KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – The City of Klamath Falls announced it awarded 17 facade and building improvement grants to applicants around town.
The grant program was established in 2016, and the city has been awarding grants approximately every two years. Joe Wall, the development services department planning manager, said the number of applications the city received for this round of grants was “probably the most” in the program’s history.
“I was actually a little bit surprised,” Wall said.
The Facade and Building Improvement Grant Program is designed to provide funding for exterior and interior improvements to downtown buildings. Wall said the ultimate goal is to promote “greater use and occupancy” of these buildings.
This year, the city allocated $250,000 for the grant program. The Klamath Falls Downtown Association, which facilitates the program in partnership with the city, added $10,000. Applicants could request up to $50,000 in grant funding or 50% of their total project cost, whichever was lower. Applicants were required to match whatever grant funding they received.
All applicants received some funding except Integral Youth Services, which requested the maximum $50,000. Wall said IYS was passed over because it received $50,000 during the last round of grants, and the city wanted to give as much as it could to applicants who hadn’t received a grant before.
The full list of grants awarded can be found here. A description of the projects each grant will fund can be found here.