Program Details

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

This year, the GM on Main Street Grant Program is awarding five $50,000 grants to nonprofit organizations and municipal government entities to implement innovative placemaking initiatives in their local districts.  

 Made possible by General Motors, this grant program prioritized applications that were place-making focused, innovative, inclusive, feasible, and replicable or easily scalable for other Main Street programs.
 

HOW TO APPLY 

Review the eligibility and grant criteria to ensure your community meets application requirements. All eligible communities can submit their proposals by completing this application form and reviewing the program terms and conditions. The grant application period will close on Monday, December 11, 2023 at 10 a.m. CT. 

Eligible counties were selected based on their proximity to GM facilities, so only certain counties in Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, and Texas will be eligible for the program. Click here for a full list of eligible counties.

CRITERIA 

• Placemaking-focused: Proposed idea must be a local placemaking initiative located in a publicly accessible location in the downtown or commercial district. What we mean when we say placemaking. 
• Innovation: Proposed idea represents innovative, experimental, creative and/ or entrepreneurial approaches to placemaking on Main Street. 
• Inclusive: Main Street America believes that Main Streets are for everyone. Proposed idea must be considerate and intentionally inclusive of the whole of the local community, regardless of race, age, ability, gender, religion, socioeconomic status etc., in both its design and execution. 
• Feasibility: Proposed idea is feasible given grant amount. 
• Replicability: Proposed idea is something that could be modeled and/ or scaled for other Main Street programs to adopt and implement. 
• Project must be able to be completed by August 31, 2024. 

ELIGIBILITY 

Applicants must be: 

• A 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(6) organization or a municipal government entity; and
• Located near a General Motors facility. See the list of eligible counties here. 

TIMELINE 

• Application period: Monday, November 13 – Monday, December 11 at 10 a.m. CT. 
• Project award: January 2024 
• Project implementation period: February – August 2024
   

INFORMATIONAL WEBINAR 

Learn more about the GM on Main Street Grant Program application process, eligibility requirements, and other criteria in an informational webinar taking place on Tuesday, November 14, 2023, at 11 a.m. CT. Click here to register now.

Program Terms & Conditions

Grantee will be required to: 

• Report periodically to MSA on the implementation of the projects and their local impact. Note: report format and further instructions will be provided after grantees are selected. 
• Monthly, Grantee will report program progress status. 
• For the Final Report, Grantee will report: Local dollars raised or leveraged as a result of the GM On Main Street Grant Program; new partnerships created as a result of the GM On Main Street Grant Program; any replication of their grant-winning ideas in other communities 

Non-performance:  

• Grantees will have until August 31, 2024 to complete their respective projects.  
• The GM On Main Street Grant Program will be paid to Grantees up front and in full upon award.  
• If a Grantee does not complete its project by August 31, 2024, the completion date may be extended at the sole discretion of Main Street America, or Main Street America may request that the Grantee return funds.