FINANCIAL TOOLS
ACTIVATION &
BEAUTIFICATION
CARE
GRANT
FINANCIAL TOOLS
ACTIVATION
GRANT
Finding Tomorrow by Hamilton Glass and Eli McMullen
Richmond's Activation and Beautification CARE (ABC) grants provide funds to activate and beautify CARE areas to encourage revitalization and rehabilitation, and improve the environment for retail, service, and other businesses.
Applications are currently paused as the application cycle has closed and our pilot program projects have been officially announced You can learn more here about the selected projects and future updates.
| Location | Activation Type | What's Being Done | Corridor / Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| 119 W. Leigh St. | Public-Facing Art | New public-facing art installation designed to enhance the streetscape and contribute to the area’s visual identity. | Arts / Jackson Ward area |
| 2 W. Broad St. | Pop-Up Public Space | Temporary activation creating a pop-up dog park/public gathering space along the Broad Street corridor. | Broad Street |
| 0 E. Broad St. | Mural | New mural adding public art and visual interest to the corridor. | Broad Street |
| 0 E. Broad St. | Vacant Storefront Activation | Creative window displays in vacant commercial space to improve the pedestrian experience and reduce the visual impact of vacancy. | Broad Street |
| 103 E. Broad St. | Pop-Up Activation | Temporary property activation designed to bring activity and visual interest to an underutilized commercial space. | Broad Street |
| 123 W. Broad St. + Broad St. between 2nd St. and Belvidere St. | Landscaping | Corridor landscaping and beautification improvements to enhance the appearance and pedestrian experience along Broad Street. | Broad Street |
| 215 W. Broad St. | Public-Facing Art | New public-facing art installation enhancing the commercial corridor and public realm. | Broad Street / Arts District |
| 219 W. Broad St. | Mural | New mural adding color, public art and visual interest to the Broad Street corridor. | Broad Street / Arts District |
| 310 W. Broad St. | Building Wrap | Decorative building wrap designed to improve the appearance of the property and create a more engaging streetscape. | Broad Street / Arts District |
| 315 W. Broad St. | Mural | New mural installation supporting corridor beautification and Arts District identity. | Broad Street / Arts District |
| 325 W. Broad St. (Verdalina) | Mural | New mural enhancing the building façade and contributing to the Arts District’s public art presence. | Broad Street / Arts District |
| 422 W. Broad St. | Building Wrap | Decorative building wrap to improve the visual appearance of the property and surrounding streetscape. | Broad Street / Arts District |
| 422 W. Broad St. | Mural | New mural adding an additional public art feature to the Broad Street corridor. | Broad Street / Arts District |
| 200 W. Marshall St. | Parklet, Lighting & Public-Space Activation | Combination of creative lighting, façade enhancements, a pop-up market and park/public-space improvements designed to create a more active gathering space. | Arts District / Jackson Ward area |
| 300 E. Broad St., Basement Unit | Façade Improvements | Exterior/façade improvements designed to improve the appearance and visibility of the commercial property. | Broad Street |
| 300 E. Broad St. | Façade Improvements | Building and façade enhancements supporting the activation and appearance of the property. | Broad Street |
| 00 E.–300 W. blocks of Brookland Park Blvd. | Façade Improvements | Commercial façade improvements along the corridor to strengthen storefront appearance and overall district character. | Brookland Park Boulevard |
| 410 W. Brookland Park Blvd. | Mural | New mural supporting beautification and neighborhood identity along Brookland Park Boulevard. | Brookland Park Boulevard |
| 920, 922 & 1000 N. 25th St. | Façade Improvements | Façade enhancements to multiple commercial properties along the N. 25th Street corridor. | N. 25th Street |
| 25th St. / Nine Mile Rd. | Landscaping | Landscaping and beautification improvements at a key commercial corridor intersection. | N. 25th Street / Nine Mile Road |
| 423 Hull St. | Mural | New mural designed to add public art, color and visual interest along the Hull Street corridor. | Hull Street |
| 1312 Hull St. | Mural | New mural supporting corridor beautification and strengthening Hull Street’s neighborhood identity. | Hull Street |
| 6500 Hull Street Rd. | Public-Facing Art | Public-facing art installation designed to create a distinctive visual feature and enhance the corridor. | Hull Street Road |
| 1559 E. Main St.; 110 N. 18th St.; 117 N. 17th St. | Murals | Series of murals at multiple Shockoe locations creating coordinated public art and visual activation throughout the district. | Shockoe |
| Government Rd. & Williamsburg Rd. | Gateway / District Identity | Public-facing improvements designed to establish a stronger district identity and create a more recognizable sense of place at the corridor gateway. | Government Road / Williamsburg Road |
ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS
Neighborhood, civic, and business associations, non-profits, foundations, and similar groups. The applicant group does not need to be based in a designated CARE area.
The applicant must be registered with the Virginia State Corporation Commission and must be current on all required City taxes.
ELIGIBLE PROJECTS
Projects that activate, beautify, and improve the commercial environment and the vibrancy of CARE areas. Examples include, but are not limited to:
- Murals
- Window displays in vacant spaces
- Decorative or pedestrian-scale lighting improvements
- Public-facing art installations
- Pop-up concepts
- Building wraps
- Landscaping and greenscaping improvements
- Exterior building cleaning and cosmetic façade improvements
- Other activation and beautification efforts that are visible from the public right-of-way
AWARD INFORMATION
Grant awards will be evaluated based on project scope and alignment with program goals, CARE area impact and stakeholder support, execution viability and timelines, applicant experience and capacity, and fund availability up to the following maximums:
- The program provides grants of up to $25,000
- The program provides up to an additional $25,000 if an applicant has a dollar-for-dollar matching source. Additional details on matching requirements in the Program Guidelines.
- The maximum award is $50,000.
Before the grant award, selected applications will receive “Conditional Concept Approval,” to indicate that their project, should it receive all necessary state and local regulatory approvals (i.e., safety, health, permitting, zoning, etc.) and sign a performance agreement, will be awarded a grant. The City will schedule a “Concept Path Meeting” to discuss approvals needed and help the applicant through the process.
HOW TO APPLY
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Projects in Historic Districts
Certain areas of Richmond are designated as Historic Districts, which follow additional zoning laws for their property that may be relevant for the Activation and Beautification Grant. Murals are welcome within our city’s Historic Districts, however historic brick is more porous and softer than modern brick, and therefore they must be thoughtfully reviewed to ensure it respects the integrity of our historic buildings.
We strongly encourage those interested in a mural project in a historic district to consult with the Commission of Architectural Review staff to discuss techniques and options: email Alex Dandridge at Alex.Dandridge@rva.gov.
- Map of Historic Districts
- Quick Guide for Murals in Old and Historic Districts
- Commission of Architectural Review
Questions
The Richmond Economic Development team are here to support applicants during the application process. Please send questions to RichmondEDA@rva.gov.
Interested in learning more about Richmond, Virginia? Reach out to Richmond Economic Development.
Jacquelyn Teemer
VP, PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION & STRATEGIC INITIATIVES
804.646.1823
