With the 2025-26 fiscal year nearing a conclusion, local business owners in downtown Mebane took advantage of some remaining funds in the town’s Downtown Exterior Improvement Grants (DEIG) program to undertake some projects to improve their respective storefronts and backs.
The 2025-26 budget approved $50,000 for downtown exterior improvement project grants for local business owners, but only $15,130 of that money had been used previously in three awards. During the Monday, June 1 City Council meeting, a total of five new grants were approved, totaling $25,780.06
“We did have a number of applicants for this grant,” said Mebane Development Director Ashley Ownbey to the City Council the evening of June 1. “As a reminder, you all allocated $50,000 (for the DEIG grants) and the applicants are required to have two quotes (from contractors doing the exterior work). Any of the tenants have to have property owner approval. It is a 50/50 match for the proposed project, and we reimburse after the project is completed and inspected, and the maximum award is $10,000.”…