Grants for the current cycled closed on December 31, 2022. Please check back later of contact the Community Development Department for more information. 

Commercial business and property owners may be eligible to apply for the Village of Lemont's Business District Improvement Grant. This popular grant program is designed to encourage exterior and site improvements that enhance the character of Lemont's commercial districts. Grants are awarded on a competitive basis and issued in the form of reimbursements.

To be eligible for reimbursement of project costs under this grant program, the following requirements and conditions must be met:

• The property must be a commercial establishment located within the Village of Lemont's Downtown or B zoning districts.
• The total project cost must exceed $2,000.
• The applicant must be either (1) the owner of a building within the Downtown or B zoning districts or (2) the owner of a business within the Downtown or B zoning districts.
• Active businesses must possess a current Business License and a valid Certificate of Occupancy, with no outstanding fines or fees owed to the Village or County.
• The improvement project must be for one or more of the items listed as eligible for reimbursement below.
• Repair, renovation, or installation projects started prior to the submission of a grant application may not be eligible for reimbursement and will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Reimbursable Costs

Grants are issued in the form of reimbursements after eligible expenses are incurred. The following costs are eligible for reimbursement under this grant program:

• Repair/rehabilitation of building exterior, including tuckpointing
• Work to address structural deficiencies with the building
• Repair, replacement of windows and doors
• Repair, replacement or installation of exterior lighting
• Repair, replacement, or installation of awnings or canopies
• Repair, replacement, or installation of commercial signs
• Repair, replacement, or installation of sidewalks, driveways, and parking areas
• Installation of enclosures for trash or recycling dumpsters
• Repair or replacement of roofing
• Landscaping of the site, to include parking lot landscaping
• Improvements to sewer or water main hook-ups
• Installation of fire suppression systems or fire alarms
• Improvements that address accessibility (ADA)

Costs must be submitted within 90 days of grant award; projects not completed by April 31, 2021 will be deemed ineligible and the grant award revoked.

Ineligible Reimbursement Costs

The following costs are not eligible for reimbursement under this grant program:

• Repair, replacement, or installation of noncommercial signs (as defined by the Unified Development Ordinance)
• Building or site maintenance costs
• Painting (unless in conjunction with the repair or replacement of wood or other exterior materials)
• Interior work that does not fall into one of the categories listed under reimbursable costs
• All other costs not specifically listed

Grant Review and Approval Process

Grants are awarded on a competitive basis. There may be multiple grant cycles per fiscal year.

Upon receipt of a grant application, those grants for sign or façade projects where the subject property is within the Lemont Historic District will be forwarded to the Historic Preservation Commission for review and approval of a Certificate of Appropriateness. Following the close of the application deadline, a grant review committee shall evaluate the grant applications. Based on the criteria listed below, the grant review committee will make recommendations to the Board of Trustees on the awarding of grants and the monetary amount for each grant.

Grants will be approved by a resolution at a Village Board meeting. Payment is made to the business or commercial property owner. A grant award cannot be assigned to a contractor or other vendor. Awardee is responsible for submitting an IRS Form W-9 Taxpayer Identification Form.

Grant Evaluation Criteria

• The extent to which the structure or site is in need of repair, renovation, or improvement
• The extent to which the scope of work will have an impact on the aesthetics and character of the Lemont's business districts
• The extent to which the project will honor the historical integrity of the structure or site
• Whether the structure or site has previously been awarded a grant by the Village

Contact Jason Berry, Economic & Community Development Director, with any questions.