubled, sitting at $5.7 million, and eligible small business owners can apply for one of 500  grants of up to $10,000 for projects that grow or improve their businesses by building community, supporting their economic viability, or bolstering meaningful change. Of the 500 recipients selected for $10,000 grants, 25 recipients will be awarded $30,000 Enhancement Grants, which will allow those business owners the opportunity to create transformative change within their business and in their community.

Kristen Deal, Main Street Toccoa Manager, is encouraging local business owners to apply, and added that the Main Street office will assist in the application process, saying, “The Main Street Toccoa team has a strong background in grant writing, and we’re at your service to help you craft your best shot at a winning application.”

Applications for the grants open on March 14, and the deadline to submit applications is April 7th – however, submissions will be closed after 5,000 applications are received, even if that date is before the April 7 deadline, according to grant documentation. 

Main Street USA is hosting an informational webinar on the grant program on March 13 at noon, and Main Street Toccoa will be participating in the webinar and is inviting any interested parties to watch the webinar at City Hall along with Main Street Toccoa. Individuals are also able to register for the webinar independently at the link attached to this story on wnegradio.com

For more information, visit mainstreet.org or contact Deal at (706) 898-5777 or [email protected].