Boulder County has extended the deadline for applications for a grant program aimed at helping small businesses impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
Originally slated to close on Friday, the window to apply is now open through 5 p.m. Feb. 19, the county announced in a news release.
Businesses that apply by Feb. 19 can expect to receive grant awards in early March, and “all businesses who meet funding eligibility requirements, as specified in the application and below, can expect to receive some level of funding,” the county stated in the release.
Those businesses that applied by Friday can still expect to receive grant awards in mid-February.
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.
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.
Awards will range 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.”
“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.
