Phoenix offers additional coronavirus relief funds for small businesses
Dec 22, 2020, 5:45 AM | Updated: 6:15 am
(Facebook Photo/City of Phoenix, AZ USA)
PHOENIX – The city of Phoenix is rolling out additional coronavirus relief funds for around 200 small businesses that initially did not receive assistance earlier this year.
The Phoenix City Council approved an additional $1.1 million in funding for small and micro businesses affected by COVID-19. The decision to add the additional grant money was made at the City Council’s formal meeting last week.
“We had additional applicants who were eligible, but we didn’t have enough money so we wanted to put additional dollars in to help those who had already applied and qualified get their grants,” Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego told KTAR News 92.3 FM on Monday.
The grant money offered to the additional 200 small business in Phoenix does not have to be repaid.
“We hope this will allow them to get through the holiday season and continue to thrive,” Gallego said.
Gallego said the Arizona Community Foundation will continue administering the grant program for Phoenix.
The money will go to businesses that had already applied to the program and were approved by the city’s Community and Economic Development department but were awaiting additional funding. The foundation will contact applicants directly who will receive the support dollars.
No new applications are being accepted.
With the additional allocations, the city has invested a total of $14.1 million in business assistance since the pandemic first began. Phoenix was among the first cities in the country to create a business grant program.
Since then, more than 2,300 businesses and restaurants have received financial assistance as the pandemic has brought on economic uncertainty.