FLORENCE-The Downtown Florence Alliance is pleased to announce that the second round of the HartBeat of Main Street Grant Program will open on Thursday, October 22 at 9am PT. In partnership with The Hartford, the program will continue to fund solutions that help small business owners respond and adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic, and also help to revitalize and strengthen older and historic downtown commercial districts.- Applications will open on Thursday, Oct. 22 at 9am PT and must be submitted by Thursday, Oct. 29 at 4:59pm PT.
- All Round 1 grant applicants have been notified about the status of their submissions, and grant recipients will be publicly announced on Oct. 21.
- Please review our program website and FAQ before completing an application.
About the HartBeat of Main Street Grant Program:
As the economy continues to deal with the effects of COVID-19, we are committed to supporting small businesses as they work to reopen safely. In partnership with The Hartford, we have created a grant program to support brick-and-mortar businesses in commercial districts as they enter the next phases of reopening across the country. The HartBeat of Main Street Grant Program will fund solutions that help small business owners respond and adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic, and also help to revitalize and strengthen older and historic downtown commercial districts. Grants of $5,000 to $15,000 will be awarded on a competitive and first-come, first-served basis. A minimum of 50 percent of grants will benefit diverse-owned businesses, as defined by the Small Business Administration as minority, woman, veteran, disabled, and/or LGBTQ-owned. Grant applicants are not required to be customers of The Hartford. Applications will be weighed and grants awarded without consideration of applicant’s being or not being a present, past, or prospective customer of The Hartford.
What types of businesses are eligible?
Businesses must meet the following criteria to apply:
- The business must be a business entity in good standing in the state in which it was formed and the state in which it does business.
- The applicant’s business has a “brick-and-mortar” location and operates in an older or historic main street, downtown or commercial district in the U.S.
- The applicant’s business employs 20 or fewer full time employees, including the owner.
- The applicant’s business has been in operation since January 1, 2019.
- The applicant is an owner of the business and is 18 years of age or older.
What types of grant expenses are eligible?
Eligible grant expenses include but are not limited to:
- Physical improvements to business space to meet relevant reopening requirements implemented because of COVID-19
- Equipment to comply with public health and safety guidelines (i.e., touchless payment methods, automatic door open sensors, or disposable menus)
- Fees associated with expanding the business to e-commerce sales
- Other professional services, such as business plan modifications
- Rent, payroll, and other operating expenses
Media Release/Downtown Florence Alliance/Stephanie Vess
