The Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s focus isto improve the appearance of every main street in the Lehigh Valley.

Through theMain Street Lehigh Valley Foundation Grant program, thereis $30,000 in grant support available in 2014. In keeping with the goal of urban revitalization, the grants will fund a variety of projects intended to positively impact the Greater Lehigh Valley’s downtowns and surrounding traditional neighborhoods.

Organizations eligible to apply:

  • Local government; including, but not limited to, counties, cities, boroughs, townships, and home rule municipalities;
  • Municipal and redevelopment authorities and agencies;
  • Non-profit 501c3 organizations.

Focus of Foundation Grant Program:

Chamber Foundation funds may be used for downtown and surrounding traditional neighborhood revitalization and improvement projects within the Lehigh Valley. Priority will be given to projects that will:

  1. Improve the stability and vitality of the community;
  2. Promote economic and/or community development;
  3. Improve existing and/or develop new civic, cultural, recreational, industrial and other facilitiesor activities;
  4. Assist in business retention, expansion, creation or attraction; and/or:
  5. Promote the creation of jobs and employment opportunities.

Examples of past projects that received funding include:

  • Streetscape Amenities
  • Banners, Benches, Planters, Street Trees, Decorative Lighting, Gateway Signage, Landscape Plantings, Bicycle Racks, Directional Signage, Informational Kiosks
  • Planning
  • Downtown Master Plans, Market studies, Parking Studies, Site/Project specific Feasibility studies
  • Promotional
  • Informational Brochures, Advertising Materials, Billboards, Restaurant Guides

Program Details:

  • Proposals are due on 31 May 2014 and all projects funded must be completed by 31 December2014.
  • Foundation funding must be used for up to 50% of the eligible project cost and the remaining 50% should be secured from other funding source(s).
  • Applicants may apply for up to $2000 per project.
  • Each project will be considered competitively based on criteria established by the Foundation.
  • Proposals will be approved based on the availability of funds.
  • Funds will be disbursed on a reimbursement basis when proof of expenditure and completion of project has been provided to the Foundation.

Funding Considerations for proposals:

  • Consistent with the community’s revitalization strategy;
  • Visibility of the project within the community;
  • Partnerships and collaboration with other community organizations;
  • Overall impact on the community;
  • Geographic diversity so that multiple Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber communities are supported;
  • Preference will be provided to projects that are submitted on behalf of multiple entities or those participating in the Borough Business Revitalization Program or other Main and Elm Street Programs.

Application Procedures:

To be considered, all applicants must submit a Funding Request by 31 May 2014 to .

Requests will be thoughtfully reviewed and applicants will be notified in July 2014.

If more information is needed, please contact Lorie Reinert at .

Funding Request

Thank you for your interest in the 2014 Main Street Lehigh Valley Foundation main street grant program.

All organizations must submit a Funding Request by 31 May in order to be considered.

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Organizations may submit more than one Funding Request and should submit separate requests for different projects. If more than one application is submitted please prioritize the projects by separate cover letter.

Funding Requests must be submitted electronically to .

For any questions, please contact the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce Foundationat 610-739-1597.

Applicant Information

Name of Organization
Chief Official’s Name and Title
Address
Phone
E-mail
Federal ID#/EIN (if applicable)
Contact Person and Title
Address
Phone
E-mail

Project Information

Project Title
Project Overview
Proposed Start Date
Proposed Completion Date
Partnering Organizations (if any)

Funding Information

Total Project Cost
Foundation Funds Requested
Matching Fund Sources and Amount

Project Impact

If granted, what will be the impact of this program on your community:

Project Narrative

On the next page, pleaseshare the specific purpose of the project, how the project matches the Foundation’s Focus areas and Funding considerations. Please keep to a 1 Page maximum: