County Board approves COVID grants for businesses

The Tulare County Board of Supervisors approved $7.5 million in grants to be given to small business that have been affected by the COVID-19 crisis.

The board in a 4-1 vote approved the allocation of the grants. Supervisor Dennis Townsend voted against the measure. Townsend stated he would have liked to see $10 million be allocated to small businesses and also expressed concern about enough grant funding being provided to independent contractors who have been “really hurt” by the COVID-19 crisis, he said.

The $7.5 million comes from $48.9 million authorized by the supervisors at their July 7 meeting that comes from the federal CARES Act. The board approved that authorization in a 5-0 vote.

Of the $48.9 million, $14.1 million has been set aside for community investment. Originally county staff proposed $5 million of that $14.1 million be used for the grants for small businesses.

But $5 million from the $48.9 million has also been set aside in a contingency fund for unexpected expenses. The board decided to use $2.5 million from the contingency fund, leaving $2.5 million in the fund.

There will be 1,500 businesses in Tulare County who will be eligible for the $7.5 million in grants, so each business awarded a grant will receive $5,000. Three-hundred businesses in each of the five supervisorial districts will be awarded grants.

Townsend suggested a proposal in which independent contractors could receive $5,000 and small businesses could receive up to $10,000.

For-profit and non-profit small business with 20 or fewer employees will be eligible for the grants. Businesses that received assistance such as from the federal COVID-19 Payment Protection program or a disaster loan will not be eligible for the grants.

Among other uses for the $14.1 million in community investment for health care, rental and utility assistance, programs to help the homeless

and programs to help those in need of food.

There has been $29.8 million from the CARES Act set aside for local government support. On the county level areas that funding will go to include salaries and benefits and COVID-19 testing and contact tracing.

To receive the CARES Act funding the board had to agree to several conditions including to essentially follow all federal and state guidelines. That includes any executive orders issued by Governor Gavin Newsom and any directives issued by the California Department of Public Health.

It’s expected applications to be accepted for the small business grants to begin August 1 and for the application period to last two weeks. For information on Tulare County small business relief visit this link: https://mdst.typeform.com/to/mtoj1oks