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This is the first step to something potentially larger. Later this year, grantees will have the opportunity to apply for $30,000 enhancement grants that will be awarded to 25 small businesses.

Karmyn Schreier, owner of The Looking Glass, said she wrote in the grant application that it would use the money, if awarded, to expand its tap system from 18 to 20 lines.

She said line technology and the industry in general has changed since the existing system was installed, and said more lines would allow for more variety of beers on tap.

Schreier also said it would use the funds to designate one line as a charity tap, with 100% of purchases from that tap going to a local nonprofit.

Schreier said she was familiar with Main Street America when applying for the grant, the application for which Downtown Janesville Inc. had posted online.

“If they hadn’t been so persistent in posting it online, I probably wouldn’t have applied,” she said.

She also knew that with just 500 awards, the chances of winning a grant were slim.

“They were so selective, I was worried my application would get lost in the shuffle, but I felt pretty good about my idea,” she said.

The plan is to debut the charity tap the first week August, with the first benefitting organization the Janesville Renaissance Faire. Proceeds from its annual event fund local college scholarships.

She said that one of the founding members of the Janesville Renaissance Faire, Rick Kakouris, who has since passed, was a dear friend and loyal Looking Glass customer of the bar. Another person involved in the renaissance faire donated a tap handle that they designed with his initials on it, she also noted.

“It is such a great organization that not many people realize feeds directly back into local kids,” she said.

“We are really excited about the new lines and the charity tap,” Schreier continued. “We have amazing community partners with ECHO and other nonprofits and we are excited to give back to them.”

Schreier said plans are in the works for an unveiling event. A date has not yet been set.

Since 2021, Backing Small Businesses has provided over $9 million in grants to 1,180 small business owners nationwide. American Express and Main Street America initially created the program to help economically vulnerable small business owners recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and grow their businesses

American Express’ “Backing Small” initiative provides financial support and resources to small business owners experiencing economic hardships.

Other Backing Small grant programs include Backing Historic Small Restaurants and Backing International Small Restaurants. Backing Small is an extension of American.