Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz will be in Norwalk today to discuss how small businesses can apply for the final stages of the city’s COVID-19 grant program.
Later this morning, Mayor Harry Rilling will join Besiewicz outside the gallery. In the second phase of the program, the owner received COVID recovery funding.she wants to be with news 12 on how the funding helped her business.
As for the final phase of the grant program, for-profit businesses located in Norwalk can apply. These businesses must have between 2 and 20 employees, and they must be able to demonstrate that they have been negatively impacted by the pandemic.
There are 50 grants to choose from, with $375,000 awarded to selected businesses, officials said. Officials said the money could be used for COVID recovery, including rent payments, utility payments, payroll, PPE and more.
Here is a breakdown of how the funds will be distributed:
-Businesses with two to five employees will receive $5,000
– Businesses with 6 to 15 employees will receive $10,000 in incentives
– Businesses with 16 to 20 employees will receive $15,000
Businesses that have previously received funding can apply again, but only if the amount they are eligible to receive this time is greater than the amount they received in Phase 1 or Phase 2.
The Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development will review all applications. Eligible businesses will then be randomly selected through a lottery system.
Since the start of the pandemic, the city has awarded $520,000 to nearly 70 local businesses, officials said. More than 75 percent of these businesses are owned by women or minorities.
Norwalk small businesses have until February 1 to apply for the grant. 17.