PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Main Street Economic Revitalization Grant program awards matching funds to help businesses improve their buildings. The goal is to help Rochester stay a lively, welcoming place for people to live, work, and visit. Grant recipients can use the funds for property repair or renovation, building construction, landscaping and street scaping, demolition and site preparation, predesign and design, engineering, non-publicly owned infrastructure, or related site amenities.
FUNDING AMOUNT
- Total Funding Available: $721,153
- Total Funding Per Round: $360,576
- Grant funding for any project is capped at $175,000 and cannot exceed 30% of the total project cost.
- Award sizes will depend on overall demand. Applicants may receive less than requested
WHO CAN APPLY
- A property owner or a business owner/tenant.
- The project is in one these areas:
- The DMC District, with priority given to those organizations near the future Link Bus Rapid Transit corridor.
- The Lowertown Neighborhood is an area with over 100 businesses within walking distance of downtown Rochester.
- A funding match to pay for the project. Matching funds cannot be from state or federal sources.
- Grant funds will be spent on property repair or renovation, building construction, landscaping and street scaping, demolition and site preparation, predesign and design, engineering, non-publicly owned infrastructure, or related site amenities.
- All spending must happen before June 30, 2026, to get reimbursed.
TIMELINE
- ROUND 1 – CLOSED
- Application Window Opens: April 1, 2025
- Application Window Closes: April 16, 2025
- Notification of Recommendation: May 12, 2025
- Notification of Approval by DEED: 3-5 weeks
- Deadline for Incurred Expense: June 30, 2026
- ROUND 2
- Application Window Opens: August 4, 2025
- Application Window Closes: August 25, 2025
- Notification of Recommendation: September 22, 2025
- Notification of Approval by DEED: 3-5 Weeks
- Deadline for Incurred Expense: June 30, 2026
WHAT IS NEEDED TO APPLY
The online application will ask for the following:
- Business name and contact information
- Eligibility confirmation
- Site selection status
- Project summary
- Project timeline
- Project budget
- Status of secured matching fund and sources
- Job impacts
REVIEW & APPROVAL PROCESS
- Review: DMC EDA Staff
- Recommendation: DMC EDA Board
- Approval: MN DEED Staff
DISBURSEMENT OF FUNDS
Grantees will receive funding as a reimbursement once the work has been completed and proof of payment has been collected. The grant disbursement can be made in a single payment or multiple payments as the project progresses. Further details will be outlined in the grant agreement, executed after DEED formally approves the project. Only expenses incurred through June 30, 2026, are eligible for reimbursement.
HOW TO APPLY
Applications must be submitted online through the grant portal. The portal will open on the first day of each application window and close at 11:59 p.m. on the final day.
CONTACT INFORMATION
For questions about eligibility, the application process, or technical assistance, please contact:
GRANT PROGRAM MANAGER
Allison Bowman
[email protected]
(507) 216-9720
dmc.mn
Featured Stories
To date, the Main Street Economic Revitalization Grant program has supported over 70 businesses and led to the creation of over 300 jobs and 22 vacant storefronts are now occupied. The grant awards ranged from $5,000 to $500,000, with an average award of around $59,000.
Jack’s Bottle Shop
Because of its absolute uniqueness, Jack’s Bottle Shop, 909 6th St NW, is an established pillar of the Rochester beer (and by extension social) scene. That same uniqueness means the shop doesn’t often find itself fitting neatly into bullet points on an application.
The Landing
t’s hard to imagine a place in Rochester where a dollar’s impact can cause more positive ripples than The Landing, 426 3rd Ave SE. The organization was founded in 2018 to provide direct support to members of the Rochester community experiencing homelessness and has operated some iteration of a day center since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
Anderson Wheelchair
58 years. That’s how long Anderson Wheelchair, 1117 Second St SW, has provided mobility to residents and visitors to Med City. The shop sells, rents, customizes, and services mobility products.
Main Street Grant Co-designers
Dina Abo Sheasha
Amgad Hassan Elnaseih
Jose Torres Miller
Chad Poitra
Manasseh Kambaki
Tiffany Alexandria
Approved Grants
as of 9/21/23
| 1910 Fresh Mexican Kitchen | $15,000 |
| Anderson Wheelchair | $88,548 |
| ANK Property | $24,000 |
| Art Heads Emporium | $50,500 |
| Baheya, LLC | $4,100 |
| BGD5 Mall DBA: Galleria at University Square | $16,590 |
| Bonana, LLC DBA: Uni Uni Tea | $38,812 |
| Chabad of Southern Minnesota | $59,900 |
| City Walk, LLC | $500,000 |
| Eastwood Plaza | $9,000 |
| Everyday 365 Clothing, LLC | $4,500 |
| Gaming Bizaar, LLC | $3,000 |
| Guerin Studio, LLC | $3,510 |
| Healing Touch Spa, LLC | $35,000 |
| Hiro | $187,500 |
| Interiors By J.Curry, LLC | $1,220 |
| Ironton, LLC | $85,000 |
| Jack’s Bottle Shop | $15,000 |
| Kahler Inn & Suites | $15,000 |
| La Michoacana Purepecha 3, LLC | $52,500 |
| Low Income Fam Apartments (Parker) | $1,700 |
| Marrow Restaurant | $133,919 |
| Neighborly Group | $20,000 |
| New Spin Bicycle Shop | $32,090 |
| Nucleus RadioPharma | $150,000 |
| Orange Rose Distribution DBA: Popus Gourmet Popcorn | $25,500 |
| Pasquale and Friends | $7,500 |
| People’s Food Cooperative | $22,500 |
| Roasted Bliss, LLC | $181,500 |
| Rochester Art Center | $5,100 |
| Rowan International Grocery Store, LLC | $15,000 |
| Ryan Companies | $25,000 |
| Sargent’s on Second | $34,289 |
| Seto Bakery | $119,040 |
| Tap House | $45,000 |
| The Landing MN | $200,000 |
| The Well | $186,000 |
| Tinos, LLC | $48,000 |
| True Queens Boutique | $10,500 |
| Well Living Lab, Inc. | $10,000 |
| Wendland Utz | $26,355 |
| Zastrow Photography | $15,000 |
| Zumbro Lutheran Church | $6,000 |
| Zumbro Valley Health Center | $200,000 |
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the Main Street Economic Revitalization Grant Program?
This is a state-funded initiative intended to provide grants for capital improvement projects in central business districts across the state.
Projects that result in improvements to any permanent structure or other asset added to a property that adds to its value are eligible. Business operations expenses are not eligible. Applicants need to have other sources of funding to match any funds given by this program.
- Who administers the grant program in Rochester?
The grant is administered by Destination Medical Center Economic Development Agency located in downtown Rochester. The DMC EDA applied for and secured the grant award with the support of the City of Rochester.
Eligible projects must be within the approved areas.
- Who can apply for funding?
Any person or company planning to invest in eligible capital projects in the approved areas may apply.
- What investments are funded by the grant?
Capital investments, such as:
- Repair or renovation of property, including expansions and additions
- Demolition, site preparation, and building construction
- Landscaping, streetscaping and related site amenities
- Engineering, pre-design and design work
- Infrastructure
- What investments can NOT be funded by the grant?
The purchase of real estate is not eligible, nor are business operations or business operating expenses, such as inventory, wages, or working capital.
- How much was the DMC EDA’s grant award?
In Round 3, DMC EDA was awarded $750,000 for distribution in the DMC District (with priority given to those organizations near the future Link Bus Rapid Transit corridor) and the Lowertown Neighborhood.
In the first two rounds, the DMC EDA distributed up to 3 million dollars in grants in the DMC District and approximately $950,000 in phase 2 (southeast Crossroads to Bear Creek, and the Northwest Design District and Northgate Area) with a minimum award of $3,000 and a maximum of $750,000 per award.
These grant awards could cover up to 30% of the project cost. The remaining funds must come from other sources. For example, a $100,000 capital project can be awarded up to $30,000 in Main Street Grant funds. The remaining balance must be funded through other sources.
- What can be used for the matching funds?
Loans, equity, and local government funding not derived from state or federal sources can be used for the match.
- Who provided the grant funding?
Funding was provided by the State of Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.
- Why did the State of Minnesota initiate this program?
The grant program was intended to help central business districts physically rebuild and reposition themselves in the face of a substantially changing downtown economy.