The One-Time Grant for Non-Designated Commercial Heritage Property from the Saskatchewan Heritage Foundation provides up to $10,000 to assist owners with facade or stabilization work.
Jan. 30 saw the Humboldt Downtown Business Improvement District (BID) helping local business owners apply for the grant at their grant writing workshop.
Any business in a building over 40 years old who is not already operating out of a heritage property is eligible for the grant, says Erin Standish, Coordinator for the BID.
While the grant does not cover major changes to the building, Standish says they are trying to promote historical restoration of the building.
“The goal is to try to get building owners to invest in their property in a way that is reflective of the history of the building.”
While historical restoration is the goal, Standish says it is not like buildings built in the 1940s have to go back to original 1940s material but they can look for what is available now that matches the style at the time of the build.
Saskatchewan Heritage representatives discussed what they are looking for in the applications.
Standish says the stories of the building are something that Saskatchewan Heritage is interested in instead of just the renovations that need to be done.
“They like the idea of knowing when the building was formed and they want to see that in the story you write for your grant application.”
Standish says that the BID, as well as the City of Humboldt’s Cultural Services Department, can easily help businesses with the history behind their building.
This was a workshop the BID is happy to bring to their business owners, says Standish, since this is an opportunity for business to access funding.
There has also been a great response from the downtown business community, says Standish, with six owners in attendance and another three to four who were unable to make it.
“There should be a decent amount of applications coming from downtown Humboldt and we’re here to support looking at the history of the building.”
Humboldt businesses have been successful in the past with similar funding opportunities with three out of four BID properties successfully gaining funding which amounted to $25,000 between them.
Any historical developments within the downtown district benefit the district, and the BID as a whole, says Standish.
Now with businesses getting settled in with their budgets, Standish is excited to see what 2018 has in store.
“We’re looking for various upgrades in the downtown and utilizing different public spaces to create a very personable vibe. Any additions that business owners make to their buildings will add to that cohesive feel.”
This is a great way to start the year, says Standish, is helping businesses look for new ways to improve the Humboldt business community.
“Our number one goal is supporting our businesses.”
