VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Author's note: The video above is on file from a different story that aired on November 18, 2021.
If you're a small business owner in Virginia Beach who has been looking to make improvements to the exterior of your building, the Virginia Beach Development Authority may be able to help.
They group is taking grant applications that could match up to $10,000 for façade improvements of local businesses with fewer than 50 employees.
"This program does more than enhance the attractiveness and marketability of the area, but it can also foster a greater sense of community," said Taylor Adams, the Deputy City Manager and Director of Economic Development.
"Investing in the look and feel of the outside of a business can reflect what a consumer can expect to experience in the inside. This program encourages owners to ensure that Virginia Beach businesses continue to be an inviting element of our already welcoming community."
The grant money must be used to make visible improvements to the outside of the business, ranging from new signs, to outdoor cafes, to landscape improvements, to new paved parking for vehicles.
As a business, you can request any amount from $1,000 to $10,000. The program has a total of $100,000 that is available on a first-come, first-serve basis.