Who is eligible to apply for funding?
Historic Downtown (HD) Wentzville property and/or business owners with businesses located within the boundaries of the downtown HD districts (HD-1, HD-2 & HD-3) are eligible to apply for the Wentzville Business Development Grant.
Who is not eligible to apply?
Businesses that do not/will not operate or be physically located within the HD-1, HD-2 or HD-3 districts of downtown Wentzville.
How much grant money is available?
The City of Wentzville allocates $50,000 to be used for Wentzville’s grant programs (Facade Improvement Grant and Business Development Grant) each fiscal year.
How are the grants funded?
The Business Development Grant is supported by funds from the City of Wentzville General Fund.
What is the maximum amount of business grant funds that can be awarded to business/property owners?
Grant applicants eligible to apply for the Business Development Grant program may be awarded no more than $10,000. This is a 50-50 matching grant
Who determines whether I get a grant?
Grants will be awarded for eligible projects on a funds-available basis and at the discretion of the Wentzville Board of Aldermen based on recommendations from the Wentzville Downtown Committee.
If I am not awarded a grant, can I challenge the decision?
We welcome your feedback and thoughts; however, all grant decisions from the Wentzville Board of Aldermen are final. If you are not awarded a grant, we encourage you to reapply during a future application cycle.
Who do I talk to about the grant decision of my application?
You may contact the Wentzville Economic Development Coordinator Ben Motil at Ben.Motil@wentzvillemo.gov.
What is an “existing” business?
An existing business is one that has been open for at least 12 months at the time of completing a grant application.
What is a “new” business?
A new business is one that is less than 12 months old.
Who should I contact with technical difficulties submitting my application?
How often are grant requests reviewed by the Wentzville Downtown Committee?
Grant applications will be reviewed twice a year by the Downtown Committee. Applications are accepted April 1-30 and Aug. 1-31.
Is there a deadline for submitting my grant application?
Yes, grant applications must be submitted within each application period by 5 p.m. on April 30 or Aug. 31. Applications submitted after this timeframe will not be accepted and will need to be submitted during the next application period.
How many times can a business/property owner receive a grant?
Businesses/property owners are limited to one grant per three-year cycle. Business Development Grants cannot be used in combination with any other City grant (i.e., Facade Grants) during the three-year award period of the grant.
I applied for a grant in the past and did not win. Am I eligible to apply again?
Yes, previous applicants that were not awarded a grant are encouraged to reapply. However, a second submission does not guarantee a grant award. Each submission is reviewed independently of previous submissions.
Is the information and data within my application held private?
DISCLAIMER: The information contained herein is subject to the actual grant award documents and the written terms and conditions of the Wentzville Business Development Grant program, which may be amended from time to time. The Wentzville Board of Aldermen, with recommendation from the Downtown Committee, also reserves the right to make the final determination of any individual’s or organization’s eligibility and/or qualifications for program benefits, and to make allocation of program benefits as it may, in sole discretion, deem appropriate
