Commerce Launches Unique Grant Program to Transform a Downtown Block

Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland today announced the launch of the Building Local Opportunity through Coordinated Kansas Investment (BLOCK) program, a competitive placemaking initiative designed to help one Kansas community dramatically transform the appearance of a downtown block.

A total of $500,000 is available through this pilot program. One award will be made. The BLOCK application period will open September 11, 2026, and close September 30, 2026. The award will be announced by October 10, 2026, and all funded improvements must be completed before December 15, 2026.

“This is a Kansas-style “extreme makeover” for a BLOCK of your main street,” ha declarado el Vicegobernador y Secretario de Comercio, David Toland. “If you need to spend October figuring out who is going to do the work, this isn’t the right opportunity for your town. We’re looking for communities that have a vision, have done the groundwork, and have the people in place to make it happen FAST.

“The goal is more investment, stronger businesses and a more robust local economy.”

BLOCK is intentionally different from traditional grant programs by encouraging communities to coordinate multiple properties, partners and investments around a shared vision. The program is designed for communities that can create a dramatic impact in a short amount of time.

Projects may include improvements such as new awnings, tuckpointing, signage, painting, façade improvements, lighting and other strategic enhancements that can quickly transform the appearance and vitality of a downtown block. The goal is to take the buildings, businesses and assets that already exist and make the entire block look and feel dramatically different so they generate additional economic activity.

The compressed timeline also is intentional. Commerce wants the work completed before below-freezing temperatures and Kansas winter weather make exterior improvements more difficult. That means applicants need to come prepared. Contractors, painters, masons, sign companies, suppliers and other key partners should already be identified and ready to begin work when an application is submitted.

Inspired by the rapid, collaborative transformations popularized by “extreme makeover” programs, BLOCK brings community partners, property owners, businesses, contractors and resources together to create a visible, concentrated transformation in a short period of time.Once the project has begun, the awarded community will be expected to begin and finish all construction and rehabilitation efforts within a 14-day window.

“Instead of investing in one building at a time, we are asking communities to look at an entire block and ask, ‘What would happen if we coordinated all of these investments at once?’ ” Commerce Assistant Secretary Matt Godinez said.

Communities applying for BLOCK will be asked to show Commerce the block as it exists today and show what it could become. Applicants will identify a single downtown block containing at least three structures and present a coordinated strategy for creating a dramatic transformation.

A 1:1 match is required, with matching funds secured at the time of application. Of the required match, at least 75% must be provided through cash or grant funds, while up to 25% may be provided through documented in-kind contributions. Communities demonstrating additional public-private investment and strong coordination with other funding programs will receive additional consideration.

Additional program information and application materials are available aquí.