From Philly and the Pa. suburbs to South Jersey and Delaware, what would you like WHYY News to cover? Let us know!
Hundreds of small business owners in Philadelphia neighborhoods could snag a slice of grant money set aside by a federal COVID-19 relief program with some state support that’s still accepting applications until Friday.
Minority-owned businesses operating in lower income communities already struggling with higher than average crime rates will be prioritized to get grants between $2,500 and $10,000 each.
It’s been difficult since the COVID-19 pandemic because business owners have “felt very isolated” and are often skeptical of government aid programs, said Lee Nentwig, commercial corridor manager for the New Kensington Community Development Corporation.
There’s $10.5 million in the budget of the Historically Disadvantaged Business Assistance grant program which is a partnership of the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development and the statewide Community Development Financial Institution network.
Unlike some programs, there’s flexibility in how the grant money can be spent.
“It could be something simple like needing to patch a leak that’s done water damage to their business that they don’t have the funds to address for a number of years,” said Nentwig. “It could be purchasing new equipment. Like if it’s a barber shop looking to purchase new chairs, or a bodega that wants to serve hot food or needs new refrigerators.”
