Façade Grant

WCDC administers a facade grant program that is funded by the City of Warsaw. Qualified applicants may obtain matching grant funds up to a maximum of $5,000 for facades, storefronts, awnings and signs, depending on the scope of the work.

Over the past eight years more than $173,500 in matching grant funds have been distributed among downtown restaurants and shops.

2017 Facade Grant Recipients Include:

* Forte Residential and Home Health Care

* Lake City Bank

The purpose of the Façade Improvement Matching Grant Program is to stimulate efforts to improve the street appearance of Downtown Warsaw's commercial and business façades. The program has been funded by the City of Warsaw and will be administered by the Warsaw Community Development Corporation (WCDC). The program offers up to $5,000 in matching funds per applicant (dependent upon the scope of work outlined) per grant cycle, which may be under one or more grant applications. All grants awarded require matching dollar for dollar expenditures by the owner or tenant.

Funds may be awarded for improvements to a facility image as follows:

Up to $5,000 for building facades, storefronts, awnings, & signs [note that the Façade Grant Program will not pay for signs unless they are part of an image enhancement project that includes improvements to the building]

For the fiscal year 2016, there is a total of $25,000 available, and the 2016 grant cycle will begin January 1, 2016 and run until September 30, 2016 or until funds are fully committed for projects - whichever occurs first. In the event that not all funds are committed in 2016 by September 30^th a call for additional projects will be issued by WCDC. Unused funds will revert back to the City of Warsaw after December 31, 2016 [except for those committed for projects in process].

Applications must be submitted in their entirety, with all necessary documents before they will be considered for review. Projects must be compatible with the vision and goals of the City of Warsaw and Warsaw Community Development Corporation.

All projects must be completed and approved before any grant funds may be released. Projects that are submitted and approved in the first grant distribution period, but not completed in the allotted time, will forfeit their grant monies and must re-apply during the second application/distribution period. The same conditions apply to projects submitted in the second or any successive grant periods.

A Grant Committee consisting of the Warsaw Community Development Corporation Director, a representative of the City of Warsaw, and a member of the WCDC Board of Directors (preferably an Architect) will review the applications.

In the event that the total dollars requested for any grant distribution period exceed the funds that are available, grant recipients will be determined on the basis of the total points awarded to each project.

Applications will be awarded points based on the following parameters:

First Time Applicant	20 Points
Execution of Application	20 Points (Thorough explanation of project w/pictures, color schemes, etc)
Street Façade Renovations	10 Points (As opposed to alley or side of building)
Permanent Structural Renovations	10 Points (Masonry, windows)
Correction of Safety Hazards	10 Points (Decayed window casings, crumbling bricks, etc.)
Improvements to a Vacant Building	10 Points
Facility in the Historic District	10 Points

Qualifications for Grant Application:

The property must be located within the Historic Courthouse District (see Attachment 1).
Applications will also be considered in the C-4 Commercial District of Warsaw.
Applicant or co-applicant must be the building owner or tenants may qualify upon written consent of the building owner.
Applicant or co-applicant must be a WCDC member, and remain a member for a period of 3 years.
Grant monies must be used for street façade improvements such as, but not limited to, paint, window repair or replacement, masonry repair, and appropriate signage or awning, as approved by the Grant Committee. Grant monies may also be used for the removal of inappropriate façade fixtures.
Construction plans should adhere to Downtown Warsaw's Design Guidelines. A copy of this document is available upon request.
Only one grant is available per Key Number and/or Numeric Address within any one year grant cycle. However, a second grant may be applied for the following year provided the work completed represents a new project on a facility. An applicant may not receive more than two successive grants per Key Number and/or Numeric Address.

I. Application Procedures:

The following items must be submitted to the WCDC before any application can be reviewed.

1. Current photograph of property to be improved.

2. Drawings of proposed improvements.

3. Written description of proposed improvements, including all materials and colors.

4. Supporting Data Checklist (attached).

5. Preliminary estimate of costs by a licensed contractor of construction. Any work done by property owners or tenants requires an estimate from an outside source to verify that costs are within reasonable parameters.

6. A $25.00 non-refundable processing fee made payable to WCDC.

II. Preliminary Approval Process:

The Grant Committee will meet monthly to review applications and/or on-site inspections with the applicant(s) as necessary.
After applications have been reviewed and all inspections have been completed, the Grant Committee will assign a point value to each project
Preliminary approval of projects will be based on the availability of funds and the priority of each project as determined by the point system.

III. Final Approval:

1. Applicant(s) must submit final contractor itemized bid, including relevant product specifications. After this bid has been submitted, the Grant Committee will determine if the project qualifies for final approval.

2. No Work for which a grant is sought should begin until authorized by the Grant Committee and a letter or Certificate of Appropriateness is issued.

3. Grantee is responsible for obtaining any permits required to do the project. Permit fees may not be included as part of the grant funding.

4. Once construction begins, if the Grantee decides to change the project they must contact the WCDC office so that the Grant Committee may be notified. Any unapproved changes will void the grant.

IV. Grant Payments:

Disbursement for grant payments will be made as follows:
1. Verification of the completed work will be made by an Architect or other member of the Grant Committee
2. 100% of the total grant award is payable upon final inspection and verification that the work has been completed according to the application and adherence to Design Guidelines. .
3. Grant payments are approved by the Board of Works. The Board of Works meets on the 1^st and 3^rd Friday of each month, and WCDC must receive reimbursement requests a minimum of two weeks prior to a Board of Works meeting in order for the request to be processed.

For more information about the Façade Improvement Matching Grant Program please contact:

Annette Hammond at (574) 267-6311 x227 - or- wcdc@kchamber.com

Please submit completed applications to:

Annette Hammond, Member Relations Manger

Warsaw Community Development Corporation

523 S. Buffalo Street

Warsaw, IN 46580

(574) 267-6311

ahammond@kchamber.com