September 17, 2026

After Early Success, City Expands Downtown Storefront Grants

In Chattanooga, TN, a program to encourage merchants to update downtown storefronts has seen strong early results.

The nonprofit River City Company’s Scenic Storefronts program launched in November 2025 with $500,000 in funding from the Chattanooga City Council.

To date, the program has spurred millions in new investment and more than 75 jobs, says Sarah Mattson, senior director of economic development for River City Company.

Matching grants help local business owners fund repairs and improvements to their storefronts such as exterior painting, masonry repairs, and window replacement or repairs. The money can also be used for ADA accommodations, patio construction, and some interior work.

Grant amounts are based on location, with up to $125,000 available in the most strategic locations and up to $15,000 available elsewhere.

More on the Scenic Storefronts program appears in Downtown Idea Exchange.

Click below to learn more about Downtown Idea Exchange and other resources for revitalizing downtowns and commercial corridors.

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Recommended Reading

Cities and the Arts: A Handbook for Renewal

Cities are increasingly focusing on art, culture, and entertainment to revitalize their downtowns and enhance the local economy.

In Cities and the Arts, editor Roger Kemp has gathered articles from a wide range of sources to demonstrate that when community investment focuses on the arts, business, commerce, and tourism will all benefit.

The centerpiece of the book is the section on best practices. Here, readers will find 35 case studies detailing how cities and towns are using the arts to stimulate downtown and neighborhood revitalization.

Examples include:

• Working with museums to promote cultural tourism,
• Developing community arts facilities,
• Using public art to shape the streetscape,
• Developing a master plan for the arts,
• Creating an arts district,
• Building artists’ lofts to spur downtown revitalization,
• Developing urban cultural parks, and more.

The cities covered range from populations of just over 11,000 in Madison, IN, to over three million in Los Angeles. But the majority are midsized cities demonstrating successful practices for revitalizing downtown with the arts.

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Cities and the Arts is just one of the many books on Economic Development available from the Downtown Development Center.