Small business owners in Brunswick County with small projects that would promote their businesses can now apply for a grant specifically aimed at boosting their endeavors.

Duke Energy has provided its Revitalization Grant to the Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce which will work with the South Brunswick Business Development Committee to distribute funds.

A total of 10 grants of $2,500 each will be provided to business owners.

Susan Freeman, executive director of the Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce, said that while the grants are not large, they can be a great resource to fund small projects.

“It covers incidentals that some grants do not offer,” she said. “It's anywhere from website updates to the ability to paint anything that would encourage someone to come to your front door.”

Plus, Freeman encourages all businesses in the county to apply since the grant application is simple.

Grant criteria:

• Businesses with fewer than 50 employees.
• Businesses should have a storefront presence in the downtown area which can include nonprofits that operate a storefront like a resale store or café.
• Approved small business expenditures may include:  
  • Enhanced service or commerce opportunities, such as modifying physical space, technology to improve online sales or expanding capacity for delivering goods and services
  • Furniture for expanded outdoor capacity, including materials for construction of takeout windows, accessibility compliance for additional outdoor seating, additional fixtures required for compliance with public health issues
  • Storefront beautification projects enhancing the appearance of the business and downtown such as new exterior paint, awnings, signage or planters
  • Tools or programs to support the business’s workforce needs such as working with a recruiter, paying to list job opportunities or tuition for a training program
  • Payroll, incentive pay, rent and utilities are not eligible expenses
  • Can be used to reimburse expenses already incurred

Click here for the application which is now open until 5 p.m. on November 30. Grants will be awarded on December 15.