Washington County ready with small-business financial relief

Washington County is opening applications for financial assistance for businesses in the county that have been negatively impacted through additional expenses or lost revenue due to closures during the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Washington County Small Business Relief Fund, provided by the federal CARES Act, will provide grants of up to $15,000 to small businesses in need of support. Applications will be accepted between Aug. 10 and Aug. 24; applicants will be notified if they are eligible for a grant on or before Aug. 31.

Business recipients:

• must be a locally owned and operated for-profit business in the county. Multiple individual businesses in the county that are owned by one owner are eligible to apply;
• to receive up to the maximum $15,000 funding limit, businesses must have at least one full-time equivalent employee, in addition to the owner as of March 1, and not more than 50, and generate less than $3.5 million in annual revenues;
• have been operating for at least six months before March 1, 2020; and
• demonstrate a significant loss in revenue since March 15.

Home-based businesses and self-employed entrepreneurs are eligible for grants of up to $7,500; however, priority will be given to employer businesses with separate non-residential property addresses.

All businesses must complete, sign and certify the grant application. The business must provide all required information verifying their eligibility. All businesses must provide and document evidence of COVID-19 eligible expenses incurred.

Applications will be managed by Tyler Hilsabeck, Open to Business - Business Advisor, at the Washington County Community Development Agency, 7645 Currell Blvd., Woodbury; work telephone is 612-789-8838, cell is 312-402-6954, and email is wccoviderelief@mccdmn.org. More information is at www.washingtoncountycda.org