PURPOSE
The City of Vineland has appropriated $290,000 of its federal Community Development Block Grant CARES Funds (CDBG-CV) for the Microenterprise COVID-19 Assistance Program. The program was established to provide working capital funds to the community’s small businesses that have been severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and have received limited or no assistance from the SBA or other government programs.
ELIGIBLE BORROWERS
Vineland retail, restaurants, entertainment, and nonprofessional service businesses with no more than 5 employees including full and part-time that were in business as of December 31, 2019, and have been severely impacted by COVID-19. To be eligible, the business must have one employee, which can be the business owner, who will be retained and meets the low/moderate income requirement or the business is located in an eligible program area. Businesses deemed ineligible by the US Dept. of Housing and Urban Development will not be eligible.
ELIGIBLE USE OF FUNDS
The funds may be used for payroll, rent, utilities, real estate taxes, and insurance for up to 120-day period provided there is no duplication of benefits with other funding.
GRANT AMOUNT
Up to $5,000.
GRANT REQUIREMENTS
• The Business must be located within the City of Vineland.
• Grant funds will first be used to pay outstanding City taxes and utilities.
• Loan payments are not eligible expenses.
• Applicant must provide list of expenses to be paid with grant application and backup documentation.
• All grants must meet the CDBG National Objective of Low/Mod Income for the benefitting business. The business must document that it will retain at least one permanent job held by a low- and moderate-income person and that the jobs would be lost without the CDBG assistance. The business must document the income of the low- and moderate income person through a written self-certification by the employee and his/her family size and total income or the business can presume that the job is held by a low-moderate income person if 1) the employee resides in a qualified low income area or 2) the business is located in a qualified low income area. Applicant must provide list of employees and their salaries.
• The Dept. of Housing and Urban Development prohibits the Duplication of Benefits. This occurs when funding is provided for the same costs paid by other sources. Applicant must provide a list of any and all funding received from any source after March 16, 2020.
• Applicant must certify that they will remain open or reopen if grant funds are received. If the applicant does not remain open or reopen, the grant funds must be returned.
• Applicant will be required to complete a grant application and sign a grant agreement.
• Funds are available to all eligible applicants meeting program requirements until all funds are distributed. The City reserves the right to reject applications that it deems do not meet the criteria of the program.