County expands eligibility again for CARES small biz grant

XENIA — In a change to the CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Grant for Greene County Small Businesses, the county’s department of development began accepting applications yesterday from companies that have previously received Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) assistance.

Initially, applicants were not eligible for the grant if they had already received PPP assistance. County commissioners approved the change at their meeting Sept. 17 by amending the resolution.

Through the program, small businesses — if they meet eligibility requirements — can apply for up to $10,000 for reimbursement of COVID-19-related costs incurred after March 1 including sanitizing and personal protective equipment, costs related to enforcing social distancing, rent/mortgage, non-municipal utilities, and business insurance, according to a release from the department.

Businesses that have received PPP funding will not be able to claim expenses that they’ve already received assistance for.

Commissioners also amended the program last month, allowing companies with up to $5 million gross annual income to apply for funding, extending the original $1 million cap.

Since the program began accepting applications Aug. 1, the department has spent approximately $200,000 of the $500,000 allocated, according to Eric Henry, the department’s director.

“We’ve opened this program up strategically to allow the smallest businesses, and those businesses that hadn’t yet received assistance, the opportunity to receive help first. With this latest change, our department believes that the remainder of our funds will be spent relatively quickly so we encourage all interested businesses to apply as soon as possible,” Henry said.

Miami Township, Sugarcreek Township, and Xenia Township have also pledged portions of their CARES funding for the department to administer to each jurisdiction’s respective local businesses.

Requirements for eligibility include:

— The applicant must be a small business with 50 or fewer total employees.

— The applicant must be a for-profit entity located in Greene County.

— The applicant must have a Federal Taxpayer Identification Number.

— The applicant must have less than $5 million in gross annual revenue as evidenced by records such as federal income tax returns or financial statements

— The applicant must not have already received any other federal or local assistance, including CARES or COVID-19 SBA loans, PPP, EIDL, local jurisdiction grants or loans.

— The applicant must have a physical storefront and/or be an allowable home office as reported in the most recently filed tax return.

— The applicant must be current on all federal, state, and local taxes.

— The applicant must be in compliance with federal, Ohio, and local small business requirements.

Ineligible businesses include adult entertainment establishments; banks, savings and loans, or credit unions; e-commerce only companies; liquor or wine stores; non-profits; vaping stores; tobacco stores; cannabis dispensaries; and franchised businesses not locally owned and independently operated.

Applications for the program can found at greenecountydod.org and will continue to be accepted until all funds for the program have been depleted or until Friday, Oct. 30.

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By Anna Bolton

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Call 937-502-4498 or follow Anna Bolton, Reporter on Facebook.