City of Madras to offer COVID-19 business relief grants
MADRAS, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The City of Madras has just been awarded a $150,000 grant that allows them to provide funding to support small businesses and micro enterprises financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
NeighborImpact wrote the grant application on behalf of the City of Madras and will operate the program on their behalf.
Funding for the program came in the form of a $150,000 Community Development Block Grant which was awarded to the City of Madras by Business Oregon.
The CDBG program provides grant funds to cities and counties to upgrade public infrastructure, develop community facilities and provide essential services to its citizens and workforce.
Business Oregon, the state of Oregon’s economic development agency, administers the CDBG program. NeighborImpact offers services in consulting, writing and administering CDBG grants to cities and counties in Central Oregon.
This grant program is available to small businesses (independently owned and operated and not dominant in its field of operation) and micro enterprises (commercial enterprise with five or fewer employees, one or more of whom owns the business).
The business must have been viable prior to the pandemic and must demonstrate revenue loss that can be attributed to the pandemic, as well as a plan for recovery. The business must also demonstrate that it will retain employees earning at or below 80 percent area median income.
The amount of funding awarded to each applicant is dependent on the number of low or moderate income jobs retained, up to a maximum of $20,000.
“Our staff continues to seek every funding opportunity they believe can assist our community in getting through these tough economic times. We are appreciative of community partners such as NeighborImpact who assist us in writing and administering these grants to help our local businesses,” stated City Administrator Gus Burril.
The deadline to apply for this grant is September 30th. However, applicants are encouraged to apply right away. For details about this grant, and to apply online visit: https://www.neighborimpact.org/get-help/sbma-grant-program/.
