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ROCHESTER — More than half of $3 million in available economic revitalization grants for businesses in and around the Destination Medical Center District have been awarded.

“It’s really a whole range of businesses that have applied and we’ve been able to support,” DMC Economic Development Agency Executive Director Patrick Seeb said Thursday afternoon as he announced the first 30 grants at True Queens Boutique, one of the recipients.

Receiving a combined $1.6 million, the 30 awardees include restaurants, retail outlets, nonprofits and a variety of other businesses.

The largest awards of $200,000 each went to:

The funds, which originated from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, are intended to help businesses that are “rebuilding, starting afresh, entering the market and really reinvigorating the core of the city,” Seeb said.

The grants can cover up to 30% of the project costs.

The DMC EDA, in partnership with the city of Rochester, received $3.12 million from the state agency in October as part of the state’s Main Street Economic Revitalization Program.

The funds are intended to be used for investment in building businesses and DMC EDA staff estimates the awards so far have leveraged more than $48 million in private investment into Rochester’s downtown.

Rochester Mayor Kim Norton recognized the effort as a way to help businesses recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Our local businesses play such a vital role in the vibrancy and character of our community,” she said. “I have heard from many businesses how impactful the COVID-19 pandemic has been, and I hope that these grant dollars will help with both recovery and their ability to thrive in the future.”

Seeb said the remaining $1.4 million from the state funds will be awarded as new applications arrive, with reviews taking place on a monthly basis. The final funds must be awarded by the end of 2024, for projects that will be completed by the end of 2026.

Businesses within or adjacent to the DMC district can apply for the funds to open a new business, modify an existing business or expand operations.

Information on the program and applications are available online at dmc.mn/main-street-grant .

Each application is reviewed through a three-step process, starting with a community-based team of downtown stakeholders, followed by a review by the DMC EDA board. Final approval by DEED officials is also required.

Seeb said the requirement for final DEED approval delayed the announcement of the grants.

“We’ve been holding our breath, waiting to tell the stories of all these awardees,” he said.

Applications were reviewed based on the following criteria:

Norton said 34% of the businesses were BIPOC- or women-owned, which Seeb credited to efforts by work of the community group, as well as DMC EDA staff.

“We wanted to make this process as fair and equitable as possible and to help those organizations in greatest need,” he said.

In addition to the grants targeting downtown businesses, the DMC EDA is expected to launch a grant program for businesses outside the district next month.

The agency received a second DEED grant in May, providing $988,000 to help businesses outside the DMC district. The proposal being finalized with the state agency will target businesses along a section of Seventh Street Northwest, known as the Cook Park Design District, and a portion of Highway 14 in Southeast Rochester.

The first 30 recipients of economic revitalization grants awarded through the Destination Medical Center Economic Development Agency were announced Thursday. The grants, totaling approximately $1.6 million, were: