Apply for local small business grants now!

23 May Apply for local small business grants now!

AS OF 5/22/2020

If you are a small business owner, then you should check your local city and county for any available grants that may be available to you. Recently, in our area of Florida, Pinellas County, Hillsborough County and Pasco County have all offered grant funds to businesses in their areas. Furthermore, municipalities have been issued funds from the CARES Act to do so. Also, various cities have been providing grants to small businesses recently too. Some are even for employees/individuals that have been negatively impacted by COVID-19 crisis, not only businesses.

For example, below is a Pinellas County, Florida grant that is available to apply for before June 1, 2020.

Search the web and seek grants in your city and county, if your business qualifies. These grant application deadlines are sure to be expiring soon.

REMINDER: This newsletter builds on the many prior updates that we have been sending on the small business and individual stimulus that has become available during this COVID-19 crisis. This is another update. If you missed the prior information, you are able to review it at:

https://unbehagenadvisors.com/covid-19/

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PINELLAS COUNTY, FLORIDA – SMALL BUSINESS GRANT – DEADLINE TO APPLY JUNE 1, 2020:

Apply by June 1 for the Pinellas CARES Small Business Grant

• Pinellas CARES Small Business Grant program open through June 1, 2020
• Funding is still available and eligible applicants are encouraged to apply
• Apply online at: www.PCED.org/cares

Since opening applications on May 4, Pinellas County has received 3,846 completed applications and issued 378 checks totaling $1.89 million to eligible businesses with approved applications for the Pinellas CARES Small Business Grant.

Small business owners with a commercial location in the county have until June 1, 2020 to complete their application online, to be considered for a one-time $5,000 grant to cover COVID-19 related expenses such as employee wages, vendor bills and mortgage or rent costs.

Not all business owners in the categories below will meet the eligibility requirements for this grant funding. However, business owners who may be eligible are encouraged to visit PCED.org/cares to review the full eligibility requirements.

• Restaurants
• Bars
• Lodging and short-term rentals
• Barbershops
• Hair salons
• Nail salons
• Retail store fronts that were required to close due to COVID-19
• Theaters, bowling alleys, concert venues and similar types of businesses

Applicants should review all eligibility requirements and ensure all required documents are correctly submitted to expedite the review and approval process for the grant. Program details, including answers to Frequently Asked Questions, can be found at this pced.org/caresfaq.

This grant funding is from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and may only be used for business expenses, such as rent, utility bills, payroll and other costs. These funds cannot be used to pay expenses covered by insurance or another federal assistance program.

Individuals and families who have lost a job or significant income due to the pandemic can also request emergency help paying overdue rent and utilities through the Pinellas CARES Financial Assistance program, which also runs through June 1. Income and residency requirements apply. Applicants can text COVIDCARES to 898211 to start the application process. Learn more at: https://covid19.pinellascounty.org/pinellascaresindividual.