Small Business Grants Support COVID Revitalization Efforts in Communities Across the U.S.

From New York City to Seattle, businesses in communities across the country are still reeling from the COVID pandemic. Luckily, many local governments, community organizations, and chamber of commerce are stepping in to help in the form of small business grants.

Latest COVID Relief Small Business Grants

Here are some grant opportunities from the past week that may be relevant to local businesses.

Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce – Cross River Small Business Grant Program

The Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce and Cross River Bank recently announced a new small business grant program for women and minority owned businesses and startups. The Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce – Cross River Small Business Grant Program offers a total of $200,000. Each business can receive a grant of $5,000. The Brooklyn Alliance, which is the economic development arm of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce will handle the application and administrative processes. Grants are awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis. And the first round of businesses has already been selected.

NYC Small Business Resilience Grant

New York City just unveiled a new $100 million grant program to support businesses still struggling due to the pandemic. The NYC Small Business Resilience Grant will provide immediate funds to eligible businesses. The program focuses on hard-hit sectors like businesses in entertainment, recreation, accommodation, and food service. It also offers priority to businesses in low to moderate income communities.

Morgantown Small Business Assistance Grant

The city of Morgantown, West Virginia is encouraging businesses to apply for its Small Business Assistance Grant. The program is open to both new and existing businesses. It includes a pool of $500,000, which comes from the city’s American Rescue Plan Act funds. And each eligible business that is awarded funding can get up to $20,000. To qualify, businesses must have an employer identification number and be up to date on all fees and relevant licensing requirements. But they will give priority to businesses affected by the pandemic.

Seattle Neighborhood Economic Recovery Grants

Seattle recently announced a new round of its Neighborhood Economic Recovery Grants. This round includes $1.35 million to boost business-friendly organizations in the city. The grants are funded through the Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Fund, which was established with American Rescue Plan Act funds. The city has already announced winners for many of the grants, including those that support art throughout the city and neighborhood community markets.

Erie County New Small Business Grant and Local Shuttered Venue Grant

Erie County, Pennsylvania recently started dispersing funds for two grant programs. Its New Small Business program and the Local Shuttered Venue program both use money from the American Rescue Plan Act. The New Small Business Grant is includes up to $150,000 to help businesses affected by the pandemic. Each grant totals between $5,000 and $10,000. The Local Shuttered Venue Grant focuses on recreational, event, and tourism businesses that haven’t been helped by other COVID-19 relief efforts. The fund includes $1,474,991, with individual grants of up to $75,000. Both grants opened November 1. And a handful of each have already been awarded.

New Jersey Minority Business Development Agency

New Jersey recently opened the state’s first branch of the federal Minority Business Development Agency in Camden. The Enterprise Center, a Philadelphia-based nonprofit, brought this expansion of services to the state thanks to a grant and funding from the U.S. Department of Commerce. The goal is to help minority-owned businesses grow and increase capacity. This is especially relevant as many businesses have struggled during the pandemic or moved to neighboring states.