$500K Available In Suffolk Downtown Revitalization Grants

SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY — Applications for the 2022 Suffolk County Downtown Revitalization Grant Program are now available, Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone announced on Tuesday.

A pool of $500,000 is available for partial funding of capital projects in or near downtown areas on municipally-owned property, according to the county. The Suffolk County Downtown Revitalization Citizens Advisory Panel will decide who receives the funding.

Applications for the grant program are due by 4 p.m. May 20. For more information on how to apply, people may check the Suffolk County downtown revitalization webpage.

"This economic program allows us to invest in our robust, vibrant downtowns that are needed to keep our region competitive and grow our local economy," Bellone stated. "We will continue to make the quality investments needed to ensure a prosperous future for all those who call Suffolk home."

2022 marks the milestone 20th round of the Downtown Revitalization Grant Program. The program has provided funding to 300 projects supporting revitalization efforts in communities across Suffolk County since 1997. More than $12 million in funds have been granted to downtown revitalization efforts.

Grant applicants must be organizations that represent a downtown area and who partner with their local municipality, according to the county. Representatives of downtown areas include business improvement districts, chambers of commerce, civic associations, historical societies, beautification societies, and local development corporations.

Towns or villages that partner with a community organization are required to pass resolutions supporting the project on which the two entities partner. Projects must be capital in nature and have a significant and sustainable impact that boosts the economy.

Projects eligible for grants include public parking facilities, curb and sidewalk construction, pedestrian walkways, street lighting, public restrooms, disabled accessibility, renovations to existing structures, and cultural facilities.

The criteria for eligible projects include that the project must be a capital improvement project; funding request must be at least $10,000; the organization must partner with a municipality and be located on municipally-owned property in or adjacent to a downtown; and the project life-span must be at least 15 years.

Last year, Suffolk County awarded $500,000 in funding to 12 organizations for projects that included LED lighting, pedestrian improvements, park improvements, and a decorative archway. A pool of $500,000 was made available to partially fund qualified capital projects.

The Downtown Revitalization Citizens Advisory Panel uses a point system to evaluate each application to make sure projects that receive funding will make the greatest contribution to the long-term improvement of local downtowns and have a positive economic impact on Suffolk County as a whole.