Erie opens fall 2025 round of Flagship Fund microgrants for small businesses
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Summary
The City of Erie announced the fall 2025 application round for its Flagship Fund microgrants, boosted by a $100,000 Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development Main Street Matters grant; awards of up to $5,000 require a 1:1 match and must be spent within one year.
The City of Erie announced the opening of the fall 2025 round of its Flagship Fund microgrant program and said the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development has provided a $100,000 Main Street Matters grant to expand this round; applications are due Friday, Oct. 3, and awards will be up to $5,000 on a 1-to-1 reimbursement basis.
Mayor (name not specified) said the city has prioritized small-business growth during the mayor’s tenure, calling small businesses “a vital component of a thriving economy and a vibrant community.”
The Flagship Fund, administered by the City of Erie Department of Development Services, was created in 2018 to provide flexible microgrants for market-ready products and services, business expansion, early startup capital and other needs for small, locally based firms. Chris Groner, director of the Department of Development Services, said the $100,000 state grant will allow the city to assist more businesses this round.
Since 2018 the city has awarded Flagship Fund grants to 154 small businesses totaling $453,128.92, Groner said. Awards in this fall 2025 round will be competitive and funded from interest earned on the city’s economic development loan programs, not the city’s operating budget.
Eligible applicants must be a business registered in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania with a physical address in the City of Erie. Preference will be given to businesses with 25 or fewer employees; locally owned franchises may apply. A business that has received a Flagship Fund grant within the last three years is not eligible for preference in this round, Groner said.
Grants are available for amounts up to $5,000 and require a dollar-for-dollar match; grant dollars are paid on a reimbursement basis. For example, a $5,000 grant requires a $10,000 project cost, with the applicant submitting documentation to receive the $5,000 reimbursement. All awarded funds must be expended within one year of the award date. The fall 2025 application deadline is Friday, Oct. 3, and the city said the online application page went live at 10 a.m. on the day of the announcement.
Eligible uses listed by the Department of Development Services include exterior facade improvements; structural and interior leasehold improvements; specialized equipment; computer hardware and software; connectivity upgrades such as improved internet service; professional marketing and website development; strategic planning and financial-management consulting; and security cameras, lighting and signage. City staff said grants will be awarded competitively and selected applicants will be contacted about next steps.
Groner provided the city contact email flagshipfund@erie.pa.us and said more information and the application are available on the city website at erie.pa.us (search “flagship fund”).
The mayor also used the press conference to remind listeners of local Sept. 11 remembrance events: the Erie County 9-1-1 memorial service at 8:30 a.m. in the Blasco Library’s Hurt Auditorium, with bells rolling at 8:46 a.m., and a free Heroes Concert featuring the band O.A.R. at 5 p.m. at Liberty Park Amphitheater. The mayor noted Bayfront Highway will be closed for construction between Holland and Sassafras streets and urged attendees to plan accordingly.
