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NATCHEZ — First order of business for the new Downtown Natchez Alliance Director Kevin Miers is facilitating the disbursement of $160,000 worth of ARPA grants available to downtown business owners to improve their building façades, balconies and awnings.

The non-profit DNA organization will soon be accepting applications for grant funds for which business owners or business property tenants can apply.

These applications will be scored and DNA will decide who shall get the funds, Miers said.

“There are two portions, $100,000 for balconies and $60,000 for awnings and facades, so $160,000 total. Once we receive applications, DNA will then select the projects based on a weighted scoring system.”

DNA secretary Chesney Doyle said applicants should expect to pay their own portion of the projects as well.

“It’s an incentive grant program, so we would award up to a certain percentage of the project cost and the owner would put in their portion,” Doyle said.

Miers added, “Once the application process starts, its going to move very quickly. We have to have projects selected, bid out and have contracts by December 31.”

The grants are designated for improvements such as placemaking, building stabilization or projects that encourage downtown living, he said.

Because these are government dollars being used on private businesses, DNA will not be giving anyone checks, he said. Rather, the organization will bid out the projects and pay the contractors directly.

For more information about the grant program, email director@natchezdna.org.