The Strongmont Grant Fund, launched on May 4 by the Advance Longmont Business Response Team and managed by the Longmont Community Foundation, on Monday announced it has issued grants of up to $10,000 to 23 local small businesses.
Grant recipients were selected from a pool of 179 applicants, representing $1.6 million in requests, according to a news release.
To date, the fund has raised $275,000 from the city of Longmont, Longmont Downtown Development Authority, the Longmont Economic Development Partnership and private donors. Grant recipients were selected by an eight-person committee of board members or representatives of the various Advance Longmont partner organizations, according to the release.
Among the criteria the committee used in awarding grants, according to Leah Winkler, communications director for the Longmont Area Chamber of Commerce, were if businesses were local, non-home based businesses with all tax payments and certificates and permits up to date and had 25 or fewer employees.
The committee also was asked to look at minority-owned businesses; profit and loss statements and balance sheets; revised business plans (cash flow, etc); and the impact of COVID-19 on businesses, according to Winkler.
“We want to thank all fund donors for the immense generosity they’ve shown in these challenging times,” Eric Hozempa, executive director of the Longmont Community Foundation, stated in the release. “Contributions made to the Strongmont Fund go directly to Longmont small businesses to support them as they adapt to new requirements and new ways to interact with their customers.”
The Strongmont Fund will remain open to additional contributions to continue to support local small businesses. Donations are still being accepted here. Applicants that did not receive a grant at this time may have the opportunity to receive future funding, according to the release.
Grants likely will be awarded on a "rolling basis" depending on donations made to the fund, Winkler stated in an email.
Businesses selected to receive funds were:
(All businesses received $10,000 unless otherwise noted.)
Aime's Love LLC
Blue Skies Massage & Wellness
Colorado Tech Shop
Crackpots
Fabulous Finds Upscale Consignment
Flavor of India ($8,000)
Goodfellas Diner
Jefes
Jones Eye Care PLLC DBA The Optical Centre
Lobo Pilates, LLC dba Club Pilates Longmont
Climbing Collective
Martinis Bistro
Old Town Outfitters
Pho Huong Viet
Prideful Wellness Self Care Center
Ron's Printing Center
Rosalee's Pizzeria
Sweet Escape Pastries, LLC
Swim Float Swim!
The Painted Primrose Co.
Used Book Emporium ($5,000)
West Side Tavern
Wibby Brewing
The Advance Longmont Business Response Team is comprised of representatives from various Advance Longmont Partner Organizations — the city of Longmont, the Longmont Economic Development Partnership, the Longmont Downtown Development Authority, Visit Longmont, the Longmont Area Chamber of Commerce, the Latino Chamber of Commerce of Boulder County, the Boulder Small Business Development Center, Entrepreneurship for All, and Workforce Boulder County. In addition to creating the Strongmont Grant Fund, the team has created an online Business Resource Hub to support business economic recovery and has advocated for business-positive legislation in response to the COVID-19 crisis.
