By Jaimie Julia Winters
The Kearny Urban Enterprise Zone (KUEZ) is investing in the look and feel of the town’s business districts with the launch of the Kearny Storefront Project, a new grant program designed to help local businesses upgrade their facades.
Funded entirely through the Urban Enterprise Zone, the initiative will award up to $15,000 per business to cover both design and construction costs. In its first phase, $150,000 has been allocated to support improvements at 10 businesses, with plans to seek additional funding if the program proves successful.
The program was created to remove a common barrier facing small business owners, KUEZ Coordinator Linda Kraus D’Isa said.
“Many businesses have the vision to upgrade their exteriors but simply do not have the capital needed for these kinds of impactful improvements,” D’Isa said. “By providing these grants, the KUEZ is supporting local businesses while making our town’s commercial districts more inviting and competitive.”
Launched on Friday, March 28, the program has already received a lot of interest, she added.
The grant is open to KUEZ-member businesses operating in commercial or mixed-use properties within the zone and will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Applicants must be registered in the State of New Jersey, current on all municipal taxes and fees, and in good standing with no open violations or liens. Properties must also be in sound structural condition. A one-time administrative fee of $150 is required to participate in the program.
Funding can be used for a wide range of exterior upgrades, including signage and awnings, lighting and electrical work, exterior painting, architectural restoration, window and door replacements, glass graphics, display design, exterior furniture and décor, and accessibility ramps, according to a March 28 press release announcing the program.
A key component of the initiative—referred to as the transformation process—is its built-in design support. Grantees will collaborate with professional design contractors to develop conceptual renderings and sketches before construction begins. KUEZ has also partnered with vetted contractors and a design expert, Storefront Mastery, to work one-on-one with each selected business to ensure high-quality, cohesive improvements, D’Isa said.
Selected projects must follow a defined timeline, with construction required to begin within three months of approval and be completed within one year. In addition, participating business owners must agree to maintain the improved façade and remain open for at least three years after the project is completed, according to KUEZ officials.
“The goal is not only to help individual businesses, but to create a broader visual impact across Kearny’s commercial corridors,” D’Isa said.
While the current round is limited to 10 grants, she noted that additional phases are planned. “If this phase is successful, we plan to return to the state for funding for phase two and beyond,” she said.
For more information or to apply, visit www.kearnynj.org/storefrontfacade or contact D’Isa at ldisa@kearnynj.org.