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Small business grant application in Michigan opens Dec. 15 for COVID-19 relief

By FOX 2 Staff
Published  December 11, 2020 10:57am EST
Coronavirus in Michigan
FOX 2 Detroit

Gov. Whitmer COVID-19 update

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer gives an update on COVID-19

(FOX 2) - The application for a small business COVID-19 relief grant in Michigan will become available next week. 

The application for the Pure Michigan Small Business Relief Initiative will go live at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 15. Grants of up to $15,000 will be awarded on a "first-in" basis, with $10 million in funds available statewide.

Information on how to apply – including the application questions and instructions and a video tutorial on the application process – as well as eligibility criteria and program guidelines are available at www.michiganbusiness.org/relief. Business owners are encouraged to review these materials before Tuesday when the application opens. 

To be eligible to receive grant funding, businesses must be in one of the industries listed below: 

  • Restaurants, bars and other food and beverage service providers
  • Travel and tourism destinations including lodging providers and hospitality businesses
  • Live event venues and movie theaters
  • Conference and meeting facilities
  • Ice skating rinks, indoor water parks and bowling centers
  • Gyms, fitness centers and indoor recreation facilities

Additional requirements include, but are not limited to: 

  • Identifying a need for payroll, rent, or mortgage payments, and/or utility expenses necessary to continue or restart business operations;  
  • Having at least two employees (including the owner) but fewer than 50;  
  • Be a for-profit business, per HUD guidance;  
  • Meet the HUD National Objective for Job Retention by retaining jobs that would otherwise be lost without assistance through employment verification;  
  • Additional eligibility requirements can be found on Michiganbusiness.org/relief.  

You can see all the requirements for eligibility here. 

The state says businesses will be notified in early January 2021 if your grant was awarded, and mid-late January grant funds will be dispersed by Michigan Municipal League Foundation.

Ten regions across Michigan are being allotted a certain portion of the $10 million, with the most - $3.5 million - coming to Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties. 

The program is getting the money from the federal U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) CARES Act.