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Administered by:
Kansas Department of Commerce
Rural Development Division
1000 S.W. Jackson Street, Suite 100
Topeka, Kansas 66612-1354
(785) 296-3485
(785) 296-3487 TTY (Hearing Impaired)
(785) 296-3776 FAX
KansasCommerce.com
KANSAS MAIN STREET INCENTIVES WITHOUT WALLS PROGRAM
ESTABLISHED:
Incentives Without Walls (IWW) was established in 1995 by redirection of the existing Department of Commerce & Housing funds from another program to this incentive package.
PROGRAM INTENT:
“To create or stimulate private investment in designated Kansas Main Street downtown areas.” The expected outcome of this program is to create employment opportunities; save existing jobs; provide services and products; develop or strengthen new or existing businesses; acquire, rehabilitate or preserve properties; and create a stronger tax base.
AVAILABLE FUNDS:
Pending legislative and administrative finalization of the annual budget, the Kansas Department of Commerce will make available IWW funding for development/rehabilitation projects in the downtown area of designated Main Street communities. These funds will be available in two competitive rounds, August 2009 and February 2010, plus an open round. To qualify for the open round, a project must be one that cannot wait for the regular round without loss of opportunity. Kansas Main Street reserves the right to hold over an open round application for the next competitive round.
ELIGIBILITY:
Only active designated Kansas Main Street programs in good standing will be eligible to apply for the IWW funds by submitting application(s) to the Kansas Main Street program. The local Main Street program applies for the funds on behalf of the business. This is a valuable benefit of working with the local Main Street program.
APPLICANT RESPONSIBILITIES:
Application Process: The applicant will provide all bids, architectural drawings (if needed) and business plan (if needed) to the local Main Street program to complete the application. The local Main Street program will write the application.
If project is funded: The business applying for the funds must complete the project as presented in the application, supply the local Main Street program with receipts verifying funds were spent on the applied-for project and make loan repayments in a timely manner. The funds are public money and, as such, are part of the open records act. The amount of the funding and the project will be announced in press releases to your local news outlets.
Major Projects:
Eligible use of funds:
ü The acquisition or rehabilitation of properties in connection with private reinvestment in a designated downtown area.
ü Any project that can be shown to lead directly to private investment, job creation or retention, establishing or expanding viable businesses, or creating a stronger tax base.
Ineligible Use of Funds:
· Public improvements and public or private infrastructure.
· Projects that have already been started or completed.
· Projects that do not meet the minimum private investment match.
· Landscaping projects on public or private property, including paving, plants, trees, fencing, etc.
· Any project that does not lead to private investment, job creation or retention, establishing capable businesses or creating a stronger tax base, or for the acquisition or rehabilitation of properties.
· Any training expenditure, salaries or wages for existing or newly created jobs.
· Any licensing, insurance, taxes or other expenses considered to be a cost of doing business.
· Any project outside the boundaries of a designated downtown district.
· Any project that does not meet Main Street design criteria as outlined in the Kansas Main Street Design Manual.
· Any first-floor housing development in any commercial building or other rehabilitation of a commercial building with the intent of a first-floor housing development project.
· Any project that could/would be completed without the assistance of IWW funds.
Match requirements:
· Minimum cash match of 3:1 ($3.00 of private investment to $1.00 of state investment). Non-cash or in-kind match is not allowable. Non-cash match includes the value of sweat equity (labor provided by the recipient or their immediate or expanded family, friends or employees at no cost) regardless of whether that person performs such a service as a legally operating business. Non-cash match includes the value of gifts of equipment or materials used during any part of the project. In-kind match includes the value of any labor, materials or equipment provided at no cost to the IWW recipient.
· All applications will be competitive.
· Additional consideration is given to applicants providing more than the minimum match requirement.
Minimum request - $1,500 (total project budget: $6,000)
Maximum request - $20,000 (total project budget: $80,000 or more)
No local program can receive more than $20,000 in awards per round. Local programs may submit multiple projects in a round, but the total requested may not exceed the $20,000 cap.
Since projects are competitive, there is no guarantee that requested funds will be made available or that the cap will be met.
Projects with special historical significance that are capital intensive and may require a multi-year or phased-in approach may be considered for additional awards based on first award performance and demonstrated continued need. No more than three awards to a single multi-phased project. Match money may only be used once on any project; if additional awards are sought, all new match money must be provided. The Kansas Department of Commerce has the final decision on funding any project.
¨ The local Main Street program will provide IWW funds as no-interest loans.
¨ Project must meet Kansas Main Street Design standards.
¨ Loan repayment term may not exceed seven years – but may be less.
¨ Funds may be GRANTED ONLY for the purpose of preservation of a historic commercial building (buildings that are 50 or more years old). Preservation means: to keep safe, as from injury or peril – meaning if work is not done the building will be in jeopardy of demolition. Also/or: If work is not immediately done, the building is a threat to public safety. Building purchase costs are not considered preservation funding.
¨ All projects must be completed as submitted. An on-site evaluation of each open project will be part of the local program’s year-end evaluation.
¨ Business must provide project receipts and keep the local Main Street program informed about project progress.
Small Project Loans
Funds for the small project loans are part of the overall IWW funding and are available only during the two competitive rounds (August and February). These funds count towards the $20,000 maximum for any round. No local program can receive more than two small project loans in a single grant round.
Match requirement:
· Minimum cash match of 1:1 ($1.00 of private investment to $1.00 of state investment).
· All applications will be competitive.
Eligible use of funds:
ü Appropriate paint/fix-up projects on the front façade, back or sides of downtown commercial buildings based on the Kansas Main Street design guidelines copyright 2004.
ü Paint/fix-up or design, production, and installation of appropriate signage based on the Kansas Main Street design guidelines copyright 2004.
ü Appropriate installation or repair of awnings on front facades. Awnings must meet the Kansas Main Street design guidelines copyright 2004.
Minimum request - $500 (total project budget: $1,000)
Maximum request - $1,500 (total project budget: $3,000)
¨ The local Main Street program must provide the small project IWW funds as no-interest loans ONLY.
¨ Loan repayment term may not exceed 24 months for small project loans.
¨ All projects must be completed as submitted. An on-site evaluation of each open project will be part of the local program’s year-end evaluation.
¨ Business must provide project receipts and keep the local Main Street program informed about project progress.
Local Revolving Loan Fund
All loan repayments become a local revolving loan fund for downtown projects. All Local Revolving Loan projects must be submitted to Kansas Main Street for approval and must meet all other IWW funding requirement, same application; same guidelines. There is no deadline to apply as long as local revolving loan funds are available. Please see major and small projects for application requirements.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
GENERAL:
Additional technical assistance, including architectural design, could be provided through the state’s design services contract and other mechanisms in place through the state program as long as budget permits. These additional requests must be submitted and completed prior to submission of an application.
FUND AVAILABILITY:
Applications are due into the Kansas Main Street office on August 7, 2009 and February 12, 2010, for the FY2010 program year. If applications are funded, work must begin within 90 days and be completed within 12 months of receiving the funds with the exception of the open round projects which must begin within 30 days. The local business or project will be responsible for obtaining any required permits from the local governing body. The state and local programs reserve the right to cancel this agreement in the event of failure to comply with the outlined schedule or if unauthorized changes are made in the project. The local business and local Main Street program must give access pursuant to K.S.A. 46-1200 et. seq. to any records, documents, or other information, confidential or otherwise, regarding or relating to the execution and/or performance of the specific local projects.
SELECTION CRITERIA:
All proposals must set forth:
1. Projects to be conducted.
2. Why the project is needed.
3. Estimated amount to be invested in the project.
4. Plans for implementation of the project.
5. Jobs created or retained (jobs created by construction or renovation do not count).
6. All applicable attachments.
7. Relationship to, and consistency with, current downtown plan.
8. Proposed budget.
9. Photocopies of bids/estimates used to determine budget.
The Kansas Department of Commerce will evaluate all proposals on the following criteria:
1. Magnitude of the need.
2. The project proposed impacts (solves) the problem.
3. The project proposed has long-term impact on the downtown district.
4. Job creation or retention.
5. Creates or retains viable business.
6. Has potential to have long-term impact on the tax base.
7. Relationship to and consistency with current downtown plan.
8. Private match.
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