Lake Street Lift

Boosting Lake Street businesses, arts, and places

Overview
Lake Street Lift celebrates Lake Street as a vibrant, diverse, and loved community by boosting our businesses, arts, and places. It will assist local businesses, nonprofits, entrepreneurs, creatives, and more – all working together to make Lake Street a place where everyone belongs - residents, customers, and visitors. 

Working with several partners, the Graves Foundation is supporting this effort through funding appropriated by the State of Minnesota in 2023. Most of this funding will fuel corridor-wide initiatives to attract visitors - such as commissioning murals, hosting community events, and transforming empty lots into gathering spaces. The remainder of these funds will go toward assisting eligible businesses, nonprofits, entrepreneurs, and local developers. 

The Graves Foundation and its partners are thankful to the State of Minnesota and the City of Minneapolis for making this funding possible.


Background
In 2023, the State of Minnesota appropriated $8 million to the City of Minneapolis. The purpose of this funding was to support the economic health and vitality of the Lake Street Corridor. The Graves Foundation was selected to administer this funding by the City of Minneapolis on October 31, 2024. Through a network of trusted partners, The Graves Foundation will use this funding to continue to tell Lake Street’s story as a vibrant, diverse area, work to beautify the corridor through events and activities, and provide professional assistance to local businesses, nonprofits, entrepreneurs, and local developers.

FAQ

  • These funds will be available for use from November 1, 2024, until June 30, 2025. All individual programs within this funding will have different start and end times. All activities and direct professional assistance must be completed by June 30, 2025.

  • As required by the state legislation, all activities and businesses receiving direct professional assistance must be located on Lake Street between Nicollet Avenue S. and 30th Avenue S. Marketing efforts through this funding will attract visitors to the entire Lake Street corridor.

  • No, grants to businesses and nonprofits are not an eligible use of this funding due to the limitation in the state legislation

  • These funds will be used primarily for the following activities: 

    • Multiple advertising campaigns that will tell the story of Lake Street to attract customers and visitors.

    • Lake Street-wide initiatives to attract visitors. This includes sponsoring community events, commissioning murals by local muralists, and transforming empty lots through features like new lighting, art, and landscaping. 

    • Support eligible businesses and nonprofits with expanded business technical advising programs and consulting services for commercial real estate projects. 

    • Direct funding for safety initiatives, potentially including expanding existing street outreach and creating a graffiti removal program.

  • Each program within this funding has a different process for application. Please see our Program Information page for additional details. The Lake Street Council will be the primary contact organization for managing professional assistance to businesses and nonprofits.

  • No. All activities and direct support must be completed by June 30, 2025.

Program Information

For questions about Lake Street Lift programs please email info@visitlakestreet.com

General Business Advising

This program will provide general business advice to small businesses and nonprofits located on Lake Street between Nicollet Avenue S. and 30th Avenue S. Working with a vetted network of business advisors who understand Lake Street, these no-cost business advising services will in-depth to help you build long-term growth or solve your everyday problems. This program will be administered by the Lake Street Council.

Real Estate Consulting Services

This program will leverage a vast network of commercial real estate brokerage and development firms to provide assistance and consulting services to local developers, entrepreneurs, and business and property owners who need support moving their development projects forward. Projects must be located on Lake Street between Nicollet Avenue S. and 30th Avenue S. This program will be administered by the Lake Street Council with support from Platform CRE.

Marketing and Branding Advising

This program will provide marketing and branding advice to small businesses and nonprofits located on Lake Street between Nicollet Avenue S. and 30th Avenue S. Working with a network of vetted marketing specialists, businesses can receive no-cost support to help increase their customer acquisition and retention. This program will be administered by the Lake Street Council.

Boosting arts and places

Community activation, beautification, and safety.

Utilizing the local creative economy of artists, designers, event producers, and more, the Graves Foundation, in partnership with the Lake Street Council and the Great Northern will work to make Lake Street a place where everyone belongs. Working together, these corridor-wide initiatives will help attract more visitors, boost our local economy, and showcase Lake Street as a vibrant commercial corridor that embraces diversity, arts, food, and culture. We will target five main areas:

  • Activation and beautification of underutilized spaces

  • Installations of new murals and public-facing art

  • Hosting, sponsorship, and promoting community events

  • Marketing campaigns to promote the corridor to visitors

  • Addressing community safety through graffiti mitigation, lighting, and outreach teams.

Each of these programs and activities will have different opportunities to participate for businesses, non-profits, property owners, local creatives, and artists. Sign up to get updated on new opportunities. Additional information will be posted on this website soon.