Main Street Grant Programs
Business and property owners in the Gloucester Village invited to apply.
2023 Facade Enhancement & Interior Improvement Grant
GRANTS
Main Street Preservation Trust’s Facade Enhancement & Interior Improvement Grant Program invites Gloucester Village business and building owners to apply for matching funds toward building enhancement projects. Improvements to individual commercial properties enhance the entire Main Street business district, building upon the investments already made in the Village’s streetscape.
This year’s deadlines include: (if said dates fall on a weekend then the next business day)
Applications Due: First Friday in March at 3 p.m.
Notice of Awards: First Friday in April, via email
Final Grant Reports Due: November 1st
Final Project Inspections by November 30th
Reimbursements Processed by the Second Thursday in December
For Facade Enhancements
Matching grants are available for up to $20,000, dollar to dollar. Eligible projects include but are not limited to, painting and siding, brick maintenance, repair or replacement of exterior windows and doors, new or replacement awnings and exterior lighting, new or replacement commercial signage, landscaping, and improvements to steps, parking, and more.
For Interior Improvements
Matching grants are available for up to $10,000, dollar to dollar. Eligible projects include but are not limited to, restoration of interior features, plumbing, HVAC, flooring, lighting fixtures, painting, safety upgrades, and more. All applications are asked to comply with the Gloucester Village Main Street Design Guidelines, which uplift the National Park Service’s Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties and more. The design guidelines can be found below.
General Info
Applicants must be a members of the Gloucester Main Street Association to be considered. All grants are matching grants, awarded funds for projects on a dollar-for-dollar basis. In-kind donations are not accepted. MSPT always receives more applications than we can possibly fund, so we strive to choose the projects that will bring the most benefit to our community. Any applicant who is not awarded funds is always welcome to try again the following year. Previous winners are also welcome to apply again if they have another qualifying project. The program opens at the beginning of January each year. Applicants are encouraged to schedule a preliminary meeting to discuss their proposal with staff if they have questions or need additional guidance. See the due dates for applications above. Upon the completion of their projects, winners submit receipts to MSPT to document the funds spent. MSPT verifies the receipts and then presents the business owner with a check for the amount they were awarded in the program. Awards are based on actual expenses submitted.
The combination of our grants and the business owners’ own funds over the years now equals an investment in Main Street of more than one million dollars! We expect to continue this program for years to come and look forward to the day when every business building has reached its full potential. Our Main Street deserves no less.
To apply, click below or email director@mspt.org to receive the materials directly.
Questions? Contact Us
Transformation
Gloucester Main Street organizations work together to help transform buildings and businesses up and down Main Street.
Main Street Preservation Trust was founded almost 20 years ago, when Edwin and Adrianne Joseph purchased the Main Street Center, renovated it, then gifted it to the Trust. The rental income from the Center is used to fund the activities of both the Trust and its sister organization, the Gloucester Main Street Association. The Trust has given quite a bit to our community – since 2011, the Trust has invested more than $4.7 million dollars in the buildings along Main Street!
The Trust’s most visible impact has been through our annual Facade and Interior Improvements Grants. Some of our most recent success stories include the renovations of Kelsick Specialty Market; 6979 Main Street, home of the TC Walker mural; and Arts on Main.
Paige Williams is the owner of Kelsick Specialty Market. The popular restaurant and gourmet food store is located in a building that was previously an auto shop. Grant money from MSPT helped Willliams renovate the building while retaining its distinctive roll-up garage doors on the facade. “The Gloucester Main Street Grant helped my business tremendously in being able to renovate, rebrand and grow my Main Street business. We were able to take an old building which had great history here in Gloucester and restore it to an inviting new space to be able to serve our community. Without the grant, we would have had a very tough time reopening in our new location and having the funds to maintain a new business,” Williams said.
Bill Seidel, the owner of 6979 Main Street, was the recipient of a 2021 facade grant that allowed him to replace his front windows, add awnings, and prepare the south side of his building for the installation of the TC Walker mural painted by Michael Rosato. “The grant allowed me to quickly get the building ready to support the mural and remove an eyesore from an entryway to the community,” said Mr. Seidel. “I don’t know how I could have done it otherwise.”
Arts on Main Board Chair Hugh Bryan is also grateful for grant money received from MSPT. “Arts on Main is so grateful for the very generous support from Main Street Preservation Trust. The grants allowed us to complete the expansion of our gallery, ensure that art is a vibrant part of our community, and enhance the Main Street experience for those who live in and those who visit Gloucester."
MSPT’s annual Facade and Interior Improvement Grants are awarded to business and property owners in our program area who are renovating their properties and want to apply for matching funds. The competition opens in January each year, with applications due in March and awards announced in early April. The grants are matching grants, meaning winners must submit receipts for materials and work performed before any money is disbursed. Work must be completed before the end of the calendar year.
“The grant allowed me to quickly get the building ready to support the mural and remove an eyesore from an entryway to the community.”
