Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh
Business Development
Mainstreets Pittsburgh Program Eligibility
Mainstreets Pittsburgh Designation
Applicants must meet the following minimum thresholds to be eligible to apply for Mainstreets Pittsburgh designation. Applicants that do not meet these minimum thresholds will not be given full funding consideration.
- The neighborhood business district must be located within the City of Pittsburgh;
- The neighborhood business district must be comprised of a critical mass of business establishments within a single, pedestrian-oriented district that serves a dedicated population;
- The business district organization must have an active Board of Directors, Mainstreets related committees, and prepare a Business District Action Plan (BDAP);
- The applicant must be eligible to receive Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Funds. Non-CDBG eligible neighborhood business districts can be included on a limited basis pending availability of funds;
The applicant must be able to provide a realistic strategy for the non-public match for the five-year designation;- The applicant must currently be or become a member of the Pennsylvania Downtown Center (PDC) or International Downtown Association (IDA);
- The applicant must be a legal entity capable of entering into a binding legal agreement with the URA, or partner with an entity that can; and
- The applicant must prepare and submit the Mainstreets Pittsburgh application.
Technical assistance may be available to organizations in building their organizational capacity as required above. In accordance with the State, applicants that qualify for Mainstreets Pittsburgh are eligible to receive basic funding over a five-year period as follows:
Program Year |
Grant Amount |
Required Cash Match |
| 1 | up to $5,000 | no cash match required |
| 2 | up to $50,000 | $15,000 non-public cash match required |
| 3 | up to $45,000 | $20,000 non-public cash match required |
| 4 | up to $40,000 | $25,000 non-public cash match required |
| 5 | up to $35,000 | $30,000 non-public cash match required |
| Achiever | up to $30,000 | $30,000 non-public cash match required (one-time project funding only) |
| NID Planning | up to $30,000 | $30,000 non-public cash match required (culminating in introduction of legislation) |
Affiliate Designation Grant Award:
Depending upon organizational capacity and community need, targeted funds may be awarded to BDOs, whose district would then be considered an affiliate of the Mainstreets Pittsburgh Program.
Neighborhood Improvement District Grant Award:
BDOs that implement a special assessment district, such as a Neighborhood Improvement District, will be eligible for up to four years of annual grant funding. Funding consists of a dollar-for-dollar 10% match ($50,000 maximum) on an annual basis for the organization to continue to operate a Mainstreets Pittsburgh program in the assessment district.
For more details, visit the Application page to download the application form and details