$26 million in small business grants available in Orange County
LAWRENCE IS FACING ASSAULT AND MANSLAUGHTER WITH A FIREARM. SHE COULD SERVE UP TO 30 YEARS IN PRISON. THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC MAY BE IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR, BUT MANY BUSINESSES ARE STILL RECOVERING THE ECONOMIC DOWNTURN. NOW, MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN GRANTS ARE ON THE WAY TO HELP GIVE THOSE MOSTLY SMALL BUSINESSES A BIG BOOST, ESPECIALLY AS GREG FOX EXPLAINS. SMOKE AND DONUTS A SWEET COMBO FOR THIS RESTAURANT ARE IN TWO ORLANDO LOCATIONS. THE MILK DISTRICT AND UCF. YES, WE MAKE BARBECUE AND OWNER IAN RUSSELL WAS JUST BREAKING INTO THE RESTAURANT BUSINESS WHEN THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC DELIVERED A NEAR FATAL BLOW TO HIS PLANS. HE WAS ABLE TO KEEP HIS EMPLOYEES PAID DOORS OPEN THANKS TO FEDERAL CARES ACT GRANT MONEY. I THINK THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE GOVERNMENT INCLUDED, ALL HAVE TO GET BEHIND THE BUSINESS AND DECIDE THAT THEY WANT TO SEE YOU SURVIVE AND THEN YOU CAN. RUSSELL WAS A FEATURED SPEAKER AT THIS ORANGE COUNTY GOVERNMENT NEWS CONFERENCE IN WHICH MAYOR JERRY DEMINGS ANNOUNCED A NEW GRANT PROGRAM MADE POSSIBLE BY THE AMERICAN RESCUE. THE TOTAL AMOUNT IS $2 MILLION, AND THE MONEY DOES NOT HAVE TO BE PAID BACK. OWNERS OF SMALL FIXED LOCATION CAN RECEIVE UP TO $10,000, THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT FOR HOME BASED BUSINESSES IS 3000. AND FOR GIG WORKERS DOING MOSTLY FREELANCE, THAT’S UP TO 1400 DOLLARS ON A SURFACE MAY NOT SOUND LIKE A LOT OF MONEY, BUT WHEN YOU’RE A SMALL BUSINESS, $10,000 MIGHT MAKE THE DIFFERENCE IN YOU MAKING PAYROLL FOR A WEEK OR A COUPLE OF WEEKS. THAT WAS EXACTLY THE CASE FOR THE GRANT MONEY RECEIVED FOR HIS RESTAURANT. IT WAS INSTRUMENTAL AS IT WAS A MAJOR PART IN US BEING ABLE TO LITERALLY KEEP OUR LIGHTS ON. RIGHT? IT WAS IT WAS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HELPED US STAY STAY IN BUSINESS, WHICH MEANT WE COULD RETAIN EMPLOYEES. TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THIS ROUND OF GRANT MONEY, BUSINESS OWNERS MUST SHOW THAT THEY HAVE HAD AT LEAST A 25% REDUCTION IN REVENUE AS A DIRECT OR INDIRECT RESULT OF THE PANDEMIC. COUNTY OFFICIALS SAY MOST BUSINESSES IN THE WAKE OF THE PANDEMIC THRIVING IN PARTICULAR. RESTAURANTS. BUT SOME SMA
$26 million in small business grants available in Orange County
Updated: 6:01 PM EDT Jul 11, 2023
Orange County government wants to give a boost to small businesses that have suffered as a result of the economic downturn during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Ian Russell knows it can make a big difference. He owns two Smoke and Donuts restaurants in Orlando. He was just breaking into the restaurant business when the pandemic delivered a near-fatal blow to his plans. He was able to keep his employees paid and doors open thanks to federal CARES Act grant money. “I think the community as a whole, and government included, all have to get behind businesses and decide that they want to see you survive, and then you can,” Russell said. Russell was a featured speaker at an Orange County government news conference Tuesday in which Mayor Jerry Demings unveiled a new grant program made possible by the American Rescue Plan. The total amount is $26 million and the money does not have to be paid back. Owners of small, fixed-location businesses can receive up to $10,000. The maximum amount for home-based businesses is $3,000. And for gig workers doing mostly freelance jobs, it’s up to $1,400. “On the surface, it may not sound like a lot of money, but when you are a small business, $10,000 might make the difference in you making payroll for a week or a couple of weeks,” Demings said. That was exactly the case for the grant money Russell received for his restaurant. “It was instrumental, a major part in us literally keeping our lights on right. It was one of the things that helped us stay in business, which helped us retain employees,” Russel said. To be eligible for this round of grant money, business owners must show that they have had at least a 25% reduction in revenue as a direct or indirect result of the pandemic. Applications can be filled out online as soon as Tuesday, July 18. You can review eligibility requirements now.Top headlines:Listen to news and weather headlines with the WESH 2 podcastFrontier cancellations leave travelers stranded for days at Orlando InternationalOcala woman who shot neighbor through door, killing her, pleads not guilty
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. —
Orange County government wants to give a boost to small businesses that have suffered as a result of the economic downturn during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ian Russell knows it can make a big difference. He owns two Smoke and Donuts restaurants in Orlando. He was just breaking into the restaurant business when the pandemic delivered a near-fatal blow to his plans. He was able to keep his employees paid and doors open thanks to federal CARES Act grant money.
“I think the community as a whole, and government included, all have to get behind businesses and decide that they want to see you survive, and then you can,” Russell said.
Russell was a featured speaker at an Orange County government news conference Tuesday in which Mayor Jerry Demings unveiled a new grant program made possible by the American Rescue Plan.
The total amount is $26 million and the money does not have to be paid back. Owners of small, fixed-location businesses can receive up to $10,000. The maximum amount for home-based businesses is $3,000. And for gig workers doing mostly freelance jobs, it’s up to $1,400.
“On the surface, it may not sound like a lot of money, but when you are a small business, $10,000 might make the difference in you making payroll for a week or a couple of weeks,” Demings said.
That was exactly the case for the grant money Russell received for his restaurant.
“It was instrumental, a major part in us literally keeping our lights on right. It was one of the things that helped us stay in business, which helped us retain employees,” Russel said.
To be eligible for this round of grant money, business owners must show that they have had at least a 25% reduction in revenue as a direct or indirect result of the pandemic. Applications can be filled out online as soon as Tuesday, July 18. You can review eligibility requirements now.
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