Save the date! Neighborhood STAR grant application opens March 31

Save the date! Neighborhood STAR grant application opens March 31

Are capital improvements on your small business to-do list this spring? If so, consider applying for a Neighborhood STAR grant in 2025!

This program offers grants to projects that contribute to the prosperity, cultural diversity, and vitality of Saint Paul neighborhoods. To be eligible, businesses or other entities must be located in or doing business in Saint Paul and use the funds for capital improvements with an expected life of seven or more years. Most awards are for $50,000 or less.

The 2025 application will be available at stpaul.gov/nstar on Monday, March 31, 2025.

All applications must be submitted online through ZoomGrants by Friday, May 2 at 4 p.m. Applications must be complete and include all required attachments to be eligible for funding consideration.

Interested business owners should plan to join the virtual Neighborhood STAR Workshop on Tuesday, April 8 from 1-2 p.m. This is your chance to learn more about the program, get application tips, and ask questions of the STAR team. Log-in instructions for the workshop will be posted soon on the Neighborhood STAR website.

“The Neighborhood STAR program provides business owners and local organizations the funds to make better spaces,” said Amy Ennen Bertomeu and Alberto Bertomeu, owners of North End Car Wash and 2024 Neighborhood STAR grant recipients.

The City of Saint Paul has invested in over 1,200 projects, like the improvements at the North End Car Wash, through Neighborhood STAR since 1995. The program also presents a unique opportunity for the City to partner with local businesses to enhance Saint Paul neighborhoods.

“I am incredibly excited and grateful the City of Saint Paul is partnering with me on my project to bring love to Charles Avenue and Rice Street,” said Gloria Contreras Edin, owner of Tiger Investments, LLC and 2024 Neighborhood STAR awardee. “I am looking forward to starting my project and investing in our neighborhood.”

Find details about the program, including guidelines and FAQs, at stpaul.gov/nstar, and be sure to sign up for the Neighborhood STAR email list to get the latest updates.