The Town of Needham announced that it is making $300,000 available to help small businesses who have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Donor Name: Town of Needham
State: Massachusetts
Town: Needham
Type of Grant: Grant
Type of Entity: Businesses
Deadline (mm/dd/yyyy): 01/31/2022
Size of the Grant: $10,000
Details:
Funds may be used by business to help retain and attract workers, provide for greater safety against COVID-19 including purchasing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), outdoor dining accommodations and improved ventilation, and other approved operating expenses.
Funding Information
The Select Board has authorized the Town to provide grants of up to $10,000 to Needham businesses using a portion of the Town’s allocation of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.
Eligible Projects
- Job Incentive Program- Address ongoing staffing challenges by allowing businesses to offer financial incentives to recruit new employees or retain existing ones.
- Unemployed and underemployed individuals who take a job (20 or more hours weekly) with a Needham employer will qualify for a $500 cash hiring bonus after 12 weeks on the job. Once the new employee remains employed with the same business or nonprofit for an additional 12 weeks, they’ll qualify for a second $500 cash bonus.
- Individuals who have been employed by a Needham business for a minimum of 6 months and work 20 or more hours a week are eligible for a “pandemic bonus” of up to $500 cash for their loyalty to the business and may qualify for a second $500 cash bonus if they remain employed for an additional 12 weeks. Employees do not need to be Needham residents.
- COVID Prevention- Purchase PPE and/or adopt safer operating procedures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 including:
- Outdoor Dining – Restaurants can utilize the funding to create outdoor dining spaces or enhance/improve their existing outdoor dining spaces to make them ADA compliant, or to purchase furniture, decking, heat lamps, umbrellas, tents, awnings, or lighting.
- Ventilation – Install or improve ventilation systems to increase air circulation and air quality.
- Digital Adaptation – Create or improve your digital presence through online sales or ordering, create QR codes for in-person ordering, encourage touchless transactions at point-of-sale, improve or develop a website or smartphone app, or place online ads
- Operating Costs – Offset payroll and benefits costs or expenses related to retaining or hiring/training employees, as well as for mortgage, rent, utilities, and inventory
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must meet the following criteria to be eligible:
- Be a Needham business with a brick-and-mortar (physical) location
- Fewer than thirty-five (35) employees
- Less than $1,500,000 in annual revenue, and
- Registered with, in good standing with, and operating in, the Town of Needham (excluding chains but franchises allowed; franchise being defined as a business whereby the owner licenses its operations—along with its products, branding, and knowledge—in exchange for a franchise fee).
- Priority will be given to businesses that applied for CARES Act funding last year and didn’t receive it due to lack of available funding (PPP, EIDL, Restaurant Revitalization Fund).
For more information, visit Town of Needham.
