MANSFIELD — A grant program to aid downtown Mansfield businesses financially impacted by the ongoing Main Street Corridor Improvement Project has been changed to make it more accessible.
The Downtown Improvement Advisory Board on Thursday afternoon approved a proposal that would lower the threshold for economic loss and also widened the geographic scope of the program.
It was previously dubbed the Main Street Business Resilience Grant Program to assist during the 20-month project scheduled for completion in October 2026.
The grant program will now be offered to qualifying businesses that can demonstrate a 15-percent decline in sales revenue over a 60-day period when compared to 2024.
The program approved by the board in June had set the loss percentage at 25 percent.
It’s also now open to downtown businesses in an area that also includes the cross-streets between First and Sixth streets between Diamond and Walnut streets.
Previously, it had been limited to establishments only along Main Street during a project that began Feb. 24.
Individual $2,500 grants will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis to 20 qualifying establishments until all grants are used, or until Oct. 1, 2026.
Downtown Mansfield Inc. will administer the $50,000 grant program. Applicants should apply online at the DMI website.
To qualify for this grant, businesses must be located on Main Street as a brick and mortar location and be actively registered with the City of Mansfield Department of Taxation.
The grant program will consider applications by Main Street businesses and non-profits that operate “a customer-driven business model reliant on corridor foot traffic … in food service, retail, entertainment and recreational industries.”
In the application process, sales or revenue data must originate from accounting software reports, payment processor reports, bank statements or sales tax reports.
Priorities will be given to businesses directly impacted by closures or utility disruptions.
Grant funds may be used for rent/lease/mortgage payments, utilities, payroll, business insurance, and marketing/advertising.
The change was approved due to the fact just three of nine applications have been approved thus far, though officials said five more currently in the works are also likely to be approved.
Mansfield Mayor Jodie Perry said the Downtown Improvement Advisory Board will again review the program in October and could consider additional funding for the program at that time.
The program began with replacing water mains from First Street to Fifth Street, which was expected to be completed by the end of May and instead wasn’t finished until mid June.
Contractors were also slowed by the discovery of unexpected utility lines, including gas lines, that were not included on local infrastructure maps, so work continues.
As a result, Main Street has been reduced to one lane during the replacement of the century-old water mains, making navigating the street difficult. Utility issues have forced some businesses to close for a day or more, as well as flooding in some locations.
The Downtown Improvement Advisory Board was created seven years ago and is funded through a $5 annual vehicle license tax increase for all vehicles registered in the city that was approved by City Council in 2018.
The 12-year tax was created to fund downtown improvement projects under a board appointed by the mayor and approved by local lawmakers.
