The City of Littleton offers Revitalization Incentive Grants to support local businesses throughout the city.
As businesses in Littleton grow, there may be changes they’d like to make to their buildings — if only they had the funds to do so. Changes might be a new mural to welcome customers, lighting to illuminate a store at night or even new landscaping That’s where the City of Littleton is stepping in to help.
Littleton offers Revitalization Incentive Grants, or RIGs, each year to help local businesses make improvements to their property with financial assistance. The improvements can range from landscaping to building facades to exterior lighting to ADA exterior improvements. Grants can also help with signage or parking areas, when combined with other improvements, or architectural or engineering design.
Any owner of a commercial building, or tenant of a commercial space with authorization from the building owner, within Littleton city limits is eligible to apply for a grant under the RIG program. The grants provide matching funds of up to $20,000, with the city budgeting $100,000 annually for the grants.
According to city spokesperson David Gilbert, the Grant Review Committee looks for projects that “result in substantial upgrades to private property that help to improve the quality and attractiveness of the built environment in Littleton.”
These are projects that support revitalization throughout Littleton, enhancing the city’s aesthetic appeal and economic vitality. The projects are meant to positively promote businesses to drive sales.
Last year, projects included exterior patio additions at Denver Beer Company and The 49th, and exterior murals at Zymos Brewing and Kate’s Wine Bar. In previous years, grants have also helped with projects like exterior landscaping at Copper Door Coffee Roasters.
RIGs are just one example of the many grants Littleton offers to support the community. Other grants, such as the Neighborhood Grants or Community Improvement Grants, help support community projects and events.
The grants help support Littleton’s businesses — which makes the whole city better.
Grant funding can be used for projects that support exterior improvements of commercial buildings, such as murals like this at Kate’s Wine Bar.
“Everyone wins when local businesses get revitalization support,” Gilbert said. “Our local businesses are the backbone of our local economy — supporting aesthetic enhancements helps local entrepreneurs draw in customers while making the community more comfortable and attractive.
“In turn, increased business activity generates tax revenue to support the City of Littleton’s services,” Gilbert continued. “The goal of this program is to encourage private investment in improvements to business storefronts in a way that makes revitalization efforts affordable and creative while improving the aesthetic of the entire community.”
Grant applications for 2026 open March 2. More information, and applications, are available on the city website.
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