Thanks to a second grant from the Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) and some matching funds from Fulton County and the City of Rochester, Small businesses located in Fulton County may now apply for grants to offset business losses from COVID-19. Businesses in high-risk categories such as hospitality/tourism, food and beverage, personal care, professional services, and retail sectors are encouraged to apply. Independent contractors and sole proprietors are eligible. The goal of this program, per federal requirements, is to retain jobs and 51% of the jobs retained must be held by LMI (Low to Moderate Income) persons. FEDCO is managing the grant application process for Fulton County, and OCRA staff will also review all applications. The eligibility requirements include the following:
- Businesses with less than $1 million in gross annual sales and fewer than 20 employees.
51% of jobs retained must meet the LMI (Low-to-Moderate Income) federal guidelines.
- Businesses who have been denied benefits from other federal or state programs or have been declared ineligible may receive priority
- First-time applicants for the COVID relief funds from OCRA grants will receive priority
- Business must have incurred a business/financial loss due to COVID-19
- Business must be based in Fulton County
- Nonprofits are not eligible per HUD Rules
Applications are available online through this link and include the LMI forms for employee income verification: http://fultondevelopment.org/covid19-immediate-response-grant-application
All forms are due by Wednesday, July 21st, 2021, at 12:00 noon. Applications will not be accepted after this time. The approximate date for funds release is the end of August. Each business may apply for a maximum of $10,000. As the county tries to assist as many businesses as possible, funds may be limited, and awards could be less than your request.
Businesses who wish to apply will need to include their Profit/Loss Statement for the period January 1, 2020, through December 31, 2020, OR Schedule C from their 2020 income tax return. Business owners must complete the Income Verification Form that is included in the application link so that LMI income status can be verified.
For more information related to the application process, please contact Amy Beechy, Manager of Small Business Initiatives for FEDCO at amy@projectmatttersllc.com or telephone at 574-709-7955.
