Program Overview

The Rutherford Town Rising (RTR) Small Business Digital Empowerment Grant, in partnership with the Town of Rutherfordton and Dogwood Health Trust, is excited to support local businesses in the RTR Downtown Rutherfordton District in their efforts to enhance their digital presence, increase e-commerce capabilities, and foster entrepreneurship. This grant program aims to provide small businesses with the tools and resources necessary to thrive in the digital economy, through targeted support including online marketing/visibility, digital sales integrations, and entrepreneurship coaching.

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Recognizing the challenges local businesses face in accessing digital resources, especially given the geographic distance from larger support hubs in Asheville and Charlotte. This program seeks to bring digital empowerment closer to home, while building a collaborative local ecosystem for continued success.

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2025 Program Objectives

1. Enhance Digital Visibility: Help businesses build or enhance their online presence, whether through websites, social media marketing, or other digital platforms, to attract new customers and retain existing ones.

2. Enable E-Commerce Expansion: Provide financial support for integrating e-commerce capabilities, including website upgrades, e-commerce platforms, payment systems, and inventory management tools.

3. Foster Entrepreneurial Growth: Offer business coaching, local classes, and networking opportunities to ensure businesses have the skills to succeed in a digital-first world.

4. Build a Local Digital Ecosystem: Create a sustainable and supportive digital ecosystem by connecting local businesses, digital experts, and local partners to foster long-term success.

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Grant Amounts

• Grant awards will vary based on project scope, with a maximum award of $5,000 for larger projects.

• Smaller projects may receive proportionate amounts based on their needs and scale, with the goal of making meaningful impacts on the business’s digital capabilities.

 

Eligibility Criteria

• The applicant must be an established business located within the RTR Downtown Rutherfordton District.

• The business must be able to demonstrate the ability to implement the proposed digital upgrades within 6 months of receiving the grant.

• The business must attend at least one (1) of the two (2) offered classes on “Online Visibility and the Benefits of E-Commerce” prior to grant application. Classes will cover essential topics such as building a brand presence online, the importance of SEO, social media marketing, and how to set up e-commerce operations.

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What can the funds be used for?

Grant funds may be used for, but are not limited to:

• Website development or redesign

• E-commerce platform integration (e.g., Shopify, WooCommerce, etc.)

• Expansion of online capabilities (online booking/tickets, etc)

• Implementation of digital marketing options (SEO optimization, targeted ads, social media engagement, and customer retention tools)

• Expansion of technology use in-store (POS upgrades, digital checkout solutions, or inventory management systems)

• Professional services (e.g., digital marketing consultant, graphic design, SEO optimization)

• Entrepreneurial coaching or training programs related to digital business operations

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Who qualifies?

To qualify, businesses must be:

• located in the downtown RTR District.

• independently owned with <50 employees with a brick-and­mortar in Rutherfordton: no chains or franchises. 

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Requirements

• The project must be completed within 6 months of receiving the grant.

• Grant recipients will be required to submit a final report on how the funds were used, including details on digital integration and the measurable impact of the changes (e.g., increase in online sales, social media engagement and analytics, Google Analytics, Google Ads, etc.).

• Businesses must be willing to share data such as (current customer base, current sales, website analytics, etc.) to assist us in our grant reporting.

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What is the process to apply?

1. Application Submission: Interested businesses must submit a completed application form, detailing their digital growth goals, plans for utilizing the grant, and a brief explanation of how they plan to implement the changes within 6 months.

2. Class Attendance: Applicants must attend one of the two offered classes on online visibility and e-commerce benefits. Dates and times for these classes will be provided on the explorerutherfordton.com website. One will be held in April and one will be held in August. 

3. Review & Award Notification: Applications will be reviewed by the RTR Grant Committee, and selected businesses will be notified within 30 days of submission.

4. Grant Disbursement: Upon approval, grant funds will be disbursed to the business in installments, based on the milestones outlined in their project plan or businesses can elect to have a single payment disbursement at the end of the project with submitted receipts.

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Application Deadline

Applications will be accepted consistently throughout 2025 beginning on Feb 25, 2025. The Grant Committee will review applications on a monthly basis and awards will be announced by the 30th of each month.

 

Apply here - https://forms.gle/fa1cNgotqgjLUZtc9

 

For questions, please contact:
Rutherford Town Rising
Phone: (828) 287-3520 ext. 8 
Email: rtr@rutherfordton.net
Website: https://www.explorerutherfordton.com/resources

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Program Partners:

• Town of Rutherfordton

• Local Digital Experts & Coaches

• Dogwood Health Trust

• E-Commerce Platform Providers