Eastern Market Main Street Fiscal Year 2026

Economic Resilience Grants

for Customer-Facing Retail Businesses

 

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Every year, Eastern Market Main Street offers a Technical Assistance Subgrant from our annual DC Department of Small and Local Businesses Main Streets DC grant. This year, we are calling these grants Economic Resilience Grants and getting them out several months earlier than usual.

 

Brick and mortar retail, beauty retail and service, and restaurant businesses can apply for an award of up to $4,000. All applicants must be a locally owned brick and mortar location with customer-facing retail of goods or services. Legal services, real estate services, medical establishments, online only businesses, and market vendors are not eligible for this grant cycle. Available funds will be divided among all qualified applicants that submit complete applications by the deadline of midnight, November 17, 2025.

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You must submit the following information to our online form linked below. Please ensure you have everything together before applying.

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1. Business Name 

2. Business Address

3. Best Contact Name, Number, and Email

4. Short Description of Project

5. Basic Business License number

6. Answer a short questionnaire.

 

Qualifying Projects Include:

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Hard costs: Space build-out and renovations; façade improvements; and purchase and installation of heavy equipment and fixtures permanently attached to a wall, floor, or ceiling.

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Soft costs: Point-of-sale and inventory management hardware and software; fees associated with expanding the business to e-commerce sales; and purchase and installation of movable equipment and furniture.

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Branding and marketing support: costs including radio, TV, print ads, social media platforms of businesses, and event for businesses support.

Direct reimbursement to business owners: rent, utilities, employee wages, new product lines, costs associated with opening a new business on Corridor.

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Projects must have a timeline of work between October 1st, 2025, and July 1st, 2026. All awardees are required to submit proof of payment to judy@easternmarketmainstreet.org by July 31st, 2026 or may be subject to returning the award. 

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