COVID-19 Response Resources
  • The Red Backpack Fund – Spanx and Global Giving: Since its inception, Spanx and The Spanx by Sara Blakely Foundation have been dedicated to elevating and supporting women through entrepreneurship. Knowing the ripple effect that empowering women can have to strengthen communities, the foundation donated $5 million to support female entrepreneurs in the wake of COVID-19 and teamed up with GlobalGiving to establish The Red Backpack Fund. GlobalGiving is making at least 1,000 grants of $5,000 each to female entrepreneurs in the U.S. to help alleviate the impact of the crisis. Deadline: August 10, 2020. 

  • NEW! Nonprofit Relief and Recovery Plan – Missouri Department of Economic Development (DED): The Nonprofit Relief and Recovery Program was created to support Missouri nonprofit organizations in meeting critical and emergent needs resulting from the COVID-19 public health emergency and in building organizational capacity for recovery. Applications will be accepted in two waves, via electronic submission. Wave 1*: Applications to Wave 1 will be accepted from July 22, 2020 to August 14, 2020. Eligible to apply in the first wave are 501(c)(3) nonprofits serving disadvantaged populations, whose services are substantially dedicated to addressing critical needs resulting from the COVID-19 public health emergency in the areas of: Homelessness prevention, Job training, At-risk youth services, Childcare, Academic/educational support. *DED reserves the right to make final determination as to fit of an organization in the above categories. Wave 2: Applications to Wave 2 will be accepted from August 19, 2020 to August 28, 2020. Eligible to apply in the second wave are 501(c)(3) nonprofits providing services other services not identified for Wave 1, who can demonstrate they are suffering from direct and second-order effects of the public health emergency. Deadline: Wave 1 applications July 22-August 14, 2020. Wave 2 applications August 19-August 28, 2020.

  • NEW! CARES Act Coworking and Incubator Grant Program – Missouri Technology: The purpose of the Coworking and Incubator Grant Program (the "Program") administered by the Missouri Technology Corporation (the "MTC") is to provide grants to reimburse qualifying costs incurred by Missouri’s coworking and incubator facilities in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency in order to ensure that they can safely continue offering their important services to the State’s entrepreneurs and emerging companies. The State of Missouri will make available $1 million in grant funds provided under the CARES Act for eligible Missouri-based non-profit corporation- and University-sponsored coworking and incubator facilities. Individual grant amounts are limited initially to $50,000 (though applicants may request more than $50,000), but MTC reserves the right to make grants in excess of such amounts depending on availability of funds. Deadline: August 17, 2020.

  • NEW! Small Business Grant – Missouri Department of Development: The purpose of the Small Business Grant Program under section 601(a) of the Social Security Act, as added by section 5001 of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”) and Section 7.031 in House Bill 2007 (2020) is to provide grants to small businesses and family-owned farms for reimbursement of costs of business interruption caused by required closures in connection with the COVID-19 public health emergency. The Department is focused on impacting the hardest hit industries, which include retail trade, accommodation and food service and health care, in addition to family-owned farms. Other industries may apply September 1, 2020 if there are funds available. Deadline: August 31, 2020.

  • Small Business Grant – Nav: Nav is offering grants to their small business customers who share their story of perseverance in the face of COVID-19 challenges. Nav will award a $10,000 grand prize, $2,000 1st runner-up, and $1,000 2nd runner-up. Deadline: September 1, 2020 

  • NEW! Culture of Health Prize – Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) Culture of Health Prize (the Prize) elevates the compelling stories of places where residents are working together to transform education, jobs, transportation, housing, and more so better health flourishes for all. A Culture of Health recognizes that where we live—such as our access to affordable homes, quality schools, good jobs, and reliable transportation—affects how long and how well we live. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Culture of Health Prize recognizes communities working at the forefront of advancing health, opportunity, and equity for all. Deadline: October 15, 2020.

  • Economic Injury Disaster Loan – U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA): Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on small businesses, Missouri has been granted a disaster declaration by the SBA. This makes low interest disaster loans available to small businesses and private non-profits severely impacted by the Coronavirus (COVID-19). SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loans offer up to $2 million in assistance for each affected small business or non-profit. These loans can provide vital economic support to small businesses to help overcome the temporary loss of revenue they are experiencing. Deadline: December 21, 2020.

  • Public Assistance Program – Missouri Department of Public Safety State of Emergency Management Agency (SEMA): SEMA’s Public Assistance Section (part of SEMA’s Recovery Division) administers federal grants to eligible public entities for the repair and restoration of damaged roads, bridges, public infrastructure and facilities in federally-declared disaster areas. These expenses included emergency protective measures or response costs as a direct result of the disaster. Public entities include municipal and county government, school districts, state agencies, and certain private, nonprofit organizations. The deadline for local governments and eligible nonprofits to submit a Request for Public Assistance has been extended for the duration of the current Public Health Emergency, unless otherwise announced by FEMA.

  • The Main Street Initiative – Mainvest: If you have an existing brick & mortar business that has been negatively affected by the COVID-19 outbreak and you launch a capital raise on Mainvest, you may be eligible to receive a $2,000 zero-interest loan immediately*. Then through your capital raise, you can receive over $100,000 of investment from your community.

  • Kansas City Regional COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund: A coalition of charitable, business and government partners has joined together to create the Kansas City Regional COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund to address the needs of the Kansas City region's most vulnerable communities affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Kansas City Regional COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund provides grants to nonprofit organizations that have experience supporting impacted communities – particularly those that are disproportionately affected by this global pandemic and its economic consequences. This program is available for Cass, Clay, Jackson, Platte, and Ray counties in Missouri.

  • Small Business Relief Initiative - GoFundMe: GoFundMe has partnered with Yelp and Intuit QuickBooks to create a Small Business Relief Fund to help small businesses negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Each of these three companies has contributed $500,000 to the Fund, and it's receiving additional donations from the public. The fund will provide $500 grants to any small business that raises $500 on GoFundMe.

  • COVID-19 Nonprofit Response Fund – Community Foundation: This fund’s purpose is to support nonprofit organizations impacted by efforts to contain the spread of coronavirus, with a priority for those providing vital basic needs services and resources to disproportionately impacted individuals and families impacted by following public health recommendations. Grants may be made to nonprofit organizations, churches, schools, or units of government located in or significantly serving one or more of the following counties: Adams, Brown, Hancock & Pike in Illinois; and Clark, Knox, Lewis, Marion, Monroe, Pike, Ralls, and Shelby in Missouri. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

Current Grant Opportunities
  • Our Town – National Endowment for the Arts: Our Town is the National Endowment for the Arts’ creative placemaking grants program. These grants support projects that integrate arts, culture, and design activities into efforts that strengthen communities by advancing local economic, physical, and/or social outcomes. Successful Our Town projects ultimately lay the groundwork for systemic changes that sustain the integration of arts, culture, and design into local strategies for strengthening communities. Through Our Town projects, the National Endowment for the Arts Endowment intends to achieve the following objective: Strengthening Communities: Provide opportunities for the arts to be integrated into the fabric of community life. Project outcomes may include economic change, physical change, social change, and systems change. These projects require a partnership between a nonprofit organization and a local government entity, with one of the partners being a cultural organization. Matching grants range from $25,000 to $150,000, with a minimum cost share/match equal to the grant amount. Deadline: Submit preliminary info to grants.gov August 6, 2020, submit application August 11-18, 2020.

  • Historic Preservation Fund – Missouri State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO): The Historic Preservation Fund will be funding National Register, Survey, Planning and Outreach and Predevelopment (also known as Preconstruction) projects. Development projects will not be funded this round. All Certified Local Governments, all county governmental entities, municipalizes, and qualified non-profit organizations with a historic preservation mission are eligible to apply for Historic Preservation Fund grants. A required pre-application submission is due by August 31, 2020 for review and comment from the Grants Manager. Deadline: October 15, 2020.
Highlighted Ongoing Grant Opportunities
  • Growing Rural Communities Fund – Rural Local Initiatives Support Corporation: Rural LISC has developed an innovative new financing tool to provide low-interest loans to qualified commercial real estate projects in rural America. The Growing Rural Communities Fund will finance real estate acquisition and construction costs to spur job creation and economic revitalization in distressed communities. Deadline: ongoing.

  • Community Facilities Direct Loan & Grant Program – USDA: This program provides affordable funding to develop essential community facilities in rural areas. An essential community facility is defined as a facility that provides an essential service to the local community for the orderly development of the community in a primarily rural area, and does not include private, commercial or business undertakings. Deadline: ongoing.

  • Community Facilities Guaranteed Loan Program – USDA: This program provides loan guarantees to eligible private lenders to help build essential community facilities in rural areas. An essential community facility is defined as a facility that provides an essential service to the local community for the orderly development of the community in a primarily rural area, and does not include private, commercial or business undertakings. Deadline: ongoing.

  • Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program – USDA: This program provides loans and grants to Microenterprise Development Organizations (MDOs) that then provide microloans to help microenterprises startup and grow through a Rural Microloan Revolving Fund and provide training and technical assistance to microloan borrowers and micro entrepreneurs. Microloan funds from MDOs may be used for working capital, debt refinancing, purchase equipment and supplies, and improve real estate. Deadline: ongoing.
Any Special Projects?
Do you have a special project in your historic district that we can keep in mind when researching funding resources? Email Katelyn at katelyn@momainstreet.org.
Share Your Success
We would love to share any grant success stories in a future issue of the Grant Resource Directory in order to provide ideas for how the funding has been used in Main Street communities. If you have any projects you would like to share, email Katelyn at katelyn@momainstreet.org.
How can MMSC assist your community?
Community Empowerment Grant Program
The Community Empowerment Grant (CEG) program is a two-year grant for services as a 60/40 matching grant. The community is responsible for 40% of the costs totaling $12,320. To be eligible for this program, a community representative must attend an CEG workshop. Check here for upcoming workshops.

The CEG program includes hands- on training and guidance to help the community establish a local Main Street program.
Strategic Teams Engaging People
Strategic Teams Engaging People (STEP) is a one-year grant for services as a 75/25 matching grant. The community is responsible for 25% of the costs totaling $5,000.

The STEP grant provides individualized training with a focus on initiatives for sustained revitalization and technical development to advance the Main Street organization's downtown development.
People Energizing Places
People Energizing Places (PEP) is a two-year grant for services as a 75/25 matching grant. The community is responsible for 25% of the costs totaling $9,600.

The PEP grant was developed to provide the next step for local Main Street programs with more advanced training and development customized for the community's needs.
The opportunities included in this email are not a complete list of possible funding resources. This list is not meant to take the place of an individual organization’s research. Not every opportunity will be applicable to each organization or community. This list may include grants for government entities, other non-profits, etc. whose work supplements that of a Main Street organization. 

The Grant Resource Directory is a benefit for Missouri Main Street Connection network members. Thank you for joining and supporting the work of MMSC and Main Streets in Missouri!
Missouri Main Street Connection
3044 Shepherd of the Hills Expy Suite 214
Branson, MO 65616
417-334-3014