Overview
10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania is currently administering a Neighborhood Partnership Program (NPP) on New Castle’s South Side. For the 2022-2023 program year, a Small Business Grant & Microloan Program is designed to support existing and new businesses within the South Side business district. 

Eligible Activities
Eligible uses are those that support businesses located within New Castle’s South Side Business District along W. Long Avenue and Mill Street. These uses may include façade improvements, signage, accessibility, marketing, equipment and other related working capital expenses.

Maximum Funding Amounts
A limited amount of funding is available this year for:
Microloans: Maximum of $5,000 @ 0% interest for 5-years (50% may be forgiven after 50% is repaid and proposed outcomes are met)
Grants: Maximum of $5,000

Applicant Eligibility Requirements
The applicant must be current on all taxes and not have any open code violations in Lawrence County. The applicant must agree to reporting requirements and submit a final close-out report. Only 501-c-3 applicants are eligible for grant funding, other applicants are only eligible for microloan funds with potential 50% forgiveness. Projects that utilize other funding sources in addition to the requested grant and/or microloan will be prioritized. Businesses applying for working capital must have at least two employees and have been established before July 1, 2022.

Review Process
10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania will review all completed applications. An application is complete when all required fields are filled in and attachments are received. Depending upon the size of the request and the proposed Scope of Work, applications may require the review of the NPP Loan & Grant Review Committee. The applicant will be notified of the status of the application once full review is completed.

Funding Partners Include
UPMC Health Plan / UPMC Jameson, First Commonwealth Bank, and First National Bank. 

Additional Information
The microloan program is limited to small businesses and 501c3 nonprofit organizations located in the South Side neighborhood of New Castle, Pennsylvania. Direct assistance to individuals is not available. For more information about the microloan program or our work in the South Side neighborhood, contact 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania at sreidenbaugh@10000friends.org.

Please click below for the application