Grant Resource Directory Survey
Thank you for subscribing to the Grant Resource Directory. We hope you find it a valuable resource to help you with your work in downtown revitalization. Please take some time to fill out this survey so that we can continue to enhance the Grant Resource Directory and make it work even better for you.
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: September 15, 2020.  

  • NEW! Rural Relief Small Business Grants – LISC: LISC is supporting entrepreneurs across the country during the COVID-19 pandemic. Their next opportunity for businesses in rural communities will open soon. Applicants may apply for one business only and must be 18 years of age to apply. Priority will be given especially to entrepreneurs of color, women- and veteran-owned businesses and other enterprises in historically under-served places who don’t have access to flexible, affordable capital. Next round opens September 18, 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. Next round opens October 1, 2020. 

  • 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.

  • 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
  • NEW! Small Grants – Clif Bar Family Foundation: Priority is given to applications that address the foundation’s funding priorities from a holistic perspective. These include: protecting Earth's beauty and bounty, creating a robust, healthy food system, increasing opportunities for outdoor activity, reducing environmental health hazards, and building stronger communities. It is important that applications operate with clearly defined objectives and viable plans to achieve them. Applications must demonstrate strong community ties and operate at the community level. It is important to promote positive change through both the projects and their implementation process. These grants are awarded for general organizational support as well as funding for specific projects. Deadline October 1, 2020.

  • NEW! Preservation Funds – National Trust for Historic Preservation: National Trust Preservation Funds (NTPF) are intended to encourage preservation at the local level by providing seed money for preservation projects. These grants help stimulate public discussion, enable local groups to gain the technical expertise needed for particular projects, introduce the public to preservation concepts and techniques, and encourage financial participation by the private sector. Grants generally start at $2,500 and range up to $5,000. The selection process is very competitive. Deadline: October 1, 2020.

  • NEW! Battlefield Preservation Fund – National Trust for Historic Preservation: Battlefield Preservation Fund will serve as a catalyst to stimulate efforts to preserve battlefields, viewsheds, and related historic structures and to leverage fund-raising activities. While efforts involving battlefields associated with the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, the French and Indian Wars, and other battles fought in the United States are eligible for funding, priority will be given to those that have limited access to other specialized battlefield funding programs. Typical uses of grants from the fund include legal and research fees to mitigate development threats, fund-raising and media plans, feasibility studies for endangered buildings and sites, archeological studies, landscape research and planning, viewshed protection, easement planning, and interpretation and heritage education activities. Grants generally start at $2,500 and range up to $5,000. The selection process is very competitive. Deadline: October 1, 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.

  • Mini Grants – Missouri Humanities Council (MHC): MHC will consider any proposal to support humanities-based projects or programs submitted by a non-profit organization or a civic, educational, or cultural organization that operates as a non-profit, including (but not limited to) schools and other educational institutions, local government and governmental agencies, and civic associations. Organizations may apply individually or in partnership with other eligible entities and organizations (in the case of multiple partners participating in the grant project, only a single organization can serve as the applying entity). Mini grants are awarded for project requests of up to $2,500. Deadline: November 1, 2020.
Highlighted Ongoing Grant Opportunities
  • BNSF Railway Foundation: The Foundation is dedicated to supporting the communities BSNF Railway serves and in which their employees live, work, and volunteer. Organizations should exist in or serve a community near one of BNSF's rail lines to be eligible to apply for grants. Grants are offered for projects that fall into the categories of civic service, cultural, educational, health and human service, youth organizations, federated organizations, and federally recognized tribal governments. Deadline: ongoing.

  • Economic Development Assistance Programs – Economic Development Agency (EDA): EDA solicits applications from applicants in rural and urban areas to provide investments that support construction, non-construction, technical assistance, and revolving loan fund projects under EDA’s Public Works and EAA programs. Grants and cooperative agreements made under these programs are designed to leverage existing regional assets and support the implementation of economic development strategies that advance new ideas and creative approaches to advance economic prosperity in distressed communities. EDA provides strategic investments on a competitive- merit-basis to support economic development, foster job creation, and attract private investment in economically distressed areas of the United States. Deadline: ongoing

  • Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund – Environmental Improvement and Energy Resources Authority (EIERA) in cooperation with Missouri Department of Natural Resources: In 2005, the EIERA was awarded a $1 million grant to capitalize a revolving loan fund from which the EIERA will provide loans and sub-grants to support cleanup activities for sites contaminated with petroleum, hazardous, controlled substances, and mine-scarred lands. Deadline: ongoing once outstanding loans are repaid.

  • Walmart Foundation: The Walmart Foundation’s Community Grant Program is offering grants to nonprofit organizations and agencies that work in one of the foundation’s three priority areas: creating economic opportunity, enhancing sustainability in supply chains, and strengthening community. Awards range from $250 to $5,000. Deadline: Applications are accepted on ongoing basis until December 31, 2020.
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