Yesterday, the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning & Economic Development (DMPED) announced the recipients for this round of the Great Streets Retail Small Business Grant.
Upper Georgia Avenue Main Street, in partnership with SEAS Community Partners and using funds from the Department of Small and Local Business Development’s (DSLBD’s) Technical Assistance program, assisted four businesses with the Great Streets application process, three of whom received awards. Zuri Bistro (7317 Georgia Ave NW), Kukus Beauty Supply (7327 Georgia Ave NW), and J&J Mex-Taqueria (6231 Georgia Ave NW) were awarded a one-time grant of $50,000 each, which is the highest amount available per business.
Kuku Smith expressed excitement and said, “this grant will give me the opportunity to expand my business by installing more security features within my store to make it a safe place for people in the community to shop, and to continue providing the best customer service at Kuku’s Beauty Supply.”
Deset Ethiopian (6128 Georgia Ave NW) also received an award for $50,000. Altogether, these grants total $200,000 in investment for the Upper Georgia Avenue Main Street corridor’s small business community.
Jessica Mailander, Interim Executive Director for UGAMS, congratulates the awardees and says, “Grant funding can be truly transformative and provides the unique opportunity for businesses to reimagine their strategy, expand, and fully grow. We are excited for our neighbors and all of the possibilities for their futures.”
The Great Streets Retail Small Business Grant is the hallmark grant opportunity for the Great Streets program and has helped hundreds of small businesses renovate their storefront to attract new customers and drive profitability.
The Upper Georgia Avenue Main Street was created in 2019 to provide support to local businesses in Brightwood, Manor Park, Shepherd Park, Takoma, and the Parks at Walter Reed. By applying the transformative Main Street Four Points Approach of Economic Vitality, Design, Promotion, and Organization, UGAMS works on strengthening the economic corridor. For additional information and to access the 2022 UGAMS Impact Report, visit here.
UGAMS is a program of the Center for Nonprofit Advancement.