Applications are now open for the Mountainland Association of Governments’ second round of COVID-19 relief for small businesses in Summit and Wasatch counties.
Program Coordinator Jess Bedingfield says the first round of funds totaled a little over $400,000 and served 94 small businesses in the Wasatch Back.
The Mountainland Association of Governments is a coalition of the county governments in Utah, Wasatch and Summit counties.
“This money is coming from the state CDBG program, the community development block grant program, specifically for small cities which covers Summit and Wasatch counties; the U.S. CARES act,” she said. “The maximum award we gave out was $5,000, the minimum, I think, was $1,000. This time around we managed to build up the maximum that we’re able to give to business is up to $7,500 each.”
The next tranche of funds, $420,000, she explains, can be used for rent and utilities, payroll, outstanding debt, and sanitization.
“They have to be able to prove that they've been negatively impacted by COVID-19,” she said of the requirements for businesses. “They have to have 20 or fewer employees, a current business license, the ability to document or report on the use of these funds. If we require it and they have to be open or plan to reopen in compliance with state and county health orders.”
Bedingfield says it is up to the counties to decide if money will be given to businesses that are shutting down permanently.
If it looks like the business owner says, ‘Hey, we're just wrapping up the business for this organization and then we're going to be out,’ they may not be awarded the grant funds.”
Bedingfield says businesses that operate from a personal residence cannot use funds for mortgage payments or to pay taxes.
Applications are open until Aug. 3. The AOG hopes to distribute funds in the beginning of September.
At this report, the funds are not available for nonprofit organizations, but Summit and Wasatch counties are meeting to come up with an emergency relief program for philanthropic and humanitarian programs. They hope to announce COVID-19 economic relief options for nonprofits the first week in September.
For the application, a video walkthrough and more information, visit the Mountainland AOG website.
