Dade City CRA approves downtown mural grant program with $5,000 match cap

The Dade City Community Redevelopment Agency on Tuesday approved a public mural grant program intended to use murals to promote arts, reduce blight and spur downtown economic activity.

Staff member Van Ervin told the board the program would launch an application on April 15, 2026, and would offer financial assistance as a 50/50 matching grant not to exceed $5,000. If a proposed design contains direct advertising for adjacent businesses, the match would be reduced to $2,500 and murals containing logos would be ineligible for funding, Van Ervin said.

"The downtown CRA public mural grant program's objective is to use murals as a catalyst for redefining our area as a destination for arts and culture," Van Ervin said.

Van Ervin said the program follows priorities the CRA adopted for 2025–2027 and that the RAC reviewed the application and process at its March 2026 meeting. The staff presentation identified placement and aesthetic guidelines, eligibility and maintenance rules, and a funding source: the CRA’s existing grants budget, which staff said includes $45,000 allocated for CRA grants in the 2025–26 budget.

Commissioner Shai praised the proposal as a creative addition to downtown redevelopment and cited examples from nearby communities as evidence of economic benefit.

The board moved to adopt the guidelines and application process; the roll-call vote carried 5–0.

The board approved program guidelines and an application form; staff may amend the guidelines later, and the CRA will use existing budgeted grant dollars to fund the program.