Mid City Times

Three small businesses in Fort Worth recently received grants from Main Street America through the organization’s Backing Small Businesses grant program, presented by American Express. Fort Worth had the most grant winners in Texas, with three of the 17 statewide winners this year.

Main Street’s Backing Small Businesses grant program awards $10,000 to 500 small businesses in the U.S. each year. Those original grant recipients will have an opportunity to apply for an additional $30,000 enhancement grant later this year, which will be awarded to 25 small businesses to help create transformative change within their businesses and their communities.

In 2023, two other small businesses in Fort Worth also received Backing Small Business grants: Bodega South Main, located in the Near Southside, and Casa Azul, located in the Historic Northside.

The City of Fort Worth is working to build capacity and drive investment in underserved commercial corridors throughout the city. In many cases, this work is done in partnership with local place-based organizations. Of the five businesses selected to receive Main Street grants over the past two years, three are located in Fort Worth’s revitalization target areas. Two are also located within the city’s first Main Street pilot program districts, which see local stakeholder organizations working alongside residents to develop a community transformation strategy using Main Street’s patented four-point framework.

“Revitalization efforts are all about momentum – project by project, business by business, block by block,” said Robert Sturns, director of economic development. “These Main Street grants are incredibly important to that effort because they funnel additional resources into these business corridors. After all, it’s the businesses who are helping build and largely setting the tone for their neighborhoods – creating spaces where people can hang out, interact and develop a sense of community from the ground up.”

Main Street America and American Express launched Backing Small Businesses in 2021 and have provided over $9 million in grants to 1,180 small business owners nationwide. Originally started during the COVID-19 pandemic, the program helps support eligible small business owners with projects that grow or improve their business by building community or supporting their economic viability.

Community-focused small businesses in Fort Worth are encouraged to apply for next year’s round of grants.

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