As part of the Unified Government’s (UG) CARES Act request, the UG Commission recently approved $825,000 to support the Economic Development Department’s WYCO Loves Local Small Business grants.
The WYCO Loves Local initiative was created to encourage continued growth and provide support for small businesses in Wyandotte County. The $825,000 approved by the Board of County Commissioners will provide much-needed support to local businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Local businesses are the backbone of our community and remain critical to on-going economic recovery and future growth efforts in Wyandotte County,” stated Mayor David Alvey. “As such, today I’m pleased to announce the WYCO Loves Local Business initiative will provide $825,000 in grants to businesses that have been impacted by COVID-19. This initiative provides much-needed relief directly to local businesses, helping them offset unforeseen costs or losses resulting from COVID-19, while also encouraging them to reinvest for the future as our community continues to recover from the pandemic. Moreover, by helping local businesses succeed and grow, we simultaneously maintain and create jobs for our local workforce.”
Businesses with 1-25 employees are eligible for up to $10,000 in grant support, and businesses with 26-500 employees are eligible for up to $20,000 in grant support.
Grants may be used to address the following challenges in response to the impact of COVID-19:
• Rent or mortgage payments (excluding property tax payments)
• Accounts payable, including utilities, vendors, suppliers, and working capital expense paid, or to be paid, between March 1 and December 1, 2020
• Facility Remediation/Cleanup Costs
• Innovation to promote outdoor business to protect employee and public health
• Cost associated with additional training or virtual learning in response to COVID-19
• Increasing technology capacity to enable alternative/remote work
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Costs
Because these grants are provided by the UG’s CARES Act funding, grantees will be subject to the rules and regulations set forth by the United States Treasury Department and the State of Kansas concerning CARES Act allocations. The UG’s CARES Act Planning Team will work with grantees to ensure compliance.
“This a unique opportunity for our businesses to receive direct monetary assistance to help them through these unprecedented challenges and keep our businesses strong. We hope that businesses will take advantage of these grants while defining their path forward,” said Katherine Carttar, the UG’s Director of Economic Development.
Applications are reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis. The first review of applications will be Thursday, Sept. 24. Following Sept. 24, applications will be reviewed on a continual basis as funding permits.
To apply for a grant, visit the WYCO Loves Local Small Business Grant Application page.
Businesses with questions about the application should contact the CARES Act Planning Team by email at [email protected].
To learn more about the CARES Act in Wyandotte County, visit www.wycokck.org/CARES.
- Story from Unified Government