County Executive Hughes announces rollout of Small Business Grant Program
County Executive Hughes announces rollout of Small Business Grant Program
$3.5 million would aid Mercer small businesses
Mercer County Executive Brian M. Hughes is pleased to announce another initiative for the business community — the Mercer County Small Business Grant Program. The Grant program, which dedicates $3.5 million of American Rescue Plan Act dollars, will provide direct aid to Mercer County small businesses that have likely experienced pandemic hardship. The focus will be on businesses that have physical storefronts in Mercer with a maximum amount of $10,000 allocated per grant.
“Small businesses are the lifeblood of our local economy, creating jobs and spinoff businesses, and bringing stability to our communities,” the County Executive said. “This infusion of financial support will be a boost to local businesses that have been hard hit during the pandemic, and we are grateful to the Federal Government for providing us with meaningful relief for our residents and business owners.”
The Small Business Grant program falls on the heels of another small business program recently announced by the Executive Hughes, the Small Business Investment Program.
PROGRAM INFORMATION
The application portal for the Small Business Grant Program will be open soon. Implementation of the program will be completed by GrantWorks Inc. GrantWorks was procured to provide ARPA Program Management services for Mercer County. GrantWorks provides an online application portal that will be accessible via mobile phone, tablet or computer. This portal will allow for easy document uploads via traditional document upload methods or via photo capabilities of mobile devices. After collection of application and eligibility documentation, GrantWorks will review applications, and request additional documentation as needed. Grant funds will be delivered as a bank check made payable to the person or entity identified on the business’s NJ registration.
PROJECT OVERVIEW
As a recipient of the “American Rescue Plan Act Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds” (CSLFRF), the County of Mercer is seeking to use a portion of this assistance to establish a small business grant initiative known as the Mercer County Small Business Grant Program. Under the CSLFRF, the County is permitted to direct these recovery dollars to small businesses so that they may use the grant funds to recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic. On Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023, Mercer County Commissioners approved an allocation of $3,500,000.00 for the implementation of this program. President Biden’s American Rescue Plan Act provides direct relief to those affected by the COVID-19 Pandemic. The County of Mercer was awarded $71.3 million in funding by the U.S. Department of Treasury.
