More than 400 Centre County small businesses to get boost from COVID-19 relief funds
The Millheim Hotel has seen a 60% decline in revenue this year, and owner and manager Beth Cowher plans to use $20,000 in COVID-19 relief funds to help save her business.
The restaurant and bar is one of 403 businesses to receive a portion of the $6 million allocated for small businesses by Centre County CARES Act funding — the largest single-purposed grant program in the county’s 220-year history. In June, the board of commissioners was awarded $14.7 million to help address challenges created by the pandemic, statewide shutdown and mitigation efforts, and designated $6 million for small businesses.
After about a month of reviewing applications, the county announced recipients Tuesday.
“I applied because of how much revenue has been lost due to COVID-19,” Cowher said. “With bars and restaurants specifically being targeted, it really cut down on revenue.”
Thankful for the additional funds, Cowher said she plans to use them to keep up with bills and employee payroll, but she worries it will still be a struggle to stay afloat.
“Now, I think people are just afraid to come out,” she said. “Each day, you’re grasping at straws to find something new and inventive to get people to come in and keep business going.”
From daily specials to movie nights, Cowher said she’s trying to be creative in her efforts to drive up business. She added that the restaurant is adhering to state health regulations and offering takeout for those who might be hesitant to dine inside.
“We are following guidelines, keeping everything sanitized,” she said. “We have everything distanced within our establishment. Our tables are 6 feet apart.”
The grants awarded by Centre County range from $900-$30,000. Applications were open to any local business operating in and headquartered in the county that experienced a decline in revenue as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Small businesses also had to employ fewer than 100 people and could not be delinquent in federal or state taxes to be eligible.
Recipients include salons, retail shops, law offices, fitness studios and more across Centre County.
The commissioners commended the work and countless hours staff dedicated to the application process, adding that the county worked to be fair and maintain integrity when making decisions about allocations.
“This is about as impartial of a process as could possibly be,” Commissioner Steve Dershem said. “A lot of the folks on (the list) are kind of household names in our community, and trying to keep those household names in our community, I think, is a very, very important part of what this grant was to do.”
About 130 businesses applied and did not receive funds. In about two weeks, they will receive an email about an opportunity to resubmit materials in an abbreviated form and be eligible to receive up to $5,000 in funding.
This story was originally published October 27, 2020 at 4:12 PM.
