The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors recently approved the use of $23 million in federal CARES Act funds to help local small businesses and nonprofits with grants of up to $10,000.
The Small Business Relief Program is intended to help both small businesses and nonprofits who lost revenue in March and April due to the response to the COVID-19 crisis, according to a press release from Maricopa County.
The Arizona Community Foundation will administer the program for the county, according to the release.
To qualify, an applicant must not be located within the cities of Phoenix or Mesa and must have been in operation before January 1, 2019, according to the Arizona Community Foundation’s information page.
Applicants cannot have had more than 25 employees prior to March 1, have generated less than $3 million in gross revenue in 2019 and be able to document a revenue loss in March and April of this year of 25% or more.
Applicants also cannot have received any other form of coronavirus-related government relief in order to qualify for the new grant program, including the Payroll Protection Program, Economic Injury Disaster Loans, SBA Express Bridge Loans and SBA Debt Relief.
Other restrictions include current compliance with city regulations and zoning. Applicants cannot be engaged in any step of marijuana production or sale and cannot be engaged in business that the state classifies as “adult-oriented.”
Applications will be taken on a first-come-first-served basis through Friday, July 31, unless all of the funds are expended prior to that date, according to the release.
“What we have seen is unprecedented,” Clint Hickman, District 4, chairman of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, said in the press release. “The Board hopes this money can keep businesses and non-profits afloat, so they can keep people working and money flowing in the local economy.”
Information about the program can be found on the Arizona Community Foundation’s website in either English or Spanish. Questions can be emailed to MaricopaRelief@azfoundation.org.