The Niagara Falls Small Business Property Improvement Program is intended to create commercial, retail, and residential development elements that will service several market segments and ultimately result in capturing more of the tourist and resident visitation to Niagara Falls. The grant program will play a vital role in the reactivation of Niagara Falls as a vibrant, pedestrian friendly city and experience for residents and tourists.

The $5 million program will provide grants of up to 50 percent of total project costs, up to $100,000 per property, to eligible small businesses to foster revitalization of traditional mixed-use business districts. The funds to small business and property owners can be used for commercial improvements such as façade restoration and other mixed-use building upgrades. 

The program is administered by the N.F.C. Development Corporation and funded through the Regional Revitalization Partnership, a $300 million private and public regional co-investment in three interconnected geographic areas: Buffalo, Niagara Falls and Rochester.

• Applicants seeking assistance must have a project located within one of the described program areas in Niagara Falls. This includes the USA Niagara Development District, historically known as the south-end of Niagara Falls (area generally bounded by John B. Daly Blvd [east], Niagara Falls State Park [west], Niagara Scenic Parkway [south] and Third Street to Cedar Ave  [north] as well as Niagara Street [Third Street to John B. Daly Blvd]). Please see map here for more information. 
• Applicant must have site control.
• Eligible costs include site acquisition, demolition/renovations, remediation of existing structures, new construction and build-out, and new equipment purchases.
• Project must be consistent with any existing local or regional comprehensive plan, building on efforts to redevelop downtown into a vibrant tourism destination.
• The Program will generally fund no more than $100,000 or one-half (50%) of eligible project costs, whichever is less.
• Project cost must be a minimum of $25,000. 

Applicants seeking assistance for projects located within the USA Niagara Development District should contact John Risio at [email protected] for more information.