City of Middletown Introduces ARPA Infusion Grant Program

ARPA Infusion Grant Will Assist Small Business within the City

Middletown, O.H., June 2023– The City of Middletown Economic Development Department has introduced the ARPA Infusion Grant Program. The ARPA Infusion Grant Program is designed to promote new small business endeavors within the city, as well as assist established businesses with expansion projects. The program will award funding to projects that support business growth, revitalize under-maintained properties, create new jobs, and leverage private investment. With these priorities, city officials hope to prioritize projects that are catalytic for the community and enhance Middletown’s overall quality of life. 

Applicants can apply for funding for one of the two eligible uses: building improvements and equipment purchases. The program is broken into more specific cost areas, such as equipment procurement, building improvements and facade improvements.  Eligible applicants include small business owners or building owners of a small business commercial/retail space, who have not received a city grant in the past 24 months. Some examples of the costs that can be covered by the program include shipping and freight costs for new equipment, electrical improvements, and storefront improvements such as the installation of new windows or doors.

Lisha Morlan, Assistant Director of the City of Middletown Economic Development Department, states that the grant program will create new pathways for business expansion throughout the Middletown community. “We have many small businesses across the city that are looking to start up or expand, and we want to support that in any way possible. Business expansions happen in multiple ways, and we are hearing more and more about adding outside seating capacity - for hospitality, leisure, and remote working. While that tended to be a necessary focus during the pandemic with the social distancing for health and safety, it’s now become a part of the new balance of live/work/play. Renovations ensure that patrons and residents can enjoy the amenities of the city in multiple ways."

Applications will be reviewed and scored by an internal committee consisting of representatives from various departments heads outside of the Economic Development Department. To ensure that the projects are productive for the community, the committee will use a scoring system that closely examines the level of private investment, jobs and new payroll created, alignment with targeted redevelopment areas, aesthetic quality of design, timeline for completion for new or expanded business operations, and general community benefit. By doing so, members of the committee hope to support businesses that bolster and broaden the economic landscape of Middletown. 

The application window will be from Friday, June 9th at 11:59 AM to Friday, July 7th at 11:59 AM. The 30 day window will be followed by a two week review window wherein the applications are reviewed and scored. Award notices will be sent July 23rd. For more information, contact business@cityofmiddletown.org or visit https://www.choosemiddletownoh.org/ .

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About The City of Middletown Economic Development: The City of Middletown is an innovative, entrepreneurial center 30 minutes from Dayton and Cincinnati. When combined, the Cincinnati-Dayton MSA will be the 18th largest in the U.S. with over 3-million workers. To align with and help foster this growth, The City of Middletown Economic Development helps businesses launch or expand in Middletown, OH. Through the One Stop Shop initiative, The City of Middletown Economic Development streamlines planning and permitting requirements, and helps businesses connect with the available financial and workforce incentives.