Signage Grant
The City's Signage Grant program provides financial and business assistance to business owners interested in creating well designed signage or updating their signage to current design standards. The program was established by DCD to increase the physical appearance of Milwaukee’s commercial areas. This incentive will offer reimbursable grant funds up to $5,000. The grant may not exceed 50% of the total eligible project costs.
More information on signage regulations here and signage permits here. This grant funding cannot be used for Type B signs as described in the signage regulations.
Facade Grant
The City's Façade Grant program provides financial and business assistance to businesses and commercial property owners interested in renovating the street facing facades of their building. The program was established by DCD to increase the physical appearance of Milwaukee’s commercial areas. This incentive will offer reimbursable grant funds up to $10,000. The grant may not exceed 50% of the total eligible project costs.
Storefront Activation Grant
The Storefront Activation Grant is designed to provide targeted financial incentives to increase the vitality of the neighborhood commercial corridors. The funds will assist in recruiting new businesses to vacant commercial/retail tenant spaces in commercial buildings.
The Storefront Activation Grant will make available a new business development incentive to commercial building owners and developers. This incentive will offer reimbursable grant funds up to $20 per square foot with a maximum grant in the amount of $50,000. The grant may not exceed 50% of the total eligible project costs.
The Storefront Activation Grant cannot be combined with the Retail Investment Fund.
Retail Investment Fund
The Retail Investment Fund (RIF) is limited to funding retail development projects, located in neighborhood business districts. These businesses cannot be home-based.
The size of a RIF grant is determined by the size of the project, private investment, and job creation. The grant amount is calculated as the lesser of $5,000 per Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) job created or 40% of eligible costs. In either case, the maximum grant allowed through the RIF program is $75,000. A start-up business will be considered to create at least one full-time equivalent or FTE job (the entrepreneur) as well as any additional jobs. The expansion of an existing business shall be fundable only if additional jobs, beyond those in existence at the time of application, are created by the grantee.
The RIF program is a reimbursement program. The grantee will be reimbursed for eligible pre-approved grant related expenses. Grant funds cannot be disbursed until all conditions of the grant contract have been fulfilled, including job creation.
The Retail Investment Fund cannot be combined with the Storefront Activation Grant.
Bruce/Pierce/St. Paul Avenue Exterior Enhancement Grant Program
Eligible businesses located within the designated corridors may participate in Bruce/Pierce/St. Paul Avenue Exterior Enhancement Grant Program. Program rules and terms are available in the grant guidelines. If applying to participate in this program, please check the Facade Grant box below, as well as the box for the Bruce/Pierce/St. Paul Avenue Exterior Enhancement Grant Program below.