Applications Now Available for North St. Louis Commercial Corridor Grant Program

As of 5 p.m. on June 1, businesses and nonprofits located on 11 eligible corridors and neighborhoods in North St. Louis can apply for operational support and façade and storefront improvement grants. The result of Board Bill 82, which was passed by the St. Louis Board of Aldermen on April 18, 2022, the program allocated $37 million of Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) to St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC), passed through the Community Development Administration for the North St. Louis Commercial Corridor Grant Program. This allows SLDC to award funds to organizations along the following corridors and eligible neighborhoods in North City.

• North Grand Blvd. 
• Dr. Martin Luther King Dr.
• Florissant Ave.
• North Broadway
• Natural Bridge Ave.
• West Florissant Ave.
• Delmar West
• Delmar East
• Goodfellow
• Union Ave.
• Page Ave.

“Launching the North St. Louis Commercial Corridor Grant Program is a tangible step to bringing SLDC’s Economic Justice Plan to life,” said SLDC Deputy Executive Director of Strategic Growth & Development, Lance Knuckles. “Investing these funds in marginalized and under estimated communities in St. Louis — particularly North City — is proof of our long-term commitment to economic empowerment, equitable & inclusive development, and neighborhood transformation.”

Administered by SLDC, there are two categories of awards within the application:

1. Small Business Stabilization and Expansion Grants – Small businesses and nonprofits along each corridor can apply for stabilization and expansion from these grants:
   • Stabilization – providing operational support for a business to maintain standard operations
   • Expansion – defined as business activity that supports the growth of the business and its ability to scale to respond to market opportunities.
   • Façade and Storefront Improvements Program - The program is intended to help business and property owners make exterior and storefront improvements to enhance the value of their business, while improving the quality of experience for their customers and improving the vitality of North St. Louis neighborhoods.
2. Community Need Grants – Small businesses and nonprofit organizations that are located in a HUD Qualified Census Tract (QCT) and are within a neighborhood that contains a portion of one of the North St. Louis Commercial Corridors can apply for the funds. To qualify, a small business or nonprofit organization must fill a gap in needed professional or health services or enhanced retail or cultural offerings in the neighborhood.

Applications are available online.

Businesses that do not have access to a computer are encouraged to visit your local library branch for computer access to complete the application.

About St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC)

St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) is an umbrella, not-for-profit corporation organized under Chapter 355 of the Missouri State Statutes with the mission of fostering economic development and growth in the City of St. Louis by stimulating the market for private investment in City real estate and business development and improve the quality of life for everyone who lives in, works in, and visits the City. Learn more about SLDC by visiting www.stlouis-mo.gov/sldc.

Related Resources

• North St. Louis Small Business & Non-Profit Grant Program