Downtown CRA & Gateway Grant Programs

*** PRESS RELEASE ***

DeLand Grant Programs - Downtown CRA & Gateway Reimbursement Grants

At least once per year and contingent upon funding, the City of DeLand provides competitive grant programs designed to encourage building improvements within the downtown redevelopment area (CRA). Also contingent upon funding, the City of DeLand provides competitive grant programs designed to encourage building improvements within the City’s designated Gateways.

Beginning October 1st 2023, the City of DeLand in cooperation with MainStreet DeLand Association will begin accepting reimbursement grants applications.  


Application Deadline:  Friday, March 1st 2024

All approved grant work must be completed and approved by the Building Department in the same fiscal year of approval (*prior to August 31st 2024) to receive reimbursement.  

 

DOWNTOWN DELAND CRA GRANT REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAMS

A detailed summary of each grant program and maps of the CRA and Gateway Districts are provided below or at the MainStreet DeLand website.

 

Downtown CRA Map (PDF)

LIGHTING GRANTS - CRA

Matching Grants are available to downtown property owners and merchants for providing safe, pedestrian friendly exterior store front lighting and also for providing rear building lighting. Eligible projects may receive awards of up to 75% of the total project cost with no single grant exceeding $2,000. Please Note: This grant requires approval from The City of DeLand Historic Preservation Board and the Downtown Community Redevelopment Agency

Downtown Lighting Improvement Grant Application (PDF)

RESIDENTIAL GRANTS - CRA

Matching Grants are available to downtown property owners that create new residential units. Eligible projects may receive awards of up to 50% of the total project cost with no single grant exceeding $10,000. Please Note: This grant requires approval from The City of DeLand Historic Preservation Board and the Downtown Community Redevelopment Agency

Downtown Residential Incentive Grant Application (PDF)

 RETAIL GRANTS - CRA

Matching Grants are available that are designed to assist downtown property owners that create or retain existing retail business or convert office/service occupancy to retail. Eligible projects may receive awards of up to 50% of the total project cost with no single grant exceeding $5,000. Please Note: This grant requires approval from The City of DeLand Historic Presentation Board and the DeLand City Commission

Downtown Retail Grant Application (PDF)

UPPER FLOOR GRANTS - CRA

Matching Grants are available to downtown property owners that refurbish upper floors for use as retail, office, service or residential or any combination of these categories. Creation of storage or warehouse space is not eligible. Projects may receive awards of up to 50% of the total project cost with no single grant exceeding $10,000. Please Note: This grant requires approval from The City of DeLand Historic Presentation Board and the DeLand City Commission

Downtown Upper Floor Rehabilitation Grant Application (PDF)

FAÇADE GRANTS - CRA

Matching Grants are available to downtown property owners that rehabilitate exterior facades, particularly store fronts. Eligible projects may receive awards of up to 75% of the total project cost with no single grant exceeding $5,000.  *Please Note: This grant requires approval from The City of DeLand Historic Presentation Board and the DeLand City Commission

Downtown Facade Improvement Grant Application (PDF)

UNDERUTILIZED BUILDING GRANTS - CRA

Grants are available to downtown property owners that rehabilitate buildings that have been vacant for two or more continuous years. Eligible projects may receive awards of up to 25% of the total project cost with no single grant exceeding $60,000. Please Note: This grant requires approval from The City of DeLand Historic Presentation Board and the DeLand City Commission

Downtown Underutilized Building Grant Application (PDF)

 

GATEWAY GRANTS - NON CRA GRANT PROGRAM

Matching Grants are available to property owners that renovate commercial properties in the Gateway Districts in the City of DeLand. Please note that businesses within the Downtown CRA District are excluded from the gateway classifications and, therefore, are not eligible to apply for Gateway Grant funding. Eligible projects may receive awards of up to 50% of the total project cost with no single grant exceeding $5,000.   Please Note: Approval of this grant reimbursement requires approval by the DeLand City Commission. 

 

This program is designed to offer a onetime award to improve the appearance of gateway properties. A wide variety of projects are eligible to receive matching grant funds. Examples of eligible projects include:

  • Exterior building renovation which improves the appearance of the facility;
  • Pressure washing or repainting the exterior of discolored buildings;
  • Repainting exterior buildings from loud or garish colors to earth tones or pastels;
  • Installation of landscape buffers where none exist;
  • Installation of tree islands or landscape islands in older non-conforming parking lots;
  • Replacement of older non-conforming signs with monument signs and foundation landscaping;
  • Other projects as approved by the City Commission.

 

Note: All landscaping must be done with ‘water-wise’ plant materials. 

 

General building or facility maintenance is not eligible for funding under this program. Examples of activities generally ineligible for funding under most circumstances include:

  • Building reroofs;
  • Parking lot re-striping;
  • Replacement of dead or diseased landscape materials or re-sodding lawn areas;
  • Installation of irrigation systems; 
  • Properties that are in violation of city codes are usually not eligible for funding;

 

Gateway Corridors Map (PDF)

Core Gateway Zone Map (PDF)

 

Gateway Business Improvement Grant Application (PDF) - Download, complete required information (fillable boxes), print, sign and submit.

 

GREEN OPTIONS SUPPLEMENT FOR CITY GRANTS

In an effort to encourage environmentally friendly projects a "Green Options Supplement" may be applied for as part of all grant applications in the Downtown DeLand CRA and the Gateway Grant programs. This program will provide an additional incentive to grantees if their projects follow energy efficient construction practices that exceed Building Code requirements. In order to qualify the grantees must provide required documentation. Please contact an Architect or Engineer to learn more about qualifying Green Certification LEED Certification. 

Green Options Supplement for City Grants (PDF)

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Unless there are unusual circumstances, work on grant projects may not commence before the grant application is approved by the City, and required permits and forms filed with MainStreet Deland Association.

For further information please contact Wayne Carter, Executive Director, MainStreet DeLand Association at 386-738-0649 or visit Main Street DeLand Website or contact Nick Conte, Economic Development Manager, City of Deland at 386-626-7021 or email conten@deland.org