As a part of its comprehensive economic recovery strategy, ReVive, the Town of Chapel Hill launched a ReVive Recovery Grants program for Chapel Hill-based entrepreneurs and small businesses.

In June 2021, the Chapel Hill Town Council voted to appropriate $200,000 in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds to create and market the ReVive Recovery Grant program. This program will award grants of between $1,000 and $5,000 to support new entrepreneur ideation, existing start-ups, and local small businesses.

“This initiative is designed to help make sure our businesses and local economy return to a condition as good or better than before the pandemic,” said Director of Economic Development Dwight Bassett. “We need to see our community thriving again.”

ReVive Recovery Grants will be available in three categories:

• Micro Grants: up to $1,000 to support business ideas that lead to enterprise creation and growth;
• Entrepreneur Grants: up to $1,500 to support entrepreneurs who are on a path toward creating a successful enterprise; and
• Small Business Grants: up to $5,000 to support existing Chapel Hill enterprises and help them continue to grow through the pandemic.

Applications will be accepted between Oct. 15 and Nov. 7, 2021, and grants will be distributed before the end of November 2021.

Grants applications will be considered, and award granted, based on the likelihood of success and the strength of idea and proposal. Priority will be given to women-owned, minority-owned, and locally-owned enterprises.

Like it did for its first round of $80,000 of #SafeCommerce Grants focused on improving employee and customer safety, the Town has again partnered with The Chamber For a Greater Chapel Hill-Carrboro to administer and market this grant program.

For more information, including qualifications, detailed grant summaries, and links to applications, click here.