Action Brown County’s Hometown Holiday Micro-Grant Program helps Mt. Sterling businesses extend their hours, enhance storefronts and create special experiences during The Rink @ Uptown Mt. Sterling season. The program is designed to increase foot traffic and sales for local businesses while creating a festive, unified winter destination experience for residents and visitors.
Business can receive up to $1,500 in grant monies
Eligibility
- Open to any Mt. Sterling business, with preference given to businesses located in or directly supporting the Uptown District.
- Businesses must commit to being open during at least 75% of The Rink’s operating hours.
- Businesses adding hours specifically for Rink season must provide their current regular hours and proposed seasonal hours.
- Businesses whose regular schedule already covers at least 75% of The Rink’s operating hours must describe the additional staffing they will provide to accommodate increased business.
- Businesses must display an illuminated “Open” sign during operating hours.
- Grant recipients must complete a short end-of-season feedback form.
Eligible Expenses
Payroll Support
Additional staff coverage during Rink operating hours.
Experience Activation
Live music, sip & shops, demonstrations, family activities or other special customer experiences.
Atmosphere Enhancement
Winter décor and storefront activations.
Amount
Applicants may request funding from one or more eligible categories, with a maximum total award of $1,500 per business.
Rink Operating Hours
Thursday: 3:00–8:00 PM
Friday: 4:00–9:00 PM
Saturday: 1:00–9:00 PM
Sunday: 1:00–6:00 PM
Timeline
Application Opens: September 15
Applications Due: November 15
Rink Season: November 27–January 10
Final Report Due: March 15
Reporting
At the end of the season, grant recipients will be asked to provide:
- Actual extended hours maintained
- Photos or a description of the holiday experience
- Estimated increase in customers or sales
- Feedback on the program’s impact
Application Process
- Review the Hometown Holiday Micro-Grant guidelines and determine which funding category or categories best fit your business.
- Complete the application linked below.
- Provide your current business hours, proposed Rink-season hours and/or information about additional staffing, as applicable.
- Applications will be reviewed by Action Brown County.
- Approved businesses will be notified of their grant award and program requirements.
Action Brown County, with support from the Tracy Family Foundation, is offering grants to help local retail, food/drink, and experience-based businesses enhance visibility and attract more customers. Building on the success of the Façade Improvement Program, this initiative encourages the installation of custom “blade” signs that extend perpendicular to storefronts—adding charm, promoting walkability, and boosting brand recognition in Mount Sterling’s uptown district.
Alternative signage options are available for businesses with larger properties. There is no application deadline; grants will be awarded on a rolling basis until funds are fully distributed.
Eligibility
- Applicants must be owners and/or tenants of existing commercial buildings within the Mount Sterling Business Corridors (see map)
- Funding will initially be available for businesses in Phase 1. If funding remains, funding may be available for businesses in Phase 2.
- Retail, food/drink, and experiential businesses will be given priority for this funding, but funding for other types of businesses may be considered if funding remains.
- Tenant applicants must submit written permission of the building owner to proceed with the project.
- The structure must not be under consideration for demolition.
- New businesses must be open with regular hours for at least two months to apply.
- Applicants must not have an outstanding balance on any payments owed to the City of Mount Sterling or Brown County.
- Only one grant will be awarded per business every 5 years.
Eligible Expenses
- Design
- Fabrication
- Installation
- Permits and associated fees
Ineligibile expenses
- In-kind labor and/or materials
- Any project expenses incurred prior to the Mount Sterling Business Signage Program award
Amount
This program will fund 90% of an approved project up to $2,000 for a business without a parking lot. This program will fund 90% of an approved project up to $4,000 for a business with a parking lot. Funding is limited.
Design Requirements
To ensure quality, signs must be:
- Constructed of durable material
- Professionally crafted
Signs cannot include:
- Internal lighting (however, external “gooseneck” style lighting is allowed and is an eligible grant expense)
- Fluorescent colors
- Reader-boards or electronic messaging systems
- Vinyl banners or other signage on a flexible substrate
Compliance
The design must be reviewed and approved by the ABC Signage Advisory Committee.
Potential Vendors
Classique Signs
1702 Harrison Street
Quincy, IL 62301
(217) 228-7446
https://www.classiqueinc.com/
Griffin Signs
2084 US-24
Camp Point, IL 62320
(217) 509-7446
Application process
- Review these Guidelines and contact ABC Staff to discuss potential project. Alex Geisler, ABC Executive Director; alex@actionbrowncounty.org
- Consult sign vendor, discuss sign design, and obtain a quote.
- Complete application linked below.
- Return completed application, plans, cost estimates and construction schedules to ABC Staff for review by the ABC Signage Advisory Committee. You may be asked to meet with the Committee to discuss the project, and changes may be suggested or required to receive funding.
- The ABC Signage Advisory Committee will decide whether to approve the application. If not approved, the ABC Signage Advisory Committee will explain the reasons for rejection and what, if any, steps can be taken to receive approval.