The grants, made under the EDA’s facade improvement, JumpStart!, event sponsorship and arts programs, are funded through fees the EDA collects from private organizations in exchange for being the conduit for the groups’ tax-exempt bond issuances, said Bill Freehling, assistant director for Economic Development. The EDA receives no taxpayer money.
Grant recipients will receive the funding as reimbursement for the work/event, as stipulated under the EDA grant. For grants received for exterior building improvements in the downtown historic district, the recipient must perform the work in accordance with standards approved by the city’s Architectural Review Board. All grant projects must comply with city ordinances and permits.
Grants awarded in October included:
– $3,000 to help pay for the replacement of three exterior windows on the fourth floor of the building at 810 Caroline St.
– $8,000 to help pay for a new kitchen-hood system at 920 Caroline St., where Sprelly plans to open within the next few months.
– $10,000 to help restore the Silversmith House at 813 Sophia St., which is home to the Fredericksburg Center for the Creative Arts.
– $5,000 to Greater Fredericksburg Habitat for Humanity to assist with the relocation of the organization’s ReStore to the Gateway Village shopping center at 2378 Plank Rd.
– $2,000 to help fund the grand prize for the Nov. 19 Made in FredVA business startup contest at the Inn at the Old Silk Mill.
– $3,000 to help the Fredericksburg Parks and Recreation Department pay for shows at the Dorothy Hart Community Center next year that will focus on fine arts, photography and children’s art.
Separately, the EDA added another $8,000 to its previous $10,874 in the Fredericksburg Main Street Initiative downtown gift card program. The “Experience Fredericksburg” gift cards will be sold a discount to face value, and can be used at participating downtown merchants, Freehling said. The cards will be sold beginning at 5 p.m. First Friday, Nov. 7, at the Fredericksburg Visitor Center, 706 Caroline St., and LibertyTown Arts Workshop, 916 Liberty St.
The EDA accepts grant applications four times a year, with deadlines on March 1, June 1, September 1 and December 1. More information is available at fredericksburgva.com.
