Sparta To Offer Downtown Revitalization Grants

The City of Sparta will offer downtown business owners a new grant opportunity.

Mayor Jeff Young said the $600 downtown revitalization grants will provide façade painting for seven businesses.

“I’m not unlike any mayor around us and our community. I am out all the time, day and night, weekends, and things like that. I am always looking for things, what can make our community a little bit better,” Young said. “And we have got a beautiful downtown and we love it. But when I go by and look at all these locations, I see buildings that are great facilities, but some of them are in a need of a coat of paint.”

Young said the grants will come from the mayor’s PR fund.

“I thought that if we can funnel this money through the chamber of commerce and let them give out small grants which will help these people. It will give them the opportunity to maybe do something they have had in the back of their mind,” Young said. “And just haven’t had the extra funds for, which in turn will make their business look better, hopefully creating new revenue and new tourism.”

Young said interested business owners can apply through the chamber of commerce.

“It is going to have a reimbursement only factor in it. There are going to be certain preference points given to the historic downtown. For example, if we have five that are in the downtown area, downtown historical area that qualify, they will get preference points,” Young said. “And if that money can trickle outside the historic downtown, if there are enough businesses that apply, they can get it also.”

Young announced the grant opportunity at the Sparta Board of Aldermen and Mayor meeting Thursday.