Login Form

Roanoke Rapids Main Street

Uptown. Downtown. Your Town.

Program Overview

To help small businesses grow, innovate, and support their local communities, American Express is teaming up with Main Street America this Small Business Saturday® to launch the Amex Shop Small Grants Program. The Program will provide an initial $5 million to fund 250 grants of $20,000 each to eligible small business owners across the U.S. Plus, every time an American Express Card Member shops with their eligible Card at a qualifying U.S. small business on November 29, 2025, American Express will donate an additional $1 to fund additional grants.1

The Amex Shop Small Grants Program reflects the shared commitment of American Express and Main Street America to champion small businesses that strengthen communities and help local economies thrive.

Applications will be open from Small Business Saturday, November 29, 2025, to Friday, January 16, 2026 at 11:59 CT.

About Small Business Saturday

Small Business Saturday is a day dedicated to supporting small businesses and communities across the country and is part of the larger Shop Small Movement. Founded by American Express in 2010, this day is celebrated each year on the Saturday after Thanksgiving in the U.S. Since its launch in 2010, U.S. consumers have reported spending an estimated $223 billion at small businesses on Small Business Saturday.2

To celebrate, American Express created I SHOPPED SMALL stickers for small businesses to share with their shoppers on November 29. You can order the complimentary stickers here.3

Eligibility

The eligibility information below is a general overview. Additional information about the grant program, including detailed eligibility requirements, FAQs, and Terms & Conditions, will be released on Saturday, November 29, 2025.

To stay up to date about announcements regarding this program, sign up for our Small Businesses Resources email list.

To be eligible for this program, applicants must:

  • Own a for-profit, independently owned small business
  • Operate out of a physical “brick-and-mortar” storefront
  • Be located in one of the 50 U.S. states or Washington, DC (businesses located in U.S. territories

Latest News

Mixtapes & Moscato Comes to Roanoke Avenue Tonight 10/2/26

173
ROANOKE RAPIDS, N.C. — The City of Roanoke Rapids Main Street Program will host Mixtapes & Moscato tonight, October 2, from 6–8 p.m. at the 1026...
Read More...

Stay Connected

830
Get Involved Residents, organizations, and community partners who want to stay connected to future conversations, volunteer opportunities, and other...
Read More...

First Fridays Series to Spotlight Dining, Entertainment, and Local Businesses on the Avenue

798
Wine tastings, karaoke, and restaurants will showcase local businesses and invite residents and visitors to explore the Avenue ROANOKE RAPIDS, N.C....
Read More...

Main Street America Affiliate Roanoke Rapids    mslogo


 

 

 

As a Main Street America™ Affiliate, Roanoke Rapids is part of a national network of neighborhoods and communities that share both a commitment to creating high-quality places and to building stronger communities through preservation-based economic development. Roanoke Rapids is a North Carolina Main Street community, designated by the N.C. Department of Commerce Main Street & Rural Planning Center.  Main Street Roanoke Rapids is charged with administering the program at the local level and building public-private partnerships to spur economic development that achieves measurable results such as investment, business growth, and job creation.

North Carolina Main Street Rural Planning Center 
The NC Main Street & Rural Planning Center is a Main Street America™ Coordinating Program. Main Street America™ is a program of the nonprofit National Main Street Center, a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. As one of the first Main Street America™ Coordinating Programs designated in 1980, NC Main Street inspires placemaking through building asset-based economic development strategies. The NC Main Street staff is charged by the NC Department of Commerce to facilitate downtown economic development using the Main Street America Four-Point Approach. The Main Street Approach™ focuses on economic development strategies to transform downtown. These strategies articulate a focused path to revitalizing or strengthening a downtown economy. Designated NC Main Street community's work is organized around the Four-Point Approach: Economic Vitality, Design, Promotion, and Organization. 


Learn more about the NC Main Street & Rural Planning Center. 

 

The National Main Street Program | Main Street America™ 
Main Street America™ has been helping revitalize older and historic commercial districts since 1980. Today it is a network of neighborhoods and communities, rural and urban, that share both commitment to place and to building stronger communities through preservation-based economic development. Main Street America is a program of the nonprofit National Main Street Center, a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. 

Main Street America™ is a movement. It is the leading voice for preservation-based economic development and community revitalization across the country. Made up of small towns, mid-sized communities, and urban commercial districts, Main Street America represents the broad diversity that makes this country so unique. Working together, the programs that make up the Main Street America network help to breathe new life into the places people call home. 

Learn more about Main Street America.