T-Mobile Hometown Grant Application Q1 2026 (January 5 - March 31, 2026)

T-Mobile Hometown Grants is a $25 million, five-year initiative to support the people and organizations who help small rural towns across America thrive and grow. In this grant cycle, up to 25 applicants will be selected to receive a Hometown Grant. Apply for funding to support a community project of your choice, like revitalizing or repurposing a historic structure, creating a downtown asset or destination, or improving a space where friends and neighbors gather. Projects that add to a sense of place or could lead to further investment are of particular interest. We look forward to learning more about your town and your project. 

T-Mobile’s Hometown Grants program is entering its final phase, and there’s still time to apply until March 31, 2026.

We launched this program in April 2021 with a five-year commitment to support up to 500 small towns across the country with up to $25 million in funding—and we’re proud to say that goal is nearly complete.

To date, T-Mobile's Hometown Grants have funded transformative projects in hundreds of communities—revitalizing parks, upgrading technology, supporting public safety, expanding access, and so much more. Each grant of up to $50,000 has helped communities jumpstart local projects and create lasting impact.

Important Deadline

• The final opportunity to apply is open now.
• All applications must be submitted by March 31, 2026.
• No applications will be accepted after this date.

We’re grateful for every town, partner, and local leader who has brought this program to life. While this chapter is coming to a close, the stories, connections, and community impact will continue to grow for years to come.

HOW TO APPLY

Review the eligibility and grant criteria below to ensure your community and proposed project meets application requirements. Applicants can submit their proposals by completing this application form. The grant application period will close on Tuesday, March 31, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Central Time. No late applications will be accepted. Applications will be evaluated and selected by a review panel, and all applicants will be sent an award decision by late May 2026. Grant recipients will each receive an award of up to $50,000 to implement their ideas and will have 12 months (June 1, 2026 - May 31, 2027) to complete their projects. Recipients will be required to submit a progress report at the 6-month mark following the grant disbursement, and a final report will be due at the end of the 12-month implementation period. All reports are to be completed using a template provided.    

REVIEW CRITERIA 

Your application will be reviewed by an internal T-Mobile review committee and non-profit partner based upon the following criteria. Please note that the letters of support for your project are an important part of this application. 

• Community need - Proposed project should fill a demonstrated need in the community. This grant funding is intended for shovel-ready projects that would not otherwise be possible to implement through municipal funding. Proposal & letters of support should demonstrate strong community support for the project. 
• Community impact - Project should connect the community in meaningful, innovative, and creative ways. 
• Partners and engagement - Strong applications actively involve local organizations by incorporating them into the planning and execution processes and engaging the community in activating the project site. Letters of support should come from a variety of stakeholders within the community. 
• Feasibility - You should have a shovel-ready plan ready to go and be able to complete your project within your detailed budget and within 12 months of receiving funding, if selected. Projects must  be completed and  usable by the public by May 31, 2027.  Make sure to consider these parameters when choosing the kind of project you propose for this grant. 
• Alignment with T-Mobile's small town strategy - T-Mobile strives to be a force for good. To read more about T-Mobile’s many corporate initiatives and key segments, visit https://www.t-mobile.com/responsibility. 

ELIGIBILITY 

Who may apply? 

• This grant program is specifically open to 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(6) nonprofit organizations and local government entities.  If selected, the grant award must be managed and deployed by the nonprofit organization or government entity who applied for the grant. 
• Grant funds may not be awarded to for-profit businesses, directly or indirectly via pass-through funding to for-profit businesses. Additionally, religious congregations are​ not eligible for this grant program. 
• Applicants must be located in small rural communities with a population of 50,000 people or less. ​​ 
• Proposals must focus on a physical project benefiting the public. 
• The applicant organization must own the site where the proposed project would be implemented OR provide a description/confirmation of adequate permissions to alter the site. If the applicant organization does not own the site, one of the letters of support must come from the owner of the site.  
• Applicants may submit up to one (1) application per organization per grant cycle. Applicants may re-apply to subsequent grant cycles if they are not selected in an earlier round. 
• Previous T-Mobile Hometown Grant Program grantees are eligible to apply again for later grant cycles. Previous T-Mobile Hometown Grant Program grantees must demonstrate successful completion of their prior grant project in their application. 

What types of grant expenses are eligible? 

Requested funding must be for a physical placemaking project.       

Eligible Grant Uses: 

• Construction/​installation supplies and materials 
• Equipment 
• Labor costs for construction/​rehabilitation/​installation/​artist fees 
• Artist’s supplies and fees associated with a community engagement design process (i.e. a mural or creative crosswalk informed by facilitated community discussions) 
• Streetscape and/or indoor furniture for a community space 
• Other physical items 
• Special events or public space activation programming can only account for up to 10% or $5,000 of total grant amount.     

Ineligible Grant Uses: 

• Engineering and architectural plans or fees 
• Staff salaries (beyond initial construction/​rehabilitation/​installation labor) 
• Operational and maintenance expenses 
• Reimbursement for projects that are already completed 
• Pass-through funding to private entities or initiatives    

TIMELINE 

• Applications Open on January 5, 2026
• Applications Close on Tuesday, March 31, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. CT 
• Grant Recipients Notified by late May 2026 
• Grant Funds Disbursed to Selected Recipients approximately June 1, 2026 
• Project Implementation Period: June 1, 2026 – May 31, 2027
• Final Grant Reports Due June 11, 2027

TIPS FOR SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATION

• To help avoid losing any work as you complete your application, we encourage you to type your responses into a separate document, saving your work frequently. When you're ready to submit your application, you can copy and paste your responses into this form and click "submit." You can also save your work in the Submittable application form, but we still recommend saving a backup copy of your work.
• Gather cost/pricing information for your budget document early and request letters of support from key stakeholders early so you're ready to upload these materials before the deadline.
• Carefully review your application and file uploads before you submit. No late applications will be accepted, and no changes may be made to your application once submitted.
• Make sure your email address is correct and add notifications@email.submittable.com to your contacts to receive updates about your proposal. Otherwise, emails sent via the submission portal may end up in your spam folder!  
• This grant program is open to communities that are part of the Main Street America network as well as those that are not currently part of the Main Street America network. If your organization is a Main Street America community, you will be asked to enter your Main Street America member ID number in this application. You can find your MSA member number in the Members Area, on your membership renewal notices, and in renewal confirmation emails. If you need help locating your organization's MSA member number, contact Membership@mainstreet.org or 312−610−5611.

Award determinations will be made by late May 2026 and funds will be disbursed by approximately June 1, 2026, if selected. You will receive a notification about award determinations via your Submittable account that you use to submit your application. Please note that you cannot make any changes to your application once it has been submitted. We look forward to receiving your project proposal!

Questions? Email TMobileGrant@mainstreet.org