Community Development

Grant Programs

picture of historic building with construction equipment
Grants and other CDC programs are facilitating projects in Van Alstyne’s historic downtown.

Grant Programs for Commercial, Restaurant, Retail, and Small Business Development

Façade & Infrastructure Improvement Grant Program

The purpose of this program is to improve the visual appearance and economic vitality of Van Alstyne by partnering with the local business community to help it improve existing commercial/retail/office structures. The goal of the program is to beautify Van Alstyne and enhance the safety of local buildings to make our City a more attractive place for residents and visitors, and to aid in the economic vitality of Van Alstyne. We do this by providing matching funds for site improvements for those who qualify.

Check out this article in the Van Alstyne Leader from March 2019, covering some projects around downtown (link opens in a new window). Also, read about some completed CDC projects here.

Overview of CDC Grant Programs:

Façade Grant

Improvements you can see from the front attached to the building are eligible for consideration for a Façade Grant.

Retention and Expansion Grant

Improvements not seen from the outside are eligible for consideration for a Retention and Expansion Grant. Maintenance repairs (i.e., HVAC) will not be considered. These improvements are meant to help businesses expand their operations to eventually add more employees or supplement current facilities to maintain operations.

Community Grant

The Community Grant is dedicated explicitly to organizations located in a VA sales-tax producing region such as the City of Van Alstyne, VASA, KVAB, etc. The Community Grant includes quality of life projects (does not include façade grants or sponsorships).

Emergency Relief Grant

The Emergency Relief Grant is dedicated to businesses located in a VA sales-tax producing region. This grant is designed to help provide relief to businesses that have experienced damages to their property due to natural causes, accidents or circumstances outside the control of the business that impact daily operations. This grant is meant to help businesses with necessary repairs to expedite the return to normal operations.


How to Apply for a CDC Grant:

1. Review the Grant Packet (applies to all three grant types). 

CDC Grant program packet updated (.DOCX 10/2023)
CDC Grant program packet updated (.PDF) 10/2023

2. Complete the Application for the Appropriate Grant Program:

Community Grant application rev. Feb 10, 2022

Facade Grant application updated (.DOCX 10/2023)
Facade Grant application updated (.PDF 10/2023)

Retention and Expansion Grant application rev. Sept 23, 2020

Emergency Relief Grant application updated (.DOCX 10/2023)
Emergency Relief Grant application updated (.PDF 10/2023)

3. After the Board has approved your project and the project is complete, submit the Notification of Project Completion for your Grant Program:

Facade Grant completion form rev. Sept 23, 2020

Community Grant completion form updated (.DOCX 10/2023)
Community Grant completion form updated (PDF 10/2023)

Retention and Expansion Grant completion form updated (DOCX 10/2023)
Retention and Expansion Grant completion form updated (PDF 10/2023)

How can we Help You?

To get started, download the Grant Program packet and application above. For more information on the program, don’t hesitate to get in touch with the Van Alstyne Community and Economic Development office.

Looking for the Community Development Capital Improvement Plan? Read all about it here.