The Asheville Downtown Association Foundation, in partnership with the Duke Energy Foundation, is offering $22,500 in grant funding to help Coxe Avenue businesses prepare for upcoming construction.
As Downtown Asheville prepares for significant infrastructure improvements along Coxe Avenue, the Asheville Downtown Association Foundation (ADAF) is launching a new mini-grant program to support businesses that may experience disruptions during construction.
Made possible through the generous support of the Duke Energy Foundation, the program will provide financial assistance to eligible businesses to help them proactively address anticipated challenges related to customer access, visibility, and daily operations.
"Downtown businesses are the heart of our community, and we recognize the challenges that come with navigating major infrastructure improvements," said Hayden Plemmons, Executive Director of the Asheville Downtown Association. "We're incredibly grateful to the Duke Energy Foundation for recognizing the importance of supporting our small businesses during this time. These grants are an opportunity to provide meaningful assistance to the businesses that continue to make Coxe Avenue such a vibrant part of Downtown Asheville."
Who Is Eligible?
To qualify for funding, businesses must meet the following requirements:
Location: Must be located on Coxe Avenue between Patton Avenue and Southside Avenue in Downtown Asheville.
Business Type: Must be a ground-floor, customer-facing business that regularly welcomes customers, clients, or members. Eligible businesses may include retail, food and beverage, fitness, personal services, coworking spaces, and other businesses that rely on in-person customer access.
Length of Operation: Must have been operating at a Coxe Avenue location for at least one year as of October 31, 2026.
Active Operations: Must be actively operating at the time of application.
Construction Impact: Must reasonably anticipate impacts to customer access, visibility, revenue, or daily operations due to upcoming construction.
Businesses primarily operating as professional or administrative offices or other non-customer-facing uses are not eligible.
How Much Funding Is Available?
A total of $22,500 is available for direct business grants, with individual awards ranging from $1,500 to $5,000.
Final award amounts will be determined based on the number of eligible applications received and available funding.
Grant funds may be used for marketing and customer outreach, signage and visibility improvements, operational needs, customer engagement initiatives, and other investments that help businesses prepare for and navigate construction-related challenges.
How to Apply
The application process is designed to be simple and accessible. Eligible businesses will be asked to provide basic business information and briefly describe how upcoming construction may impact their operations and how grant funding could help.
Applications are open November 11–25, 2026.
Applications will be reviewed by representatives of the Asheville Downtown Association and Asheville Downtown Association Foundation boards. Award decisions are anticipated on December 10, with recipients notified the following week and funds distributed before the end of the year.
Investing in Downtown's Small Business Community
While infrastructure improvements are important to Downtown Asheville's long-term success, construction can create real challenges for the small businesses that make our Downtown vibrant and welcoming.
Through this partnership with the Duke Energy Foundation, ADAF hopes to provide businesses with resources to plan ahead, remain connected to their customers, and continue contributing to a thriving Coxe Avenue.
This program is funded independently through the Duke Energy Foundation and is separate from construction mitigation funding provided by the City of Asheville.
Applications close November 25, 2026. Eligible businesses are encouraged to apply online and take advantage of this opportunity to prepare for the months ahead.
