The District of Columbia announced that it will support local brick-and-mortar businesses through a grant of $10,000 as they recover from the coronavirus crisis.
The new initiative called the Small Business Resiliency Fund is going to provide a total of $3 million in emergency operational funding for small businesses across the District.
“Our businesses have been resilient in the face of immense challenges, and we know they still need our support,” said Mayor Muriel Bowser during Monday’s announcement. “These grants will help small businesses adapt and implement creative measures so they can stay open and operating during the public health emergency.”
The fund is a part of the District’s efforts to meet the existing and future COVID-19 related needs for the District’s small businesses to help businesses continue operations while protecting people, assets and presence, according to the mayor’s office.
Small, local businesses located in DC with 50 or fewer employees and independently owned restaurants without regard to employee-size are eligible for the program.
In order to apply for the fund, business owners need to submit an online form at www.coronavirus.dc.gov/recovery-business. Applications will be accepted through Thursday, October 15, 2020 at 11:59 pm/ET.
“Pivoting a business costs money,” said John Falcicchio, Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED), which is in charge of the fund.
“These challenging times are forcing businesses to adapt to a new norm all while trying to keep their doors open. This funding will help alleviate some of the financial burden COVID-19 has imposed on our small and local businesses.”