COVID-19 Reopening and Recovery Grant Program

*Note: Currently, there are only funds left for businesses located inside of the Downtown Lexington Management District.

Downtown COVID-19 Reopening & Recovery Grant

Overview

Street-level retail, restaurant and bar businesses are the heartbeat of downtown Lexington creating the vibrancy to make it a thriving, successful employment, cultural, corporate, and civic center of the region. These businesses have been devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the required stay at home orders.  Now as those restrictions are lifted and the economy begins to reopen, Downtown Lexington Management District (DLMD) and Downtown Lexington Partnership (DLP) are teaming up to provide grants and in-kind marketing support to help these businesses overcome the financial, marketing and operational challenges of this new business environment.

Reopening and Recovery Grant Details

The program provides a reimbursement grant for up to 75% of eligible project costs up to a maximum grant of $3,000. Please note that there is no guarantee of awards at the maximum amount. To receive a grant, business operators must meet with DLP staff (via Zoom or in-person), complete the attached application and be approved by the grants committee prior to purchasing.  Grant dollars cannot be used for items purchased prior to grant approval. There is currently a limit of one grant per business.

Pool: $80,000

• DLMD: $65,000 (reallocated from existing grants pool). To receive DLMD funded grants, businesses must be physically located within the Downtown Lexington Management District.
• DLP: $15,000. To receive DLP funded grants, businesses must be located within the traditional downtown boundary and be a member of DLP through Dec. 31, 2020.

Eligible Costs:

Businesses can be reimbursed for costs, with required documentation, that help the business reopen including:

• Rent/Mortgage payments.
• Re-hiring staff (hourly/salaried excluding benefits).
• Personal Protection Equipment (PPE).
• Cleaning/disinfecting supplies, equipment, etc.
• Interior alterations to comply with new social distancing requirements/recommendations.
• Marketing.
• Exterior Property Improvements (i.e. façade, lighting signage and sidewalk café etc.).

* Note: grants will not reimburse costs covered by any Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) payments.

Marketing Support

Many businesses have laid-off or let go more than 50% of their staff, including marketing team members.  To assist these businesses, DLP shall meet with each business to review marketing needs, develop a 60-90 day marketing plan and help with its execution.  In addition, DLP shall use its e-newsletter, website and social media platforms to promote the newly reopened businesses and their new operational procedures highlighting their products and services and the improvements made to keep the public safe.

Click Here for 2020 COVID-19 REOPENING & RECOVERY GRANT application

Businesses interested in applying for the grant should contact Ethan Howard, DLP’s Director of Placemaking and Economic Development at ethan@downtownlex.com, or by phone at (859) 335-8640 (ext. 106).