City of Lewiston Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Microenterprise Grant Program (MGP)

The MGP fosters microenterprise business development, support, and expansion.  A microenterprise is a commercial enterprise with five or fewer employees, one or more of whom owns the enterprise.  The program provides grants and other financial support for stabilizing and expanding microenterprises.

Funding Amount: Awards may be up to $5,000.

Funding Uses:

Examples of what funds may be used for:

  • Professional services, including marketing and business promotion.
  • Technological infrastructure and related upgrades
  • Entrepreneurial training
  • Operational expenses, including payroll, utilities, rent/mortgage (for commercial locations)

Examples of what funds may not be used for:

  • Real property improvements or rehabilitation
  • Political activities
  • Utilities, rent/mortgage for residential or home-based business occupancies
  • Repayment of existing debt
  • Reimbursement of costs incurred before grant approval.

Business Eligibility Criteria:

A business owner/business may qualify for the Microenterprise Grant Program if they meet the following eligibility criteria:

  • Business must be in the city limits of Lewiston.
  • The business owner or 51% of the business’s employees, must meet low-to-moderate income (LMI) eligibility qualifications.
  • Business must have five (5) or fewer total employees including the owner(s).
  • Business must be a private, for-profit business.
  • Business must be in good standing with the City, State, and Federal governments.
  • Business must be established and operating for at least 6 months at the time of application.

When are Applications Due? The Microenterprise Grant Program is administered on a rolling basis with no fixed deadline for submission. Any applications received after all grant funding is expended will be placed on a waitlist if additional funding becomes available.

Questions? Any questions or concerns about the Microenterprise Grant Program can be directed to Melinda Rose at [email protected] or 208-798-2582.

Website: Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) | Lewiston, ID (cityoflewiston.org) (full URL: www.cityoflewiston.org/296/Community-Development-Block-Grant-CDBG)