Governor DeWine, Lt. Governor Husted Announce $155 Million in Business Assistance Programs

Date: June 28, 2021

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted announced the launch of four grant programs to help small and medium-sized businesses recover from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

“These four new grant programs will help industries that experienced losses over the last year because of the pandemic,” said Governor DeWine. “Ohio’s economy is moving forward, and with new grant programs like the ones we are announcing today, we are optimistic that our economy will only continue to grow stronger from here.”

The programs will provide $155 million in grant funding to businesses that opened in 2020, food and beverage establishments, entertainment venues, and lodging venues. The funds were made available by the Ohio General Assembly as part of Senate Bill 108 and Senate Bill 109, both of which Governor DeWine signed into law in May.

All four programs will be administered by the Ohio Development Services Agency (Development). Program guidelines, terms and conditions, and required documentation for all four programs are available now at BusinessHelp.Ohio.Gov. The applications will open on Tuesday, June 29, 2021.

“The focus of this funding is primarily on Ohio-owned, small businesses that are important contributors to their local economy and the quality of life for the people who live there,” said Lt. Governor Husted. “The grants will help these businesses buy equipment, hire more employees and make needed updates to their facilities, so they, and the communities they serve, can recover faster.”

“We are pleased with the announcement that additional funding will be available through the Ohio Development Service Agency. Small businesses in Ohio will soon be eligible to qualify for grants of various amounts based on eligibility criteria.” Said Roger Geiger, Executive Director for NFIB in Ohio.

“We thank the members of the Ohio General Assembly for allocating this funding and Governor DeWine and Lt. Governor Husted for ensuring that the funds are distributed in a timely manner. This additional financial support will prove to be a much-needed boost for small businesses across Ohio, particularly those in the restaurant, entertainment, and hospitality industries who were hit especially hard by closures and restrictions as a result of the pandemic.

Furthermore, we are extremely pleased that businesses that first opened their doors on or after January 1, 2020, are now eligible to apply and receive this money since they were not eligible for prior rounds of state or federal assistance.

After a truly unprecedented year of hardship for many small businesses, we are optimistic this additional funding will help our members to create more jobs and expand their operations to further Ohio’s economic growth and recovery.” Geiger concluded.

Ohio Small Business Development Centers and Ohio Minority Business Assistance Centers are staffed with advisors who can help businesses with the application process. 

“The investments we make through these programs will ensure the survival and stability of our small businesses,” said Director of Development Lydia Mihalik. “Our small business owners and entrepreneurs are the heart of our economy, and we’re optimistic about the future.”

Click the links below for more detailed information on each of the four grant opportunities.

The Food and Beverage Establishment Grant will provide grants of $10,000, $20,000, or $30,000 to restaurants, bars, coffee shops, and other food and drink businesses. The amount of individual grants to eligible businesses will be determined by the business’s loss of revenue in 2020. The total funding available for this program is $100 million.

To ensure the grants are spread throughout the state, $500,000 will be set aside for businesses in each of Ohio’s 88 counties. As businesses in each county are approved for funding, the grants will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. When a county’s allocation is depleted, businesses in that county will be eligible to receive grants from the remaining funds in the overall grant program. If businesses in a county don’t deplete the county’s allocation by July 31, the remaining funds will become available to businesses statewide.

The Entertainment Venue Grant will provide grants of $10,000, $20,000, or $30,000 theaters, music venues, spectator sports venues, museums, and other entertainment venues. The amount of individual grants to eligible businesses will be determined by the business’s loss of revenue in 2020. The total funding available for this program is $20 million.

To ensure the grants are spread throughout the state, $150,000 will be set aside for businesses in each of Ohio’s 88 counties. As businesses in each county are approved for funding, the grants will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. When a county’s allocation is depleted, businesses in that county will be eligible to receive grants from the remaining funds in the overall grant program. If businesses in a county don’t deplete the county’s allocation by July 31, the remaining funds will become available to businesses statewide.

The Lodging Grant will provide grants of $10,000, $20,000, or $30,000 to hotels, motels, and bed and breakfast operations. The amount of individual grants to eligible businesses will be determined by the business’s decline in occupancy rate in 2020. The total funding available for this program is $25 million.

To ensure the grants are spread throughout the state, $100,000 will be set aside for businesses in each of Ohio’s 88 counties. As businesses in each county are approved for funding, the grants will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. When a county’s allocation is depleted, businesses in that county will be eligible to receive grants from the remaining funds in the overall grant program. If businesses in a county don’t deplete the county’s allocation by July 31, the remaining funds will become available to businesses statewide.

The New Small Business Grant will provide grants of $10,000 to small businesses that were established between Jan. 1, 2020, and Dec. 31, 2020. The total funding available is $10 million.

To ensure the grants are spread throughout the state, $100,000 will be set aside for businesses in each of Ohio’s 88 counties. As businesses in each county are approved for funding, the $10,000 grants will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. When a county’s allocation is depleted, businesses in that county will be eligible to receive grants from the remaining funds in the overall grant program. If businesses in a county don’t deplete the county’s allocation by July 31, the remaining funds will become available to businesses statewide.

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