LOWVILLE — Ready, Set, Launch!

Lewis County has $200,000 and is seeking creative entrepreneurs who are looking to start or grow their businesses that will enhance the quality of life for residents and make Lewis County a more attractive place to live, work, and play.

Launch Lewis County is a business competitiongrant program that helps businesses start or expand. The program will provide 11 winners with training, funding, and the tools needed to successfully open or grow their businesses.

Naturally Lewis is seeking creative projects in the following categories:

Food & beverage, including value-added processing; and  

Creative tourism and recreational-based experiences, including agri-tourism; and

Location within a downtown that enhances tourist draw and quality of life for local residents

Eligible applicants are:

Start up businesses or existing businesses with plans to expand or diversify product or service ;

Must be a for-profit microenterprise (5 or fewer employees);  

Must enhance experiences for tourists and locals, alike; and 

Can only be used for equipment, machinery, furniture, fixtures and inventory.  

Applicants/owners must be considered low to moderate income or create a job to be made available to low to moderate income individuals to qualify for grant 

If creating a new job is eligibility for grant, awardee must create job first in order to receive grant.  

Grant funds can only cover up to 90% of total project cost – owner must contribute 10% of project cost with own funds.  

Launch Lewis County will award 11 businesses grant awards totaling $200,000; one $30,000 award, five $20,000 awards, and five $10,000 awards. Grant recipients will also receive ongoing technical assistance through Naturally Lewis’s DBA Lewis County Program, a professional photoshoot, a logo and branding package, grand opening or expansion promotion and access to low-interest loan fund (must qualify).

Naturally Lewis is accepting Launch Lewis County applications through March 21 to be considered for the various grant awards.

A program advisory committee will review and select finalists to move on to the next round of the competition. Finalists are required to complete an entrepreneurial training course in partnership with the Watertown Small Business Development Center before submitting a final application and business plan for consideration for the grant awards. 

To learn more about Launch Lewis County visit the website, naturallylewis.com/initiatives/launch-lewis-county or contact Brittany Davis, executive director of Lewis County Economic Development at 315-376-3014 or brittany@naturallylewis.com.

Funding for Launch LC is provided by the NYS Office of Homes and Community Renewal, Community Development Block Grant Program.