Berkshire Black Economic Council

Program Description:  

Vibe North Street Grants will be awarded to for-profit businesses that can demonstrate they will bring a fresh vibe to Downtown Pittsfield by leasing a vacant storefront. 

Eligibility:

• Applicants must activate a vacant storefront space in the TDI district.
• Proposed business must be new to the district (this is not for expansion of existing business).
• Applicants must sign a one year lease. After notice of award, and before receiving funding, applicants must show grant administrators a signed, one year lease and a business plan. Applicants will have 60 days from notice of award to provide the documents.
• Applicants must be for-profit businesses and meet the criteria set by the City of Pittsfield for eligible storefront enterprises in the district.
• Eligible uses of funds include: rent, utilities, payroll to employees, hard costs of build out, fixtures, furniture, legal, accounting, and marketing services.
• Awardees will be responsible for reporting customer head counts and providing quarterly P&L statements to grant administration in year 1.

Priority consideration will be given to:

• Minority and woman owned enterprises
• Business ventures that can demonstrate a diversity of income streams
• Applicants with demonstrated business experience
• Applicants that demonstrate passion and sustainability
• Applications that can demonstrate vested interest from the community and an ability increase foot traffic downtown.
• Businesses must be able to demonstrate a personal and professional commitment to the enhancing vitality of downtown Pittsfield
• Applications that include signage and professional business consultation in their budgets (accounting, marketing, legal)

Instructions:

• You will need to create a free Submittable account or sign in with Google or Facebook credentials to submit to these forms.
• You can save a draft of your work if you would like to finish filling out the form at a later date.
• You can invite collaborators to your application to assist you in the process. 
• If anything changes with the information you submitted, please request to edit the submission. 
• Submittable works best on Google Chrome, Firefox, and Safari. Internet Explorer is not supported. Please make sure you are using a supported browser.
• We will follow up with you about your submission by email. Please be sure to safelist notification emails from Submittable and check the email you used to sign up for your Submittable Account regularly.

Applications will be reviewed monthly on a rolling basis. First award announcement May 15th, 2023.

Technical Questions? Check out the Submitter Resource Center or contact Submittable Customer Support.

Program Description:  

Vibe North Street Grants will be awarded to for-profit businesses that can demonstrate they will bring a fresh vibe to Downtown Pittsfield by leasing a vacant storefront. 

Eligibility:

• Applicants must activate a vacant storefront space in the TDI district.
• Proposed business must be new to the district (this is not for expansion of existing business).
• Applicants must sign a one year lease. After notice of award, and before receiving funding, applicants must show grant administrators a signed, one year lease and a business plan. Applicants will have 60 days from notice of award to provide the documents.
• Applicants must be for-profit businesses and meet the criteria set by the City of Pittsfield for eligible storefront enterprises in the district.
• Eligible uses of funds include: rent, utilities, payroll to employees, hard costs of build out, fixtures, furniture, legal, accounting, and marketing services.
• Awardees will be responsible for reporting customer head counts and providing quarterly P&L statements to grant administration in year 1.

Priority consideration will be given to:

• Minority and woman owned enterprises
• Business ventures that can demonstrate a diversity of income streams
• Applicants with demonstrated business experience
• Applicants that demonstrate passion and sustainability
• Applications that can demonstrate vested interest from the community and an ability increase foot traffic downtown.
• Businesses must be able to demonstrate a personal and professional commitment to the enhancing vitality of downtown Pittsfield
• Applications that include signage and professional business consultation in their budgets (accounting, marketing, legal)

Instructions:

• You will need to create a free Submittable account or sign in with Google or Facebook credentials to submit to these forms.
• You can save a draft of your work if you would like to finish filling out the form at a later date.
• You can invite collaborators to your application to assist you in the process. 
• If anything changes with the information you submitted, please request to edit the submission. 
• Submittable works best on Google Chrome, Firefox, and Safari. Internet Explorer is not supported. Please make sure you are using a supported browser.
• We will follow up with you about your submission by email. Please be sure to safelist notification emails from Submittable and check the email you used to sign up for your Submittable Account regularly.

Applications will be reviewed monthly on a rolling basis. First award announcement May 15th, 2023.

Technical Questions? Check out the Submitter Resource Center or contact Submittable Customer Support.