LOUDONVILLE — The Mohican Area Growth Foundation (MAGF) wants to attract more dining options to downtown Loudonville.
Jordan Lance, MAGF’s board president announced the Loudonville Downtown Dining Expansion Grant Program at the foundation’s annual meeting on Thursday.
“Everybody always wants more downtown dining options or more dining options in general,” Lance said.
The grant program “supports the creation or expansion of full‐service restaurants in downtown Loudonville, Ohio. The goals are to increase food-service options for residents and visitors, extend evening activation and strengthen the hospitality ecosystem and vibrancy of the downtown district,” according to the program guidelines.
Projects seeking MAGF funding must be located between the following boundaries:
- North: Butler Street
- South: Bustle Street
- East: Pleasant Drive
- West: Mount Vernon Avenue
The Western boundary, North Mount Vernon Avenue, is not pictured.
The program budget is $80,000, where MAGF will match 80% of the project up to $80,000 per location, and applicants must contribute the other 20%. The project size must be a minimum of $10,000.
“We know that if somebody’s going to build a restaurant, it’s going to cost a lot more than $80,000, but we hope this will help make the math work. So that’s what this program is for,” Lance said.
Project awards are reimbursement-based, meaning the funds are released to applicants after improvements are installed with proper documentation of costs.
MAGF will begin accepting project applications on Nov. 1, with a priority review window of Nov. 1 through Jan. 31, and an application deadline of May 1, 2026 at 5 p.m.
The target for project completion is Dec. 31, 2026, and funds will be reimbursed 45 days following project completion.
“The MAGF Board may modify these dates or re‐open the window depending on funding and downtown priorities,” according to the…
A Golden Eagle feather held by a Native American Lenape or member the Delaware Tribe of Oklahoma. (BILL RETTEW/MEDIANEWS GROUP)
A beautiful hand-made outfit worn by the Lenape of Oklahoma. (BILL RETTEW/MEDIANEWS GROUP)
The Lenape of Oklahoma wearing a traditional outfit at West Chester University. (BILL RETTEW/MEDIANEWS GROUP)