Real Estate
St. Louis County Port Authority
Community Investment Fund Application
The St. Louis County Port Authority’s Community Investment Fund supports economic and community development projects that advance or align with one or more of investment priority areas listed below. Examples are intended to be illustrative.
1) Business Retention & Expansion, which may include, programs that offer
- Loan products or funds that fill gaps in available capital
- Workforce development programs for in demand jobs
- Supporting international market expansion for local businesses
2) Neighborhood Economic and Community Development, which may include programs to address
- Repositioning vacant and under-utilized properties (often retail sites)
- Neighborhood infrastructures improvements
- Planning/feasibility studies
- Community planning/organization
- Neighborhood stabilization
3) Entrepreneurship programs, which may include
- Supporting small business development, especially expanding opportunities for minority and neighborhood-based businesses
- Fostering innovation ecosystem development, such as financing, business technical assistance or facilities/infrastructure.
4) Real Estate Development/Redevelopment, including
- Brownfield Redevelopment
- Site acquisition and assemblage
- Site preparation (pre-development – A/E, demo, infrastructure)
5) Targeted Industry Sector Support (based on County or Regional strategic priorities)
The Port prioritizes projects that increase economic opportunity for historically underserved individuals and/or benefit underserved or economically distressed communities.
Funds for the St. Louis County Port Authority Community Reinvestment Fund are provided through rental payments received from Penn National Gaming, Inc. for the lease of the ground where River City Casino is located.
Now Accepting Applications for Funding
Applications for the current grant cycle are due by July 10, 2025 at 11:59 p.m.
Applications may be submitted electronically below or in hard copy at the offices of the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership.
Funding decisions are anticipated in late 2025.
Applications
Download and fill out applications below.
- Create a folder on your desktop in which to save your application, appendix and any required supporting documents (e.g., letters of support, IRS determination, etc.)
- To create a folder, right click into any empty space and choose "New", then click "Folder".
- Name the folder using the following format: YourOrganizationName_YourProjectName
- Open the Community Investment Grant Application 2025 or appropriate appendix (link below).
- Click inside any text box within the document.
- When the dialog box appears, select “Create a Copy.”
- Complete all text boxes to the best of your ability.
- Once the application is complete, click the three dots in the top-right corner of the screen (next to the share button).
- Select “Download this File" and save it into the folder you created earlier.
Repeat steps 2–7 for the appendix.
8. Return to this page and click the green button labeled “Submit Here When Finished.”
9. Upload the folder you created containing all necessary documents.
10. Once the folder has been added, click the white Upload button.
11. Your submission is now complete.
Additional Information
Community Investment Fund Grant Information Sessions
The Port will host two optional information sessions for prospective applicants to learn more about the Community Investment Fund grant program and application process. The same content will be presented at both sessions.
Information Sessions
Monday, June 9, 2025 at 2:00 p.m.
Tuesday, June 17, 2025 at 2:00 p.m.
In addition, please see our answers to Frequently Asked Questions.
Additional questions may be submitted at [email protected]