Bruce County is launching its Spruce The Bruce Program for its 17th straight year.
Starting February 2nd, the county and its eight member municipalities are encouraging local businesses to apply for funding grants and other tools to create a vision for future growth and development.
This year, the program is looking to provide $125,000 to eligible businesses, property owners, and community partners to revitalize and grow local downtown businesses, commercial areas, and communities.
There are 13 grant categories available for applicants within eligible Community Improvement Areas, that support a wide range of projects and enhancements. That includes:
– Improvements to local downtown commercial property storefronts
– Infrastructure on agricultural land
– Removing barriers to accessibility on commercial properties
– Community signage
The Spruce the Bruce program offers funding for up to 50% of eligible costs (excluding taxes, and subject to a maximum per grant).
Past recipients of Spruce the Bruce funding may be eligible for additional support for new project elements.
The program is in high-demand each year, and there’s strong recommendation to submit applications early, since funding approvals are on a first-come- first-served basis for complete applications.
Each grant has specific eligibility criteria, which can be found on Bruce County’s Spruce The Bruce webpage.