CityScape Offering Exterior Improvement Grant

Cookeville CityScape is offering a grant to help with exterior improvements for properties and businesses in Cookeville’s West Side area.

Executive Director Ferran Kefauver said the grant can be used for items like new awnings, windows, paint, doorways, lighting, or signage. Kefauver said this grant can provide much needed relief for local businesses or properties that might struggle to afford such additions.

“When businesses look better they tend to bring in more foot traffic,” Kefauver said. “And it helps our economy and it helps our downtown grow and thrive and that’s what community is about. And a lot of community happens within the heart of a downtown area.”

Kefauver said locals have a stronger sense of community and belonging when they can take pride in the appearance of their building. Kefauver said exterior improvements are a key part of their mission to beautify the downtown area.

“These small businesses and property owners are oftentimes putting all they have into these businesses to make them successful and run and to be able to offer something really unique here in Cookeville,” Kefauver said. “And so we feel like it is our job to help them in any way we can,” Kefauver said. “And so we want to take a little bit of the burden off of them when they’re doing these improvements.”

Kefauver said they awarded three businesses with the grant during the first cycle that was offered earlier this year.

“We were able to help one with a new awning, two with exterior paint, and one additionally asked for help with some exterior lighting as well,” Kefauver said.

Kefauver said they have offered this grant since the 1990s but it went away from 2020 to 2024 due to budget issues.

Anyone interested in applying for the grant can do so through CityScape’s website until November 18.