Downtown Salisbury Inc. receives $25k Duke Energy grant
Published 12:10 am Saturday, February 14, 2026
SALISBURY — Salisbury’s Main Street is about to get prettier with grant funds from Downtown Salisbury Inc. thanks to an award from Duke Energy.
The Duke Energy Foundation gave $500,000 in grants to nonprofits supporting small businesses throughout the state. Downtown Salisbury Inc. received one of the $25,000 grants to disseminate to small businesses under its purview. This is a program they have been offering since 2020.
“We know that it’s typically helping small businesses, and we believe that strong downtowns are the backbone of strong communities. This grant is about making sure small businesses keep growing and stay resilient,” Manager of Governmental and Community Relations in Rowan County for Duke Energy Joe Crapster said.
Downtown Salisbury received this grant in 2021, which kickstarted its Main Street Support Grant program. This program gives businesses in the downtown municipal services district the opportunity to apply for funding from $500 to $2,500 to support growth.
“It makes the dollar go further. We can help more businesses. It funnels it back into them. Really it just helps small businesses continue to grow,” Downtown Coordinator Claire Karriker said.
The grant has already been through one round of funding for local businesses, supporting the Kitchen Store with an addition to the store and other beautification projects.
Now, the grant is on the second round of funding, with the deadline on Sunday, Feb. 15 for interested businesses to apply. They can be used for indoor and outdoor service enhancements, furniture, storefront renovations and other functional improvements. Typical expenses like rent or payroll are not eligible for the grant.
As the city prepares for the Main Street streetscape project, there is a possibility for more grant rounds if businesses display a need for it.
“The grant was started so people can prepare and work towards thinking through when the streetscape occurs. Like, they can work on the outside or if they need tools or programs to support their workforce needs. It’s just what they need for the grant,” Karriker said.