Fort Wayne, IN Grant Opportunities

Please review the 2026 Sparked at Inspire Grant Program Policy and Guidelines here.

Commercial Façade Grant Program Program Guidelines, Eligibility and Criteria Program Overview The City of Fort Wayne created the Commercial Façade Grant Program (CFG) to help businesses transform their building’s facades. The program provides a 50% matching grant to eligible businesses, within the Economic Development Target Area (EDTA), to improve the appearance of their building and the surrounding site. By visually enhancing the exterior of buildings, businesses increase their property value, maintain their marketability, and demonstrate confidence. The CFG program works to assist those owners to promote reinvestment, strengthen Fort Wayne’s commercial activity and enhance economic vitality in the City’s heart. Program Objectives: • Maintain vibrancy of core commercial areas by encouraging investments that enhance the visual aesthetics of commercial properties and lead to increased property values. • Stimulate economic development by providing incentives to increase existing business investment, ensure business sustainability and create aesthetically pleasing areas that attract new business and consumers. • Complement other revitalization efforts to ensure the maximum leverage of resources. • Support local businesses and encourage local entrepreneurship, to further enhance the spirit of Fort Wayne Program Guidelines Grant Amount Available: • The CFG program provides a 50% matching grant eligible as a reimbursement. Single tenant properties are eligible to receive up to a maximum of $20,000 ($40,000+ projects) and multi- tenant properties are eligible up to $40,000 ($80,000+ projects) per grant year. If the size of the project or level of private investment is similar to a multi-tenant building, a project may be considered for the same amount of funding as a multi-tenant property. • Each building on a parcel and each business in a multi-tenant commercial building is allowed to be a separate project and apply for an individual grant. They do not have to apply as on