The Northeast PREP (Partnership for Regional Economic Performance) is establishing a COVID-19 Response Grant program that will provide grants to qualifying small businesses that have been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
Donor Name: Northeastern Pennsylvania Alliance
State: Pennsylvania
Counties: Selected Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline (mm/dd/yyyy): Ongoing
Size of the Grant: $15,000 – $50,000
Details:
The Northeastern Pennsylvania Alliance (NEPA) through the Partnership for Regional Economic Performance (Carbon, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Pike, Schuylkill, and Wayne counties) will be providing grants of up to $50,000 for small businesses and up to $15,000 for microenterprises (small businesses that employ few people) located in one of those 7 counties that have been severely impacted due to COVID-19. NEPA Alliance anticipates approximately 150 jobs will be retained or created.
Eligible Expenses
Businesses may submit a request for financial assistance to offset the following expenses:
- Payroll
- Rent/Mortgage
- Utilities
- Supplies (needed for day-to-day operations for up to 90 days)
- Equipment purchases are needed to “prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus.”
- Insurance
- Accounting
- Legal
- Advertising
Eligibility Criteria
Businesses within the seven-county Northeast PREP Region (Carbon, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Pike, Schuylkill, and Wayne Counties) are eligible to apply if they meet the following criteria.
- The business must be able to demonstrate that they were impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. The disruption may include but is not limited to the temporary closure of operations, temporary adjustment of operations, furlough or release of employees, and interrupted supply chain.
- The applicant must be able to prove that the business was viable prior to the pandemic. Evidence can be in the form of a financial statement or a Federal Income tax return.
- Businesses starting during the pandemic may also qualify with additional qualifications.
- The business must be able to prove revenue under $1 million or less than 100 employees.
- Businesses must be able to provide evidence that the business taxes are up to date, or a payment plan has been established.
- The applicant must be able to demonstrate that with the assistance the business will create or retain at least one Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) job.
- The business either employs an individual whose household qualifies as Low-to-Moderate Income (LMI) eligible, or the business is located within a census tract that has a poverty level of 20% or higher.
For more information, visit PREP Community Development Block Grant.
