Empowering Small Businesses: Charlotte Launches New Grant Program for Business District Organizations

The city of Charlotte has announced the launch of a new grant program for Business District Organizations (BDOs) situated within the Corridors of Opportunity. Dubbed the Start-Scale-Sustain (S3) grant, this initiative aims to support these organizations in their mission to assist local businesses operating within the area.

Eligible BDOs must be nonprofits with either an existing or pending 501(c)3 or 501(c)6 designation. Additionally, they must represent at least ten businesses within their served district and have an active SAM.gov Unique Entity Identifier or a fiscal sponsor with a UEI.

Applications for the grant will be accepted until June 14 at 5 p.m., and applicants can participate in a question-and-answer webinar on May 16 at 11 a.m., hosted by city staff. Participants must register for the webinar to receive a virtual meeting link and submit questions ahead of time via email to corridorsofopportunity@charlottenc.gov. More information about the grant program and application guidelines is available on the S3 grant webpage.

The S3 grant program is designed to help BDOs further their efforts to serve local businesses in Charlotte’s Corridors of Opportunity by providing them with additional resources and funding support. This initiative underscores the city’s commitment to supporting small business growth and development within these areas, ultimately driving economic growth and job creation throughout Charlotte’s urban core.