Small Business Relief Grant
The Small Business Relief Grant is designed to assist Ohio businesses that have been harmed by the effects of COVID-19. The $125 million grant fund will provide relief to Ohio businesses that have been negatively impacted by COVID-19. Funding for the program is from the CARES Act.
The business must be a for-profit entity with no more than 25 total or full-time equivalent Ohio employees as of Jan. 1, 2020. The business must also have a physical location in Ohio and earn at least 90% of annual revenue based on activities performed in and taxable to Ohio. The business must have been in continuous operation since Jan. 1, 2020, except for interruptions required by COVID-19 public health orders and have the ability to continue operations as a going concern.
Each business that meets the criteria and submits a complete application will be eligible for a grant of $10,000 in accordance with the following guidelines:
- $44 million of the grant funds will be set aside to ensure businesses in all 88 counties receive funding. 50 businesses will be funded in each county.
- As applications are approved on a first-come, first-served basis, grants will be awarded first from each county’s allocation.
- When a county’s allocation is depleted, grants will be awarded from the remainder of funding on a first-come, first-served basis regardless of the business’ location in Ohio.
- If Development does not receive eligible applications sufficient to award all 50 grants to businesses in each county within the first 21 days after the application is opened, the remaining funds allocated to that county will be available to businesses regardless of their location in Ohio.
The Ohio Development Services Agency is establishing an online application for the program. Businesses applying for funding will be required to establish a registration ID with the state of Ohio. The application will be available November 2, 2020.
Bar & Restaurant Assistance Fund
The Bar and Restaurant Assistance Fund is designed to assist Ohio’s on-premise liquor permit holders. This $38.7 million fund will help more than 15,400 licensees significantly impacted by COVID-19 and limited in the full use of their liquor permit.
Funding for the program is from the CARES Act. After applying, a licensee will receive $2,500 per unique business location.
Licensees must present their FEIN or SSN, and liquor permit number and address for each unique location at time of application. The Department of Taxation will confirm all entries. Click here to see if your business is eligible. You can also check the status of your liquor permit here.
Applications will be accepted through December 30, 2020. Once money is received, per CARES Act stipulation, businesses are to use the funds on COVID-related expenses due to business interruptions caused by the pandemic.
Visit BusinessHelp.Ohio.Gov to access the online application. The application will open November 2, 2020. Permit holders may apply for the liquor assistance funding as well as the Small Business Relief Grant through the online application at BusinessHelp.Ohio.Gov.
The Ohio Department of Administrative Services will be sending checks to permit holders as soon as applications are processed. Funds cannot be distributed after Dec. 31, 2020.