Stanislaus will use federal money to help 300-plus businesses survive the pandemic
Stanislaus County will spend $3 million in federal coronavirus assistance on relief grants for businesses that shuttered during the outbreak.
Instead of spreading $1 million in grant money among 100 businesses, as initially intended, the county’s Small Business Relief Program will use the federal money to assist 334 private enterprises that passed a screening process this month. The program also will distribute $150,000 raised by local business leaders.
The $3 million is part of the $96 million that the county received from the federal CARES Act to defray expenses of responding to the COVID-19 emergency.
Public health orders to slow the spread of coronavirus closed or restricted the operations of hundreds of businesses, forcing many to lay off employees or cut work hours.
The county’s Workforce Development center received about 550 applications this month from small businesses needing funds to pay for rent, utilities, paychecks and other needs. More than 200 applicants were denied because they didn’t have a current business license, the required documentation or an address in the county.
County staff said 294 applicants representing $2.8 million in requested funding met the criteria. Most of those businesses have fewer than 25 employees. The county also decided 40 independent contractors would be approved for grants.
County leaders originally planned to use $750,000 in community development funds and $250,000 from an emergency well program to fund $1 million in grants for struggling businesses.
The grants are up to $10,000; some businesses put in requests for less than the maximum, said Keith Boggs, county assistant executive officer.
This story was originally published April 30, 2020 at 2:19 PM.
