Orange County to offer tips to apply for share of $26M in grant funding
Small businesses can get up to $10K, gig workers $1,400 for pandemic loss
Orange County government, poised to give way $26 million beginning Tuesday to qualifying small businesses and “gig” workers, will offer an online class Monday to explain eligibility and how to apply.
Small businesses can get up to $10,000; home-based businesses up to $3,000; and gig workers up to $1,400 if they can demonstrate an income loss attributed to the impact of the pandemic.
County staff defined “gig” workers as Uber or Lyft drivers, food-delivery workers or others who worked temporary jobs as independent contractors.
The available grants may not seem like much, but the money could be enough for a small shop to make a week’s payroll, pay for utilities and stay in business, Mayor Jerry Demings said last week while unveiling the program.
“That’s what we’re trying
to do: keep small businesses in business, keep them thriving,” he said.
The grant program, called “Business Opportunities in Orange County for Support and Transformation” or BOOST for short, requires prospective recipients apply for the grants at ocfl.net/boost.
Applicants must prove COVID-related losses, usually through tax returns.
Grants will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis until funds are depleted.
Although program guidelines, application information and registration links can be found at ocfl.net/boost, county staff will offer assistance
in a webinar Monday and in-person events July 21 and Aug. 3 at the National Entrepreneur Center, located in the Fashion Square Mall, 3201 E. Colonial Drive.
Registration for all programs is required.
The virtual program is Monday from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
All sessions will be presented in English.
Businesses with 500 or fewer employees that previously received COVID-19 relief aid may still be eligible for BOOST if their revenue loss exceeds the total in federal, state or local assistance they received, said Marthaly Irizarry, who is
serving as economic development lead for the assistance program.
She said she expects the program to serve 5,000 applicants before it runs out of money.
The grants are not loans. They do not have to be repaid.
Funding rules were set by federal authorities who included $270 million in direct aid to Orange County in the American Rescue Plan Act, also known as ARPA or the second COVID-19 stimulus package.
For more information, email BOOST@ocfl.net