The Clinton County Port Authority was notified Friday that Clinton County businesses have yet to submit 50 applications for the Small Business Relief Grant and that there is still funding available for eligible small businesses throughout the county.

“We want to ensure that all of the eligible small businesses in Clinton County are aware of this program,” said Port Authority Economic Development Director Jennifer Klus Ekey.

“These grant funds can make a difference, and we don’t want our local companies to miss the opportunity to receive available relief,” she said.

Recently, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced a package of more than $419.5 million CARES Act funds to help Ohioans.

The package includes $125 million in CARES Act funding to provide grants to small businesses with no more than 25 employees.

The grant funding will help businesses pay for a variety of expenses, including mortgage or rent payments; utility payments; salaries, wages, or compensation for employees and contractors; business supplies or equipment; and other costs.

Each business that meets the criteria and submits a complete application will be eligible for a grant of $10,000 in accordance with the following guidelines:

• $44 million of the grant funds will be set aside to ensure businesses in all 88 Ohio counties receive funding. Fifty (50) businesses will be funded in each county.

• As applications are approved on a first-come, first-served basis, grants will be awarded first from each county’s allocation.

• When a county’s allocation is depleted, grants will be awarded from the remainder of funding on a first-come, first-served basis regardless of the business’ location in Ohio.

• If Development does not receive eligible applications sufficient to award all 50 grants to businesses in each county within the first 21 days after the application is opened, the remaining funds allocated to that county will be available to businesses regardless of their location in Ohio.

Further information on the Small Business Relief grant program can be found at https://businesshelp.ohio.gov/pdf/10292020-Small-business-relief-grant.pdf .

OTHER PROGRAMS

Clinton County businesses and non-profits have a variety of additional programs available for COVID-related relief. These include State of Ohio relief grants, CARES Act-funded grants available through Clinton County and the City of Wilmington, and an Emergency Loan Program available through the Clinton County Port Authority.

Several of these programs may be able to be used in conjunction with one another, maximizing relief for local businesses.

Information on all of these state and local programs is available at https://co.clinton.oh.us/COVID19BusinessReliefPrograms , or by contacting Jennifer Klus Ekey, Clinton County Port Authority Economic Development Director, via email at [email protected] or by phone at 513-616-6055 (mobile).