Phoenix expands small business eligibility for coronavirus assistance
Sep 10, 2020, 4:35 AM
PHOENIX – The Phoenix City Council expanded the type of small businesses that could apply to be part of the Phoenix Small Business Resiliency Grants Program.
“We recently expanded so that newer businesses are eligible,” Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego told KTAR News 92.3 FM on Tuesday.
“Originally, the program focused on more established businesses, but the council decided we really want to help as many businesses as possible and we want to help those who just began before COVID.”
Newer businesses are now able to apply for grants up to $10,000 and commercial city service bill offsets. The adjustments impact business longevity requirements and extend the range of months impacted by COVID-19.
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Before the expansion, businesses had to be open since January 1, 2019. Now, a business or company who had been in operation in Phoenix for the last 12 months may be eligible to apply.
Business owners are now required to show a COVID-19-related sales drop of at least 25% in March 2020 or any month following compared to the same month in 2019.
The changes affect the Phoenix Small Business Relief and the Phoenix Microbusiness Resiliency Grants, which still have more than $4 million to be awarded to eligible businesses.
The original requirement was to show the loss in March and April 2020 compared to the same months in 2019. There is additional information on how to apply and the business requirement’s on the city’s website.
A small business is defined as six to 25 employees with gross sales of under $3 million during the last 12 months.
For Phoenix businesses that are not applying for the Microbusiness or Small Business grants, a link to the Commercial City Services Bill Relief Grant application is on the city’s website.
Since May, Phoenix has awarded more than 1,400 businesses grants worth more than $7.48 million.
