The EDA has drafted Resolution 2026‑4 to establish a Market 5 Winter Tenant Assistance Grant Program that would cover 50% of monthly rent for eligible Market 5 tenants from December through March. The program is budgeted at an estimated maximum allocation of $7,700 based on current lease rates (seven tenants at $450 and one at $700) and would require tenants to apply by October 31, be current on rent or under an approved plan, remain operational, and stay in good standing. While the resolution text shows the program structure, it also notes that assistance is subject to application review and available funding, positioning this as an active grant program to be administered during FY27.Vendors with experience in small business grants, program administration, application portals, compliance tracking, or tenant communication could support the EDA in managing applications, documenting impact, and potentially scaling or replicating the model. This is also a signal that Market 5 tenants may be prospective clients for advisory services around financial resilience, marketing, and winter‑season business planning.

The FY27 Market 5 budget request explicitly includes $7,700 for a Winter Lease Reduction Program aligned with this grant design; grants are applied directly to rent and do not permanently change lease terms.