Economic and Community Development

203-630-4152 Economic Development

203-630-4151 Community Development

Staff

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Economic Development

If you're a business owner looking to move to Meriden or an existing business owner looking to grow, we have great incentives and a professional team ready to help. To take advantage of our central location and incentive programs, contact our staff today or visit MeridenBiz.com or Meriden2020.com for more information

MeridenBIG and MeridenBIG 2.0

The Meriden Business Investment and Growth program (MeridenBIG), passed by Meriden's City Council through the allocation of up to $5,000,000 from American Rescue Plan Acts (ARPA) funds, provides financial assistance for the reinvestment in Meriden properties and infrastructure to reduce business vacancy in storefronts and to promote business development and active business corridors in the City of Meriden. MeridenBIG offers to provide matching grants to enhance code correction and economic development in the City of Meriden, with an incentive for revitalization in the downtown Meriden Transit Oriented District (TOD).

In March of 2023, the Meriden City Council allocated an additional $1,500,000 in ARPA funds to assist existing Meriden businesses that had been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This new program is referenced as Meriden Business Investment and Growth Program 2.0. MeridenBIG 2.0 plans to assist existing Meriden businesses that were negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic by payment for equipment, services and other expenses permitted under ARPA guidelines. Unlike the prior program, MeridenBIG 2.0 will only require matching funds by applicants for grants in excess of $25,000.

The goal of both programs is to enhance revitalization and to contribute positively to the economic welfare of the municipality and the State, by increasing the employment and property values in Meriden and bringing about a more vibrant and active downtown with a greater number of people, businesses, income balance, and opportunity.

What gets funding?

· Code correction assistance: For the cost of improvements to transform vacant spaces to code compliant commercial uses

· Vanilla Box assistance: To create marketable base space for lease or sale for business use after completion of any code compliance correction to the structure

· Economic Development Funding: New business expenses for small start-up businesses

· COVID-related adverse impact assistance: For the purchase of equipment and services to assist in rehabilitation post-pandemic

Successful pre-applicants will be directed to the City of Meriden’s Applicant Concierge and invited to submit a detailed application with their assistance. No funding will be approved without a completed and accepted full detailed application

Questions?

Contact the Economic Development Department at (203) 630-4151 or visit meridenbig.com.

SPANISH TRANSLATION

l Programa de crecimiento e inversión empresarial de Meriden, aprobado por el Consejo Municipal de Meriden mediante la asignación de hasta $5,000,000 de fondos de la Ley de Plan de Rescate Estadounidense (American Rescue Plan Acts, ARPA), ofrece asistencia financiera para la reinversión en propiedades e infraestructuras de Meriden, con el fin de reducir la desocupación empresarial en las vidrieras y promover el desarrollo empresarial y los corredores comerciales activos en la ciudad de Meriden. El programa MeridenBIG ofrece proporcionar subvenciones de contrapartida para mejorar la corrección del código y el desarrollo económico de la Ciudad de Meriden, con un incentivo para la revitalización en el Distrito Orientado al Tránsito (Transit Oriented District, TOD) del centro de Meriden.

En marzo de 2023, el Consejo Municipal de Meriden adjudicó $1,500,000 adicionales del fondo de la ARPA para ayudar a las empresas existentes en Meriden que habían sido afectadas negativamente por la pandemia de COVID-19. Este nuevo programa se denomina Programa de crecimiento e inversión empresarial de Meriden 2.0. El objetivo del programa MeridenBIG 2.0 es ayudar a las empresas existentes de Meriden, que fueron afectadas negativamente por la pandemia de COVID-19, mediante el pago de equipos, servicios u otros gastos permitidos según las directrices de la ARPA. A diferencia del programa anterior, el programa MeridenBIG 2.0 solo requerirá de fondos de contrapartida por parte de los solicitantes de subvenciones que superen los $25,000.

El objetivo de ambos programas es mejorar la revitalización y a contribuir positivamente con el bienestar económico de la Municipalidad y del Estado, mediante el aumento del empleo y del valor de las propiedades de Meriden, y logrando un centro más vibrante y activo con un mayor número de personas, empresas, balance de ingresos y oportunidades.

¿Quién recibe fondos?

· Asistencia para la corrección de código

o Para el costo de mejoras para transformar espacios vacíos en usos comerciales que cumplan con el código.

· Asistencia para renovación de espacios

o Para crear un espacio base comercializable para su arrendamiento o venta para uso empresarial una vez finalizada cualquier corrección de la estructura que cumpla el código.

· Financiamiento para el desarrollo económico

o Nuevos gastos empresariales para pequeñas empresas de nueva creación

· Ayuda con impactos adversos relacionados con el COVID

o Para la compra de equipos y servicios para ayudar con la rehabilitación pospandemia

Los solicitantes aprobados serán remitidos a la Conserjería de Solicitantes de la Ciudad de Meriden y serán invitados a presentar una solicitud detallada con ayuda de estos. No se aprobará ningún financiamiento sin una solicitud detallada completa y aceptada.

Economic Development Incentives:

Meriden Enterprise Zone
Incentives for Private Sector Companies
Economic Development Task Force
Meriden Manufacturing Assistance Agency
Information Technology Zone
East Main Street Incentive Zone

Staff support is also provided to the Economic Development Task Force, the Meriden Manufacturing Assistance Agency (MMAA) and the City's Transit Oriented Development activities.

Connecticut Neighborhood Assistance Act (NAA)

The Connecticut NAA Tax Credit Program is designed to provide funding for municipal and tax exempt organizations through business tax credit incentives. Please CLICK HERE to learn more about the program. The list of statewide programs accepted for participation in the 2022 NAA program is available HERE.

Applications are available HERE for the 2023 NAA Program, and are due to the Economic & Community Development office by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, May 26. Please send the completed application and a copy of page 1 of your 990 form (or a letter exempting your organization from filing) to Victoria Pasion at vpasion@meridenct.gov.

Community Development

The functions of this division include the administration of the City’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program, which provides funds to various city departments and local non-profit agencies to operate programs benefiting low and moderate income persons. In addition, the Community Development office applies for and manages numerous other State and Federal grant applications and activities. Click here for more details.