The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) announced the award of $1.49 million in Main Street New Jersey (MSNJ) Transformation Grants to MSNJ district organizations across the state. The grants aim to improve the appearance, quality of life, and local commerce within these districts.
“DCA recognizes how important Main Street New Jersey is to the economic and social health of our communities, which is why we continue to invest significant resources in the program,” said DCA Commissioner Jacquelyn A. Suárez. “The grant funding will be used for storefront improvements, creative and cultural placemaking, and marketing strategies to take downtowns to the next level. We can’t wait to see how these projects positively impact main street districts around the state.”
This marks the sixth consecutive year that DCA has distributed funding to MSNJ districts. Over this period, approximately $5.5 million in grants have been awarded, including today's announcement.
“When main streets are healthy, communities are healthy,” said Gina Fischetti, coordinator of Main Street New Jersey, which is administered by DCA. “Therefore, we are pleased to provide grants that help communities reshape their main streets into vibrant places that draw people to live, work, and visit.”
The MSNJ Program assists municipalities in improving their central business districts' economy, appearance, and image through local citizen organization and resource mobilization. Established in 1989, municipalities must apply and meet specific requirements to join the program. Designated communities receive technical support and training from DCA to help restore their main streets as centers of economic and social activity.
The purpose of the MSNJ Transformation Grants is to financially assist efforts aimed at enhancing designated MSNJ districts' appearance, quality of life, and local commerce. Projects must occur within these district boundaries.
Eligible projects for Transformation Grant funding include:
- Storefront and Facade Improvement Projects
- Streetscaping Projects
- Courtyard and Alleyway Improvement Projects
- Public Art Projects
- Placemaking Projects
- Operational Assistance
- Marketing Assistance
Additionally, districts could apply for support to reimburse part-time employee salaries during the grant period, audit costs required by DCA, or costs associated with purchasing technology or computer hardware needed for project implementation or District Management Organization (DMO) functioning.
More information about the MSNJ Program can be found at https://www.nj.gov/dca/divisions/lps/msnj.html.
The Division of Local Planning Services works with communities on local land use and planning goals. As part of DCA's commitment to providing technical assistance to municipalities, its professional planning staff offers comprehensive planning services at no cost to local governments.
DCA provides a wide range of programs and services including local government management and finance; affordable housing production; fire safety; building safety; community planning and development; disaster recovery and mitigation; historic preservation; and information privacy.
