Grants for businesses in the early stages of developing design concepts for desired improvements to their business. 

• Grant will cover costs for design services to produce a new conceptual design for your building or tenant space.

• Awardees will be able to utilize a City of Bend hired firm who will produce a conceptual design and set of bid-level plans for a renovation on your property or tenant space.

• 0% match requirement

Applicants applying for design assistance are not eligible to apply for construction assistance in the same application cycle but will be eligible in future funding cycles.

Grants for construction of tenant improvements. Permitting fees and design service costs are still eligible uses of funds. 

• Max grant: $50,000 
• 0-50% Match Requirements based on grant award as shown below:

2023 APPLICATION CYCLE- CLOSED. Please check the webpage in Summer 2024 for Program updates.

How to Apply:
Download Business Assistance Grant Application
Send completed application and required attachments to corearea@bendoregon.gov by end of day on Sunday, October 15, 2023.

If applicant is not the property owner, applicant will need to submit an Owner Authorization Form with their application.

2023 Application Schedule

• June 26 - October 15, 2023: Applications accepted. 
• November 9, 2023: CAAB receives presentations from applicants and finalizes scoring.
• November 16, 2023: CAAB makes final funding awards and recommendations.
• December 6 or 20, 2023: BURA considers CAAB’s funding awards & recommendations.
• 2024: Selected applicants enter into grant agreements with the City. Invoices can be submitted to the City following execution of grant agreements for eligible expenses. Funds expended up to 12 months prior to grant agreement execution are eligible for reimbursement.

Applications will be reviewed by Core Advisory Board (CAAB) using the following evaluation criteria:

1.   CATALYTIC POTENTIAL: Project has catalytic potential (0-30 points) 
2.   EQUITABLE OUTCOMES: Primary beneficiaries of the project are a program priority (0-30 points) 
3.   PROJECT NEED: There is a demonstrated need for financial assistance (0-20 points) 
4.   NEAR TERM IMPACT: Investments can be made soon (0-20 points)    

   • This criterion will not be evaluated for projects applying for design assistance. 

See Core Area Business Assistance Program Policy for more information and detail on Evaluation Scoring Criteria. 

CAAB, after reviewing applications, will make a funding recommendation to the Bend Urban Renewal Agency (City Council members) who will making final funding awards. 

Below is an example of the types of businesses and uses that will be prioritized for funding through this program:

• Customer-oriented and customer-facing businesses (public facing including retail; not office) 
• Food and/or beverage 
• Entertainment/art 
• Maker businesses (art, craft, design, or production related businesses including but not limited to artisanal foods, baked goods, brewing, decorative arts, glassblowing, pottery, printmaking, textiles, traditional crafts, reuse, and wood crafting) 
• Local businesses (headquarters are or will be located in Core TIF Area) 
• Small businesses (10 or fewer employees) 
• Undercapitalized businesses (any business that is unable to access equity and/or traditional debt resources) 
• Businesses at risk of leaving the Core Area or unable to start operations in the Core Area if improvements aren’t made.
• Businesses whose ownership includes 50% or more ownership by a person or people who identify as at least one of the following or the mission of the business is to support one of the following identities: 
  • Lower socioeconomic status (<80% Area Median Income) 
  • Woman 
  • Black, Indigenous, and/or Person of Color (BIPOC) 
  • Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and/or Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, Two-Sprit (LGBTQIA2S+) 
  • Veteran 
  • Person with a disability 
  • Non-English Speaking 
  • Non-citizen 

Eligibility Requirements:

• Applicant must be building owner or tenant with owner authorization.
• Business (proposed improvements) must be located within Core TIF Area (see map) 
• Be located on a site with an existing or planned ground floor commercial use. 
• Business tenancy must be demonstrated (through ownership, lease, or Letter of Intent) 
• Proposed improvements must comply with applicable City of Bend standards. 

Eligible Use of Funds:

• Building facade or exterior upgrades (doors, windows, lighting, signage, siding, awnings, paint, murals)
• Frontage improvements (sidewalks, landscaping, signage, accessibility upgrades, pedestrian amenities and utilities including utility undergrounding)
• Internal or external building renovations (accessibility upgrades, improvements to older buildings to meet current codes, mechanical/ electrical or building safety upgrades such as fire suppression/seismic upgrades, energy efficiency improvements)
• Permit fees
• Design services such as architectural or engineering costs.

 Preferred Projects Will:

• Improve the experience of customers and/or people walking, biking, rolling, and/or using transit. 
• Improve aesthetics of the district/area 
• Support business success for customer facing businesses (ie. retail, not office) 
• Last 10 or more years 
• Be located in the Bend Central District or within two blocks of other planned investments.