Federal grants available for small businesses

The town of Taos recently announced a grant opportunity for small businesses from USDA Rural Development.

Approximately $350,000 to 360,000 in grant funding is available in New Mexico. The grant is intended to expand business operations for uses such as technical assistance, training, construction, building, renovation, equipment purchasing, street access, parking areas, utilities and more.

The grant is geared toward businesses that are “small and emerging,” which includes being in business for more than three years, employing 50 or fewer new employees and earning less than $1 million in gross revenue.

It is a very competitive grant, according to Lynda Perry, the

town’s grants and revenue development director and assistant town manager. Perry said the town of Taos would act as a fiscal sponsor for the business and would write the grant.

Other rural public entities in New Mexico can also apply directly for the grant, such as towns, state agencies, non profits, and federally recognized tribes.

Perry said that almost a year and a half ago, Humble Brands, which is headquartered in Taos, was a recipient of this grant.

“With Humble we requested $250,000. Humble put in $25,000, which is a 10 percent match, and that’s what we got; we got the full $250,000,” said Perry.

She added that the company met every requirement for the grant; the most significant criteria, she said, is for a business to be able to show it is generating jobs.

The town will host a public hearing on Monday (Dec. 13) for qualifying businesses to make their pitches to the town council. The following day, the council will vote on the business that the town will write the grant for.

Any interested business should contact Lynda Perry by email lperry@taos.gov or by phone 575-737-2632.