Boulder County is now taking applications for a grant program aimed at helping small businesses impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
The grant program, which the county is administering in partnership with local governments and nonprofits, is limited to restaurants, caterers, movie theaters, gyms, recreation centers and bars, including breweries, wineries, and distilleries, according to a news release.
Funding for the grant program comes from Senate Bill 20B-001, known as COVID-19 Relief Small And Minority Businesses Arts Organizations, which was passed during the state Legislature’s special session in January. The bill earmarked $37 million for direct relief payments to small businesses and $7.5 million for direct relief payments to eligible arts, culture, and entertainment artists, crew members, and organizations.
Boulder County will award up to $7,000 to qualifying businesses and organizations.
To qualify, businesses must have begun operations before March 26.
Businesses that started operations before Jan. 1, 2020, “must have experienced at least a 20% reduction in revenue due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020,” according to the news release. “If a business began its operations after Jan. 1, 2020, but before March 26, it does not have to meet this criteria to be eligible.”
The online application website, which opened at noon today, will be available until 5 p.m. Jan. 29. Recipients will receive grants by Feb. 11, according to the release.
“Boulder County’s small businesses are the heart of our local economy and jobs people depend on,” Boulder County Commissioner Matt Jones stated in the release.” We’re excited to partner with the state of Colorado to provide this economic relief to small businesses as part of our robust pandemic response that also includes our public health response, food and housing support for individuals and families, assistance securing unemployment benefits, and more.”
Small businesses that have applied for funding from the Colorado Arts Relief Program are not eligible to apply for the Boulder County Small Business Relief Program, according to the release.
Businesses that received grants from a previous round of the county small business relief program, a city or town relief program, or the federal Paycheck Protection or Economic Injury Disaster Loan programs or other relief programs are eligible to apply, per the release.
For more information on eligibility criteria, click here. To apply for a grant, click here.
Additional information and resources are available at www.boco.org/COVID-19ResourcesForBusinesses.
