Middlesboro Main Street in Middlesboro, Ky., Puerto Rican Cultural Center in Chicago, Ill., and Sugar Creek Business Association in Charlotte, N.C., have each been awarded $100,000 through The Hartford Small Business Accelerator Grant Program in partnership with Main Street America.

The grant is meant to leverage real estate as a mobilizer for small business scaling and success through the establishment and/or operation of a small business accelerator project, such as a shared pop-up space, business incubator, or related real estate project or activity.

“We are excited to offer this grant and program that will advance the entrepreneurship and wealth-building programs already underway in the selected communities,” said Main Street Chief Program Officer Matt Wagner. “The grantees are creating a space for current and future entrepreneurs who are providing valuable products and services to their Main Street districts and beyond.”

Entrepreneurship is a critical pathway to economic opportunity and inclusive wealth-building -- however, access to affordable retail space and limited brand awareness are barriers to small business growth, especially for entrepreneurs of color. The Small Business Accelerator Grant Program will help Main Street districts provide important interim space where business owners can showcase their products and services, while accelerating economic development in the local community.

Grant recipients were selected based on a demonstrated commitment to entrepreneurial ecosystem work, strategically aligning a variety of public and private sector efforts and resources in their districts to foster entrepreneurship in innovative and creative ways, and readiness to launch a project of this scale. Learn about the recipients and their projects below.

Middlesboro Main Street | Middlesboro, Ky. 

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A view of Downtown Middlesboro photographed by local photographer, Danny Vaughn.

Middlesboro Main Street will use the grant funding to launch an entrepreneurial hub, including pop-up retail space and co-working facilities. The new offering, which will be located in a refurbished building in the heart of downtown Middlesboro, will allow local small businesses to initiate in-person operations in affordable retail space, while supporting entrepreneurs at all stages with co-working and event space.

With a focus on the long-term economic health of the community, Middlesboro Main Street, with support from the Kentucky Main Street program, will help prepare local small businesses to seamlessly transition from the accelerator space to larger, more permanent locations within the Main Street district. They will also empower business owners with essential skills for sustainable growth through a continuum of support, including comprehensive training programs and cohort development initiatives.

The new space is expected to open in the spring of 2024.

Puerto Rican Cultural Center | Chicago, Ill. 

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Mercado del Pueblo, located at 4013 W North Ave. in Chicago. Photo by Wesley Ordoñez.

The Puerto Rican Cultural Center will use the grant funding to create a multi-use business incubator space. The 5,000 square foot space located at 4013 West North Avenue, which will be known as the Latin American Village, will allow local small businesses to operate out of affordable vending “pods” alongside a community workspace for entrepreneurs.

In addition to providing an in-person retail platform for small businesses, the Latin American Village will feature a fully operational café. The profits from the café will fund micro-loans for local entrepreneurs and revamp abandoned storefronts on the corridor. The new space will also create and build pathways to success for small business owners at multiple stages, as well as the next generation of entrepreneurs.

The new space is expected to open in the spring of 2024.

Sugar Creek Business Association | Charlotte, N.C. 

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Renderings of the 85 Oasis Business Center office suites. Photo provided by Sugar Creek Business Association.

Sugar Creek Business Association will use the grant funding to create a multi-use hub for small business growth called the 85 Oasis Business Center. Located in refurbished space at 5105 Reagan Drive, this new offering will allow local small businesses to operate out of affordable business suites alongside a community workspace for entrepreneurs.

In addition to providing operational and collaboration space, the 85 Oasis Business Center will offer a robust training curriculum designed in partnership with local universities and community service providers to ensure long-term success for participating businesses. And, as the Sugar Creek corridor continues to be redeveloped, this project contributes to the vision for a viable community where long-time residents and newcomers, alike, can safely live and thrive and build businesses that are attractive and sustainable.

The Sugar Creek Business Association is collaborating with Dynasty Property Management and Durr Capital Group to complete the project, and the new space is expected to open in full during the spring of 2024.