Chesterfield County Microenterprise Relief Fund

LISC Virginia is pleased to announce its partnership with Chesterfield County to deploy the Chesterfield County Microenterprise Relief Fund (CCMRF). The CCMRF was created to provide grants to support microenterprises financially impacted by COVID-19. The fund will provide grant capital up to $10,000 to eligible entities to assist in meeting urgent needs. Funds may only be used for operational costs such as payroll, rent, utilities, vendors, and recovery and response related expenses. The CCMRF is made possible by Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding provided by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. CDBG is a type of federal funding with specific funding eligibility criteria.

Application Deadline: The application is now open! Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis as long as funding remains.

Apply Here

Grant Information

Grant awards will be between $3,000 and $10,000, depending on each applicant’s demonstrated needs.

Permitted uses of the grant funds include:

• Payroll: costs only for employees (full-time and part-time), not contract labor;
• Rent payments: rent between March 16, 2020 and the application date;
• Utility payments: utility payments between March 16, 2020 and the application date;
• Vendor bills: for goods already purchased that are unable to be sold, returned, or used due to circumstances caused by the COIVD-19 pandemic;
• Response and Recovery: including items already purchased to operate safely during the COIVD-19 pandemic. For example, personal protection equipment (PPE), retrofits to your physical establishment, etc.

Note: Funds may not be used to cover any costs covered by any other grant program, either government, including Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) or Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL), or private, including corporate or philanthropic support.

 

Requirements

To qualify for the program, applicant entities must meet the following requirements:

• Microenterprise: 2-5 employees, one of whom is the owner.
• Income: Owner’s household income is at or below 80% of the area median income (AMI). Please use the table below to verify your income level.
• Years of operation: The business must have been in operation as of March 16, 2019.
• Business License: Possess a valid Chesterfield County business license.
• Financial Obligations: Be current on all financial obligations to Chesterfield County as of March 16, 2020, including utilities, property taxes, real estate taxes, and meals tax, where applicable. If you are not current on all financial obligations, assistance can be provided.
• Zoning: Be in compliance with Chesterfield County zoning regulations, including restrictions on home businesses.

 

Maximum Income Level

 

The following are businesses that are ineligible for this grant:

• Any business where entry or sales of primary goods is limited to persons 18 or 21 years of age or older
• Payday lenders, credit unions, banks, check cashing, and other financial institutions
• Fortune and palm readers
• Bed and breakfasts, including Airbnb or other property or vacation rentals
• Real estate and property management companies
• Insurance companies
• Financial advisors
• Accounting and management firms and law offices
• Pyramid Business structures
• Nonprofit organizations

Apply Here