Orlando Sentinel

Seminole to launch small business grant program

- By Martin E. Comas mcomas@orlando sentinel.com

Seminole County on Wednesday announced more details of a grant program designed to aid small businesses struggling amid the economic downturn caused by the coronaviru­s pandemic.

Under the program, which launches Monday, small businesses in Seminole can receive up to $5,000 in aid through the county.

To be eligible, a business must have — not counting the owner — at least one employee and not more than 25 employees. The average wage for workers must be $19.59 an hour or less.

“This is going to be able to help many of our small businesses that truly need it,” said Commission­er Lee Constantin­e at a press conference to announce details of the program.

The grant money must be used to offset the additional cost of providing employees with personal protective gear – such as masks, gloves and sanitizer – because of the coronaviru­s. Money also can be used to pay for wages, rent, mortgage, utilities and employee programs.

To fund the program, Seminole will use $1 million it obtained from the federal government for community developmen­t grants.

Businesses can apply through a special web page at seminoleco­untyfl.gov/ businessin­seminole. The money will be distribute­d in mid-July.

Seminole officials decided to help small business

retention owners after the results of an online survey posted on the county’s web site this month showed that the economic shutdown caused by the coronaviru­s has had a $76 million impact on businesses in the county.

With roughly 477,000 residents, Seminole did not meet the 500,000-population minimum requiremen­t to qualify to receive tens of millions of dollars from the federal government to help small businesses through the CARES Act.

Neighborin­g Orange County — which did qualify for the the CARES funding — has earmarked $72.9 million for grants of up to $10,000 each to small businesses that are struggling.

Like Seminole’s, Orange’s grant program also begins June 1.

“I’m very proud that we will have a new economic developmen­t grant for county-based small businesses that have been negatively affected,” Constantin­e said. “It will provide critical support to businesses to help offset losses [from the pandemic].”

Seminole officials on Wednesday also said that the county’s two amusement rides — Lil 500 GoKarts in Fern Park and the rides at the Central Florida Zoo in Sanford — are in the process of reopening soon. Like the major theme parks in Orange, the two Seminole tourist attraction­s have had to apply to the county to reopen during the shutdown.

 ?? PATRICK CONNOLLY/ORLANDO SENTINEL ?? A bicycle store has closed its showroom, instead opting for online and phone orders.
PATRICK CONNOLLY/ORLANDO SENTINEL A bicycle store has closed its showroom, instead opting for online and phone orders.

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