Small Business Improvement Grant

Small Business Improvement Grant Program

Façade Improvement and CPTED Property Enhancement Funding

Program Incentives:

The City of Escondido is matching funds up to 50% of the total cost of a façade improvement and/ or CPTED property enhancement project for small businesses.

The program allows applicants to request up to:

1. $15,000 maximum or up to 50% of the project, whichever comes first, for the façade improvement. Examples:
   1. If the total cost of the project is $45,000, the City would contribute $15,000 and the applicant must cover the additional $30,000.
   2. If the total cost of the project is $10,000, the City would contribute $5,000 and the applicant would cover the additional $5,000.
2. $7,500 maximum or up to 50% of the project, whichever comes first, for CPTED property enhancement. Examples:
   1. If the total cost of the project is $30,000, the City would contribute $7,500 and the applicant must cover the additional $22,500.
   2. If the total cost of the project is $15,000, the City would contribute $7,500 and the applicant would cover the additional $7,500.

Background:

In 2021, the Escondido City Council launched two grant programs to support the community. The first, a Façade Improvement Program, addresses ongoing concerns about the physical appearance of downtown and commercial areas. The second, a CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design) Program, focuses on mitigating the impacts of illegal homeless encampments and civic disorder.

These programs offer matching grants to business and property owners seeking to renovate, enhance, and improve highly visible buildings along the City’s core commercial corridors. By providing these funds, the City aims to foster preservation and restore vibrancy to Escondido’s community spaces.

Eligibility Guidelines and Exclusions:

The following shall be eligible for funding through the program:

1. Facade
   1. Rehabilitation, reconstruction, or restoration to the exterior, street side of a building facade;
   2. Glass, windows, doors, trim, and accessories that are part of the street side facade;
   3. Awnings, canopies, fences, and landscaping features;
   4. Street grade entrances which contribute to activity along street edge;
   5. Professional architectural/design/contractor fees as deemed appropriate for eligible projects;
2. CPTED:
   1. Lighting;
   2. Increase lines of sight /visibility from the street;
   3. Fencing;
   4. Landscaping that follows CPTED principles;
   5. Securing trash enclosures; and,
   6. Signs related to criminal activity (loitering, illegal parking, trespassing, etc.)

Applicants are eligible for both the facade improvement and the CPTED property enhancement funding in the same application cycle. However, if applying for both façade improvement and CPTEDP property enhancement, an application for each must be completed with separate bid and financial documentation.

The following shall not be eligible for funding through the program:

• Interior improvements;
• Roof repairs;
• Non-street facing entrances;
• Markey business signs, fluttering devices/banners, billboards, moving/rotating signs, temporary signs, reader boards, anything that flashes or adds glare onto public ways or adjacent properties;
• Buildings for residential, non-profit, churches or places of worship, and governmental uses are not eligible; and
• Non-permanent or temporary structures.

Projects will be evaluated competitively by the City staff based on the following criteria:

1. Private contribution over and above the requested match;
2. Present condition of existing facade and/or negative impact of activity in the surrounding area;
3. The building’s overall public visibility (i.e., the building’s relationship to commercial streets, public parks, etc.);
4. Expected increase in assessed value of improvement;
5. Historic preservation and/or rehabilitation;
6. Support the character of the neighborhood and streetscape; 
7. Priority will be given to applicants located within the Qualified Census Tract (map attached).
8. Priority will be given to applicants within the South Centre City Specific Plan, East Valley Parkway Area Plan, and Downtown Specific Plan. 
9. Priority will be given to projects that benefit partner projects on same block or within the same business park; and

Project eligibility is based on the following criteria:

1. Businesses must have been established prior to January 2020.
2. Property owners must have owned the property prior to January 2020.
3. Applicants must exhibit how their business or property has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
4. A property must be located within City limits and within a commercial zone;
5. A property must be located in one of the following: Commercial Arterial (CA), Commercial Shopping District (CSD), Commercial Neighborhood (CN), Commercial Office (CO), and Commercial Business District (CBD) zones or be a conforming commercial use in a non-commercial zone; commercial zone;
6. Businesses must meet the definition of a small business meaning they:
   1. Have no more than 500 employees, or if applicable, the size standard in number of employees established by the Administrator of the Small Business Administration for the industry in which the business concern or organization operates, and
   2. Are a small business concern as defined in Section 3 of the Small Business Act (which includes, among other requirements, that the business is independently owned and operated and is not dominant in its field of operation).
7. The owner, for himself and his successors, shall agree to maintain improvements for a minimum of a five-year period;
8. The project shall increase taxable value of building or be a project that does increase the valuation of surrounding property; and
9. All funded activities must comply with Federal, State, and local laws pertaining to labor standards and payment of prevailing wages for contracted work.

 Application Guidelines:

In order to apply for this grant you must complete the survey form via the button below. In addition to completing this, you must also attach the following documents. 

Please note, if you are applying for both Façade Improvement and CPTED Property Enhancement funding then you must include attachments 1-5 for each project. 

1. Project Application
2. Detailed Project Description
   The project narrative should relate how the project will fulfill the criteria that staff will use to review the application. Specifically:
   1. In detail, what improvements are being done and why they are necessary;
   2. The history of the building;
   3. How the project will benefit the community and the immediate streetscape; and
   4. The estimated project start and completion dates.
3. Detailed Project Budget
    The project budget should identify each component mentioned (including labor at a prevailing wage) and a detail of each component part, cost of unit, number of units, and total cost. For projects of complexity, a cover sheet showing total component costs split into labor and materials helps.
4. Photographs of current conditions for each area of requested funding
   1. Photographs that are taken from far away to get the general scope; and 
   2. Photographs that are taken up close to show detail; and
   3. Photographs of the façade and business sign as seen from a street side view
5. Renderings of Proposed Changes
   1. A proposed “after picture”, rendering, or engineering/architectural document showing the finished product; and
   2. Please submit color renderings; and
   3. Material or textile examples.
6. Federal W-9 Form
   This form should identify the individual or organization to be reimbursed. If the recipient is an organization or business, proof must be provided that the grant signatory has the authority to sign. The digital form can be found at https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw9.pdf
7. Façade Improvement and CPTED Property Enhancement Funding checklist
8. Signed Terms and Conditions
9. Proof of property owner authorization
   1. Not required if the applicant is the property owner

Apply Here: 

https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/bb14eb68726340ef910600137cd59b5b?portalUrl=https://CityofEscondido.maps.arcgis.com