If you are the operator of a Northampton County tiny organization that has experienced economic hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic, you could be suitable to obtain a Little Enterprise Aid Program grant of up to $15,000.
The county not long ago partnered with the Better Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce (GLVCC) to encourage another round of relief grants, which had been to start with made available very last calendar year.
In June, Northampton County Council accredited a resolution to create a new financial reduction plan, which will distribute $15 million in American Rescue Program (ARP) funding to businesses in the county with 100 or fewer workers.
The Northampton County Govt Center is positioned in Easton (FILE Image)
As of Monday, ARP modest business grants totaling $2,984,161.53 experienced been awarded to 209 Northampton County corporations due to the fact June, mentioned director of the Northampton County Section of Community and Economic Improvement (DCED) Tina Smith.
In addition to being physically based mostly in Northampton County and now operating–or with a distinct reopening plan–businesses need to satisfy a amount of eligibility pointers in purchase to qualify for the grants.
Grant funding could only be utilised to address certain expenditures, this sort of as payroll, profit charges, employee retention fees, mortgage, hire, utility payments and other functioning costs.
Firms that obtained a grant underneath the Northampton County COVID-19 Aid Tiny Company Grant Plan between March 1 and Dec. 30, 2020 are not now suitable to apply for this spherical of funding, whilst Smith claimed they will be starting off in August.
Grants should be utilised to address company costs not earlier coated by other relief steps, these kinds of as state grants or loans, Small Small business Administration Paycheck Defense (PPP) loans and neighborhood/regional grant and/or loan systems.
An overview of the small business relief system along with full eligibility and other tips as well as the application form may perhaps be identified on the net on the GLVCC web page.
There is an Aug. 31, 2021 deadline for smaller businesses to use for a grant.
When programs are acquired, the Northampton County DCED in partnership with the Larger Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce is processing them on a rolling basis.
Grant programs are then reviewed by a committee made up of Northampton County Administration associates, Northampton County Council users and staff from the Larger Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, whose associates will make funding tips to Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure.
“Priority will be supplied to organizations that have not received other point out or federal COVID-19 grant help and/or funding,” in accordance to the GLVCC program overview.
McClure will make the final suggestions for the grant awards to Northampton County Council, which will then take into account every application for approval or denial.
“The effects of the pandemic continue to reverberate as a result of our financial state,” McClure reported in a statement. “I motivate any tiny organization in Northampton County struggling from the effects of COVID-19 to implement for a tiny enterprise aid grant. Smaller businesses deliver positions and produce necessary serves to our citizens and we want to maintain those organizations healthful and flourishing.”
Previous calendar year, extra than 750 smaller corporations in Northampton County obtained COVID relief grant funding that totaled additional than $10.1 million, in accordance to McClure’s deputy director of administration, Becky Bartlett.
