A grant application to help Fort Scott businesses suffering from the results of the shut down for the COVID 19 Pandemic opens tomorrow , June 24 at 8 AM, according to Allyson Turvey, Tourism and Community Development Manager for the City of Fort Scott.
The City of Fort Scott will begin accepting applications for the Community Development Block Grant – CV (CDBG-CV) grant program.
Details will be made available at http://fscity.org/353/CDBG-CV
Who Is Eligible
- Businesses located within the City limits
- The business must have no more than 50 employees and can be as small as one employee
- Sole proprietors/self-employed with a valid Tax ID/EIN
- No less than 51% of the jobs impacted must meet Low to Moderate Income Levels
- Grants are for COVID 19 related hardship only
Who is not eligible?
- Farmers/Ranchers
- New Businesses or Services (Opened after March 1, 2020)
- Businesses with any local, state, or federal tax liability
- Sales Consultants (i.e. Mary Kay Sales Consultant, Tupperware Sales Consultant, etc.)
- Government, government employee households
- Non-profits
How to Apply
Applications will be accepted by the City of Fort Scott.
The City of Fort Scott was recently awarded $132,000 in CDBG-CV funding which will be granted to local businesses facing financial hardships due to COVID-19. Qualifying businesses may receive a maximum of $10,000 in grant funding, award allocation will be based on the number of jobs retained.
Businesses located within city limits, and with fewer than 50 employees, and as small as one employee may be eligible to apply. Awards will be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis. An application will only be considered once it is fully completed with all requested documentation required to support the requested funding.
As sole proprietors and self-employed individuals did not qualify for the previous round of CDBG Emergency Funding, they will be given priority for this program. These individuals must submit their completed application before July 23rd, 2020 to receive precedence in application processing. Other businesses may still submit applications during this time frame, these applications will be held until July 24th before processing. All completed applications will be time-stamped and logged upon receipt to ensure they are processed in order of submission.
Grants may be considered for working capital expenses for 60 days.
Funds can only be used for qualified expenses incurred after March 1, 2020.
There may be no duplication of benefits. For instance, if a business has already received funds from the Payroll Protection Program (PPP), they may still qualify. However, funds cannot be used for the same need as was utilized under the PPP program.
City employees will review applications and make recommendations to the City Commission. The City Commission will approve/decline/adjust requests at a regularly scheduled public meeting.
Application forms and additional eligibility requirements may be found online at http://fscity.org/353/CDBG-CV. Hard copy applications, along with program parameters will also be available at City Hall, 123 S. Main St.
Questions regarding the application process, and eligibility guidelines should be directed to Allyson Turvey, via email at aturvey@fscity.org, or by phone at (620) 223-0550.
