If you own a business in downtown Yakima it's time to fix up that facade. Now is the time because the Downtown Association of Yakima (DAY) has officially opened the application period for its Façade Improvement Grant Program. It's a chance to put new faces on downtown businesses. A press release says the program is "designed to preserve the historic nature of Downtown Yakima while fostering economic development and investment in the district."

COVID kept the Façade Improvement Grant Program under wraps but it's back

“We were super excited to bring back the program last year after a one-year hiatus due to COVID and are looking forward to capitalizing on the momentum from last year’s fabulous project to have another meaningful project completed this year, “says DAY Executive Director, Andrew Holt. “We awarded $10,000 to The Opera House Building last year which resulted in an overall project exceeding $55,000,” Holt adds. The Opera House saw its pillars bolstered with new brickwork, its façade reworked with new brickwork and plaster and a coat of new paint.

DAY Executive Director, Andrew Holt says the program has sparked investment

The program was started by the Downtown Association of Yakima in 2015 and, so far, over $65,000 in grant funding has been awarded to 9 individual projects that the association says that has sparked more than $1 million in investment. “We do a variety of projects at DAY but the façade grant program is especially rewarding because you see tangible, lasting improvements that not only benefit the entire downtown, but also the specific building and accompanying businesses,” says Holt.

The deadline to apply is April 8

"The 50/50 matching grant is for businesses and buildings strictly in the Downtown Yakima Main Street District. A map of the district is in both the grant instructions and application. Projects that improve the façade of the building or any connecting outer part of the structure that can be viewed from the right-of-way are eligible.
PDF forms of grant Instructions and Applications can be downloaded from the DAY website."  https://downtownyakima.com/

Applications must be submitted by 5 pm, April 8.

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