More Greene County businesses eligible to receive relief grants
$300,000 available to help businesses affected by pandemic.
Greene County businesses that previouslywere ineligible for coronavirus relief grants because they had already receivedfederal funding will be able to apply nextweek for up to $300,000 in funding available.
Greene County commissioners approved the change in how they distribute federal CARESAct funding at their meeting Thursday afternoon.
“Commissionerswantedtohelp the smallest businesses first and those that had no other federal or state help first,” Greene County Administrator Brandon Huddleson said.
Eric Henry, director of development for Greene County, said they wanted to focus on “mom and pop” businesses first.
Previously businesses that had receivedPaycheckProtectionPro
gramfundswere not eligible for Greene County’s small business CARES grant.
“The turnout (for applications) will be very strong. We’ve received feedback throughoutthisprocessabout how we can make this programbetterandthis hasbeen overwhelmingly the No. 1 request, is to remove this (PPP) restriction,” Henrysaid.
The programwas created using the money from the federal CARESAct program, with Greene County receiving $2.5 million infunds from the state.
Greene County commissionerssetaside$500,000for the small business program, leaving $2 million to be used to offset the cost of Greene County response to the pandemic, the county said.
Thecountyhasspentabout $200,000of theCARESgrant for small businesses, so the businesses thatwould newly be allowed to apply have about $300,000 available to them, Huddleson said.
OnAug. 1, the department rolledouttheprogram, which was created to provide economic relief to local businesses for costs directly associatedwith theCOVID-19pandemic, according to a news release. Through August, only businesseswith up to $1 million gross annual income were able to apply.
At the end of August, the county announced itwould also begin allowing companies with up to $5 million grossannualincometoapply.
To apply for the CARES Grant for Greene County Small businesses, a business have 50 or fewer employees, have less than $5 million in gross annual revenue and must have a physical storefront, among other requirements.
Eligible small businesses can apply for up to $10,000 for reimbursement of coronavirus-relatedcostsincurred afterMarch 1, including sanitizing and personal protective equipment, costs related to enforcing social distancing or rent or mortgage payments. Henry said since the program is reimbursement based, a business has toshow thedevelopmentdepartment receipts to get issueda check.
The county can issue checks in as quickly as just a few weeks, Henry said.
“It’sbeenaprettyfast-moving program, I think most people have been pretty happy with it,” he said.
Applications for theCARES Grant for Greene County Small Businesses programs can be accessed on the Greene County website.
Henry said if the remaining $300,000doesn’tgetspentin thisroundofapplications, the county will open up the programfurther. GreeneCounty commissioners also said the county could get more coronavirus relief dollars if Senate Bill 357 passes inthe Ohio Legislature, which theycould potentially put toward the small business grants.