To help businesses located in downtown Buda promote themselves and attract new customers from outside Buda, the Buda Main Street Program will begin providing advertisement grants to qualified business.

The Downtown Co-Marketing Fund was created by the Buda Main Street Program with assistance from Buda's tourism department to give businesses reimbursements of up to $500 or 50 percent of the business's marketing costs for eligible projects per quarter.

Buda Main Street Manager Maggie Gillespie presented the initiative to City Council on Oct. 2. In an earlier interview, Gillespie said by helping Main Street businesses with advertisement, it not only keeps locals in the city but also captures the attention of surrounding visitors.

"Downtown belongs to everyone. It should really be a place that everyone can come to—kids, families, parents, grandparents, whoever," she said. "Our key thing is really keeping the look and feel of downtown. That feeling that you get when you come home and really keeping that feeling. It's a beautiful and wonderful place to be, and we really want people to know that."

The fund is limited to the amount funded by City Council each fiscal year and is administered four times a year on a first-come, first-served basis. There is $20,000 in the fund for the 2017-18 fiscal year, meaning the allocation committee may grant up to $5,000 per a quarter.

All advertising paid for with the grant must include "Historic Downtown Buda" and must be placed at most 30 miles outside Buda city limits or placed in a location that is directly linked to promote tourism.