Over the past few years, many communities have provided small business grants to small businesses that were negatively affected by the pandemic. But businesses that launched during this period were often left out of these programs. Now, Illinois is working on a new program to support businesses that started during 2020 and 2021. Read about this program and more in the list below.
Illinois B2B New Business Grant Program
The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity is partnering with Lendistry to run a small business grant program aimed at businesses that started during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Back to Business New Business Grant Program will provide reimbursement funds between $5,000 and $30,000 to eligible small businesses. The program specifically aims to support businesses in industries that were most negatively affected by the pandemic and did not qualify for state grants or federal emergency support due to their startup status. To qualify, businesses must have a date of incorporation between January 2020 and December 2021. Lendistry and the state will take many factors into account when determining grant amounts, including the date of incorporation and whether the business has a brick-and-mortar or home-based location.
Niagara Falls Small Business Property Improvement Program
New York state is offering grants of up to $100,000 to help small businesses in Niagara Falls make various improvements. The program includes a total of $5 million in funding, which is allocated for businesses along Pine Avenue, Main Street, and Portage Road. The Niagara Falls Small Business Property Improvement Program will provide grants to cover up to half of the total costs of each project, up to $100,000 per property. Eligible expenses include facade restoration and other mixed-use building upgrades.
York County 2023 BLOOM Grant Program
York County, Pennsylvania is supporting local women-owned small businesses through its 2023 BLOOM Grant Program. The BLOOM Business Empowerment Center, a program of the York County Economic Alliance, is facilitating the program. Eligible businesses owned and operated by women can apply for grants of up to $1,500. The organization will consider each business’s need and the potential impact of their project when determining grant amounts. December 1 is the deadline to apply for the program.
San Marcos Minority Business Stabilization Fund
San Marcos, Texas is offering grants to minority entrepreneurs and small business owners who were negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The city council allocated about $100,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds to the Minority Business Stabilization Fund. To qualify, applicants must be in continual operation within San Marcos for at least 12 months before the application date. Grant amounts can range from $1,000 for self-employed entrepreneurs to $10,000 for businesses with up to 25 full-time employees.
Adirondack Rail Trail Small Business Grant
The Franklin County Economic Development Corporation is partnering with the towns of Tupper Lake and Harrietstown, New York to apply for grant funding to improve the Adirondack Railroad and Adirondack Rail Trail. While the towns would receive funding from the grant, the availability of funds could lead to infrastructure and service improvements that also benefit local businesses. And the application must show sufficient need and interest from local businesses. So businesses can fill out an online interest and eligibility form to submit project proposals. The deadline for local businesses to submit proposals is December 11.
Small Business Deals
SCORE Foundation Educational Programming Grants
The SCORE Foundation, the philanthropic arm of business mentorship organization SCORE, recently announced the receipt of financial support for various educational and training programs to benefit small business owners. Specifically, the Glenn W. Bailey Foundation is providing financial support for the workshop “Simple Steps for Finding the Right Funding.” And The LPL Financial Foundation is supporting a three-part series of national webinars on business planning. Both organizations have supported SCORE’s programming in past years as well.
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