The City of Fayetteville is offering small business grants for those businesses who need pandemic recovery support. Funds can be used to offset financial hardships from the pandemic and to improve storefronts.
The past 3 months of the program have been a major success with over 145 applicants and over $1.67 Million obligated as of October 4th, with additional funds going out daily. Given that we are getting close to allocating all funds, we are shutting down the portal for new application submittals October 14that 5 PMas we look to complete review of submitted applications and disperse the remaining funds.This means anyone with a partially completed submission or anyone who has registered, but not completed their application MUST submit their application by October 14that 5 PM.
If you have questions or need assistance, please call(910) 299 - 0510or emailFaySBRGP@iParametricsDS.comanytime. Our case managers will be available to help you with the application process remotely from 9 AM to 5 PM Monday through Friday. The City of Fayetteville has also partnered with local agencies;Center for Economic Empowerment & Development located at 230 Hay Streetand the Small Business and Technology Development Center at Fayetteville State Universityto provide submission assistance to those attempting to apply. If you are interested in getting assistance in person, please visithttps://sbtdc.org/erfc/to set up an appointment or contact CEED at (910) 323 - 3377.
APPLY NOW - Applicant Registration Form
Program Scope
The City of Fayettevilleseeks qualified businesses to submit applications in response to theSmall Business Relief Grant Program (SBRGP). The SBRGP was established in response to the economic impacts experienced by small businesses as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and its lasting impacts on local small businesses.
Funding for the SBRGP is made available by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) and will be administered by the City of Fayetteville. The goal is to provide financial assistance to small for-profit businesses with less than (200) employees (including the owner) at the time of application with up to $50,000 in grant funding (per grant), depending on the demonstrated pandemic impact on the business and reimbursable expenses demonstrated by the business. The Small Business Relief Grant Program consists of a Small Business Development and Retention Grant focusing on businesses impacted by COVID-19 and a Commercial Corridor Improvement Grant focused on improving storefronts in disproportionately impacted areas. Businesses that meet qualifications can apply to both grants.
Total Program Budget
$3,000,000.00
Eligible Applicants/Businesses
- For-profit businesses operating within Fayetteville, North Carolina, employing up to two hundred (200) employees may apply. A business must have been in operation on or before March 3, 2021, and still, be in operation currently.
- A contractual relationship will be established between the City and the small business to ensure compliance with City, State, and Federal guidelines.
- The business must be located in a Qualified Census Tract (QCT) or must make a commitment to hiring or retaining low to moderate income individuals within the next year.
- The business must possess the capacity to be successful with the use of American Rescue Plan Act funds.
- Businesses must be registered to a non-PO box and must operate out of a non-residential address fulltime
- If the business is a sole proprietorship or a partnership, each person owning an interest in the business must be at least 18 years old.
- The business must have a valid Tax Identification Number consisting of the owner’s social security number if the business is a sole proprietorship or Federal Employer Identification Number if the business is other than a sole proprietorship; a State Employer Number; and a business bank account in the name of the business.
- If the business is a corporation, limited liability company, or limited partnership, it must be registered in good standing with the North Carolina Secretary of State.
- The business must not currently be in bankruptcy. If the business is a sole proprietorship or a partnership, no person owning an interest in the business may currently be in bankruptcy.
- The business is current with property taxes and any fees collected with property taxes or has a payment plan with the tax collector.
- Intend to stay in business for the following 12 months
Eligible Business Examples
- Hotels and Motels
- Restaurant, Food Service or Non-alcoholic beverage sales
- Administration or business support
- Waste Management Services
- Hair, Nail or Beauty Salons
- Auto Sales, Repairs or Parts
- Retail
- Grocery
- Pet Store/Grooming
- Construction, Remodeling and Home Repair
- Other
Available Grant Amounts
$50,000.00 (maximum) – Dependent upon demonstration and verification of allowable expenses
Ineligible Applicants
Certain business types are ineligible to apply, including but not limited to the following:
- Businesses that show increases in net revenue of 10% or greater*
- Franchises
- Liquor Stores
- Financial/Lending Institutions
- Private Membership or Fraternal Organizations/Businesses
- Adult Oriented Businesses
- National/Regional Chain Businesses
- Bars (eligible if less than 50% of revenue is from alcohol)
- Night Clubs
- Vape Shops and Hemp Shops
- Child Care Centers
- Gambling Businesses
- Businesses owned in part or fully by a City of Fayetteville employee or family member of those individuals. An “employee” means: All officials, officers, members, and employees, whether elected or appointed and whether paid or unpaid, of the government of the city and all of its agencies, as well as family members of those individuals
*Businesses in QCTs applying for the Commercial Corridor Improvement Grant may have a growth rate above 10%
2022 HUD Qualified Census Tracks (QCT)
(QCTs – Qualified Census Tracks) – Areas of Fayetteville with a large proportion of low-income residents.
Instructions for Hyperlink QCT search tool:
- Click on the link to open search tool
- Enter business address in the upper right-hand corner to search for your business location
- If your business is located in the pink defined area, you are located in a Qualified Census Track, and eligible to apply.
Geographic Service Area
Businesses must be operating within the City of Fayetteville to be eligible for funding.
ARPA Requirements
Under federal regulations, the use of ARPA funds for Small Business assistance can be utilized to assist businesses that have been impacted by Covid-19. Businesses showing increased costs must have a net growth rate of 10% or less during the period they are requesting funds in order to be eligible (businesses with a higher growth rate than 10% but operate in a QCT may still be eligible for the Commercial Corridor Improvement Grant). Under ARPA guidelines businesses that meet any of the following criteria may be eligible for Fayetteville’s Small Business Development and Retention Grant:
- Decreased net revenue
- Mitigation Costs
- Increased costs (can show eligibility for up to $15,000 but can be combined with other impacts listed)
- Capacity to weather financial hardship (Challenges covering payroll, rent or mortgage, and other operating costs)
General Business Information Documents
General Business Information Documents:
- Tax Returns for 2019
- Tax Returns for 2020
- Tax Returns for 2021
- Picture of storefront
Funding Availability and Terms
Funds are available as grants with a maximum request of $50,000 per grant. Grant amounts will be determined according to the documentation provided by the business. Assistance amount will be based on the financial impact of the pandemic upon the business as determined by the City of Fayetteville. Funds received will be capped by the total losses shown by the business for the impacted criteria they are claiming. Businesses will be eligible for assistance with mitigation expenses covering a maximum 6 consecutive months of past mitigation expenses. Small Business Retention and Development Grant expenses will only be reimbursed and require proof of payment in order to receive reimbursement. Commercial Corridor Improvement Grant assistance payments will be made directly to the contractor.
Additional Small Business Resources
Additional small business resources:
- Center for Economic Empowerment and Development (CEED)
- NC Institute of Minority Economic Development
- N.C. Rural Economic Development Center
- Small Business Technology and Development Center (SBTDC) at FayettevilleState University
- Fayetteville Technical Community College (FTCC) Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
- Brian Hamilton Foundation
- Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC)
- Small Business Administration (SBA)
- Sandhills Entrepreneurship Engagement Network (SEEN)
- SCORE
Commitment to Share Story
Businesses that receive funds commit to providing information on how this assistance helped their business and permit for pictures to be taken of their operation to allow the City of Fayetteville tell the public the story behind the assistance being provided. This will include a short series of questions and a picture of the completed work
For any question or assistance with the grant application, please contact us via email at FaySBRGP@iParametricsDS.com or by phone at (910) 299-0510, Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM.
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