The Knoxville City Council approved the framework for the 2026 Municipal Facade Grant Program at their meeting Monday night.

In 2022, the City Council approved initial funding for the Municipal Façade Grant Program, allocating $115,000 from an unused economic development revolving loan fund and $50,000 from local option sales tax receipts. Since its inception, the program has approved 50 matching grants. Of those, 43 projects have been completed and seven remain in progress. To date, the city has reimbursed or committed $229,605 in matching grants, leveraging an estimated total private investment of $558,530 in building improvements. 

Two updates to the program in 2026 will include the implementation of a scoring matrix system, and revised eligible lighting costs. The program is available for facades in the downtown area, Pleasant Street, and the Highway 14 corridor. City Manager Heather Ussery says applications will open for the new round of the program at the end of March. 

“Overall it’s been a really successful program. We’ve had about 50 applicants over the past four years so it’s been going well. It will be mid-March, I believe the 23rd where we will open up the application period and go through May. More information about the application and rules will be available on the city’s website soon.”

Hear more from Ussery on today’s Let’s Talk Knoxville.