Centre County opens $3 million grant program to give a boost to small businesses
Centre County is investing $3 million into local businesses through a new grant program to help businesses impacted negatively by the COVID-19 pandemic and to give them a boost before a busy fall season.
The Centre County Commissioners Small Business Grant Program is funded by the American Rescue Plan, of which the county received $31 million in total.
Small businesses in Centre County will need working capital once football season begins in the fall, Commissioner Mark Higgins said during Tuesday’s meeting.
“In very early September, the tourist season in Centre County is really going to ramp up. We’re going to have football, (and) based on what I’m seeing in other parts of the country that have a lot of tourism visits, say in June and July, I think it’s going to be really, really busy here in Centre County,” Higgins said. “So our small businesses, our retailers, our hospitality firms are going to be in desperate need of what’s called ‘working capital.’ And so Centre County government is going to work to help them provide that...”
Centre County businesses with fewer than 500 full-time employees on staff are eligible. To expand the program, businesses that aren’t headquartered here but have more than half of its payroll in Centre County will also be eligible for a grant. Businesses must be operational at the time of application and plan to stay in business until at least Dec. 31.
The funds can be spent on operating expenses, including payroll, rent, mortgage, utilities and costs of goods.
Grants will range from $2,000 to $20,000, in $2,000 increments. The size of the grant will be based on the dollar amount of the businesses reductions in sales in 2019-20.
Commissioners expect the average grant will be around $10,000-12,000.
“Your average small business in Centre County will receive enough working capital to buy food for football season, buy inventory for football season, hire a couple extra staff here in the next few weeks to get them trained up so that when the crowds come for football, they’ll be prepared,” Higgins said.
The application is live now; businesses can apply at SEDA-COG’s website at www.seda-cog.org. Grants will be awarded on a first come, first served basis until the funds run out. The application process is quick and easy, commissioners said.
“This should be one of the most streamlined processes we’ll go through in terms of pandemic relief for businesses,” Commissioner Michael Pipe said.
The commissioners expect the first checks to be mailed to small businesses in August, according to a press release. SEDA-COG will assist the commissioners by receiving and reviewing the applications.
This story was originally published July 20, 2021 at 12:15 PM.
