T-Mobile Hometown Grants | Main Street America
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Three Main Street America Staff members standing in front of a mural in Marion, Iowa.

Marion, Iowa © Tasha Sams

About

We work in collaboration with thousands of local partners and grassroots leaders across the nation who share our commitment to advancing shared prosperity, creating resilient economies, and improving quality of life.

Overview Who We Are How We Work Partner Collaborations Our Supporters Our Team Job Opportunities 2024 Annual Report Contact Us
Two community members in Emporia Kansas pose with a sign saying "I'm a Main Streeter"

Emporia, Kansas © Emporia Main Street

Our Network

Made up of small towns, mid-sized communities, and urban commercial districts, the thousands of organizations, individuals, volunteers, and local leaders that make up Main Street America™ represent the broad diversity that makes this country so unique.

Overview Coordinating Programs Main Street Communities Collective Impact Awards & Recognition Community Evaluation Framework Join the Movement
Dionne Baux and MSA partner working in Bronzeville, Chicago.

Chicago, Illinois © Main Street America

Resources

Looking for strategies and tools to support you in your work? Delve into the Main Street Resource Center and explore a wide range of resources including our extensive Knowledge Hub, professional development opportunities, field service offerings, advocacy support, and more!

Overview Knowledge Hub Field Services Government Relations Main Street Now Conference Main Street America Institute Funding Opportunities Small Business Support Allied Member Services The Point Main Street Insurance Members Area
People riding e-scooters in Waterloo, Iowa

Waterloo, Iowa © Main Street Waterloo

The Latest

Your one-stop-shop for all the latest stories, news, events, and opportunities – including grants and funding programs – across Main Street.

Overview News & Stories Events & Opportunities Subscribe
Woman and girl at a festival booth in Kendall Whittier, Tulsa, Oklahoma.

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Placemaking Grants for Small Towns

Investing Big in Small Towns

Main Street America is partnering with T‑Mobile to help build stronger, more prosperous small towns and rural communities. With T‑Mobile’s Hometown Grant program, they’re investing big in small towns by awarding up to 100 towns a year with project funding — up to $50,000 each.

A group of people wearing T-Mobile branded hard hats and holding shovels gather on a baseball field.

Woodstock, Illinois © T‑Mobile

Program Overview

T‑Mobile Hometown Grants is a $25 million, five-year initiative to support the people and organizations who help small towns across America thrive and grow. Hometown Grants are given every quarter to up to 25 small towns. Apply for funding to support a community project of your choice, like revitalizing or repurposing a historic structure, creating a downtown asset or destination, or improving a space where friends and neighbors gather. Projects that add to a sense of place or could lead to further investment are of particular interest. We look forward to learning more about your town and your project. 


Grant Recipient Features


How to Apply

Review the eligibility and grant criteria below to ensure your community and proposed project meet application requirements. Applicants can submit their proposals by completing this application form. 

Grant recipients will each receive an award of up to $50,000 to implement their ideas and will have 12 months to complete their projects. Recipients will be required to submit a progress report at the 6‑month mark following the grant disbursement, and a final report will be due at the end of the 12-month implementation period. All reports are to be completed using a template provided. 

Applications will be open on a quarterly basis. Submissions for the current quarter are now open and will close March 31, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. CT.

Key Submission Deadlines:
Spring: Applications open Jan – March
Summer: Applications open April – June
Fall: Applications open July – Sept.
Winter: Applications open Oct. – Dec.

Portal will close on the last day of each quarter and reopen for the new quarter on the first of the month.

All Hometown Grant applications will be notified 60 within days after the end of each quarter on the status of the submission.



REVIEW CRITERIA

Your application will be reviewed by an internal T‑Mobile review committee and non-profit partner based upon the following criteria. Please note that the letters of support for your project are an important part of this application. 

Community Need

Proposed project should fill a demonstrated need in the community. This grant funding is intended for shovel-ready projects that would not otherwise be possible to implement through municipal funding. Proposal & letters of support should demonstrate strong community support for the project.

Community Impact

Project should connect the community in meaningful, innovative, and creative ways.

Partners and Engagement

Strong applications actively involve local organizations by incorporating them into the planning and execution processes and engaging the community in activating the project site. Letters of support should come from a variety of stakeholders within the community.

Feasibility

You should have a shovel-ready plan ready to go and be able to complete your project within your detailed budget and within 12 months of receiving funding, if selected. Make sure to consider these parameters when choosing the kind of project you propose for this grant.

Alignment with T-Mobile's small town strategy

T‑Mobile strives to be a force for good. To read more about T‑Mobile’s many corporate initiatives and key segments, visit https://www.t‑mobile.com/responsibility.

ELIGIBILITY

Who may apply?
  • This grant program is specifically open to 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(6) nonprofit organizations and local government entities. If selected, the grant award must be managed and deployed by the nonprofit organization or government entity who applied for the grant.
  • Grant funds may not be awarded to for-profit businesses, directly or indirectly via pass-through funding to for-profit businesses. Additionally, religious congregations are​not eligible for this grant program.
  • Applicants must be located in small rural communities with a population of 50,000 people or less. 
  • Proposals must focus on a physical project benefiting the public.
  • The applicant organization must own the site where the proposed project would be implemented OR provide a description/​confirmation of adequate permissions to alter the site. If the applicant organization does not own the site, one of the letters of support must come from the owner of the site. 
  • Applicants may submit up to one (1) application per organization per grant cycle. Applicants may re-apply to subsequent grant cycles if they are not selected in an earlier round.
  • Previous T‑Mobile Hometown Grant Program grantees are eligible to apply again for later grant cycles. Previous T‑Mobile Hometown Grant Program grantees must demonstrate successful completion of their prior grant project in their application. 
What types of grant expenses are eligible?

Requested funding must be for a physical placemaking project.

Eligible Grant Uses:

  • Construction/​installation supplies and materials
  • Equipment
  • Labor costs for construction/​rehabilitation/​installation/​artist fees
  • Artist’s supplies and fees associated with a community engagement design process (i.e. a mural or creative crosswalk informed by facilitated community discussions)
  • Streetscape and/​or indoor furniture for a community space
  • Other physical items
  • Special events or public space activation programming can only account for up to 10% or $5,000 of total grant amount
Ineligible grant uses
  • Engineering and architectural plans or fees
  • Staff salaries (beyond initial construction/​rehabilitation/​installation labor)
  • Operational and maintenance expenses
  • Reimbursement for projects that are already completed
  • Pass-through funding to private entities or initiatives

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the T-Mobile Hometown Grants Program?

T‑Mobile is committing up to $25 million over the next 5 years to support small towns across America by funding community projects.

What kinds of projects will The T‑Mobile Hometown Grants Program fund?

T‑Mobile Hometown Grants program will help fund projects to build, rebuild, or refresh community spaces that help foster local connections in your town. For example, this might include the town square pavilion, a historic building, an outdoor park, a ball field, or a library– every town has places where friends and neighbors connect.

How does the T‑Mobile Hometown Grant Program work?
  • Small towns with populations less than 50,000 are eligible to apply.
  • Recipients are selected and awarded on a quarterly basis.
  • Grants are up to $50k per town.
Who can request a T‑Mobile Hometown Grant?

We are looking for elected leaders, town managers/​employees, or non-profit leaders to submit the details for their project request to T‑mobile.com/HometownGrant.

Can town residents submit a request for a grant?

We would like to invite all members of small towns to get involved by sharing this opportunity with their local leaders and appropriate non-profit organizations.

These individuals will need to serve as the main contact for the grant review process and will be required to provide detailed plans on how the grant would be utilized.

How are towns selected?

T‑Mobile is partnering with trusted nonprofit organizations SmartGrowth America and Main Street America on the grant selection panel. Both organizations have deep expertise in building stronger, healthier, and more connected communities.

Learn More


Supporting Partner

T‑Mobile is committed to being a force for good, and Hometown Grants is one way the Un-carrier is making a big difference in small towns. With $25 million set aside through 2026 to fund community projects, T‑Mobile is empowering more people with digital connections that create a more sustainable future for all. Beyond Hometown Grants, T‑Mobile is helping small town America thrive through initiatives like Project 10Million, which offers free internet connectivity to eligible students to help close the digital divide in education and T‑Mobile 5G Home Internet, which gives millions of Americans access to more affordable home broadband.